Howard_Jones

SS1 might be unprecise here, what PX 7.0 shaft number, for what heads? We use the term both as a relative reference, and a actual like this If you played PX 7.0 up to the PW - strait in, and used the same PX 7.0 PW shaft for wedges, ACTUAL looks like this, GW = SS1 SW = SS2 LW = SS3 We can also use SS as relative If irons was PX 6.5 strait in up to PW, a 7.0 PW shaft will then look like this GW - strait in, a 7.0 PW has the flex of a dedicated 6.5 GW shaft we cant buy. SW . soft stepped once, since flex is "GW flex" used for one club shorter LW - SS2,,,, So what do you mean by SS1?...or better, tell us what PX 7.0 shaft # is used for what wedge, since its clearly not a relative reference to your irons, but sounds like PX 7.0 #9 iron shafts for GW, SW and LW? If thats right, those shafts is "PX 6.6" flex before each step down (average 4 per step,from the first SS1 club, and 128 grams compared to DG at 130 or PX 6.5 at 125 grams.

Some 15- maybe its 20 years ago now, several of the top OEMs had 3 weight options, depending on if the build was standard (standard head wgt), overlenght (B weight minus 7 grams or 1 club head), and some even had C weight for shorter than standard builds (Plus 7 grams vs standard) There is absolutly no need to block it, unless SW matching is done using tungsten powder down the shaft, but even then, we can still cork it. I dont understand why you like to close it, even a tip weight inserted in the shaft, will NOT drop down there..........but when we open a driver head (glued hosel - old school), we drill trough a thin metal shim, made as "hosel bottom", so when hot melt is added, we "close" that hole, with a 1 mm thick plastic shim we drop down there, and get into position before we install the shaft. Cut a shim like that from a beer can if you still feel its needed, but its not. USE OF EPOXY - We only need to mix 0.5 grams per club., expect net use to be 0.35 grams if you apply it right The shaft tip in STRIPES from the ferrule to the tip. The hosel, ONLY on the upper 1/3 When we are redy to insert the shaft, hold the club head UPSIDE DOWN. and insert the shaft UP into the hosel, and rotate it into position, wipe off and set to dry. This way we avoid filling up the shaft tip ( or that hosel bore) with epoxy who dont have any jobs to do there. Tip weights can most often be reused if we do it like this, since we prevent epoxy in the ventilation hole on the tip weight. If the plan is to make it "right" from the start, follow this link to a write up of how to blueprint specs.

You are questioning WHY those holes is there. ....and i gave you the answer to that, its weight adjustment to get head wgt within tolerances of where it should be.

Many head models has a weight port like that as standard, in case its only on a few heads in the set, its done for weight reduction reasons, maybe a case where those heads was only available as B-Wgt, or simply heads that came out of production with a weight way to high for std, and to low for B wgt. So, hosel drilling is a weight adjustment thing, it does not weaken the hosel, and we dont need to plug the hole, since its ID is smaller than the tips OD. I have hosel drilled many hundreds of club heads, i actually made it so often i saw the need for charts vs drill bits and dept to make it faster. So, if you are curios about how much weight thats been removed, measure full dept, minus 1.25" for insert, and you have drill dept, the drillbit used is most likely 7 mm or 9/32" If its 15mm deep x 7 mm wide, that drill hole removed 3x 1,52 grams = 4.56 grams. if its 9/32 and only 0.5" inch deep, its 8.04 / 2 = 4.02 grams removed

What we see down there is a hosel weight port, they are most often 7mm wide x 15mm deep and can take a 9 gr tungsten wgt. ...seems like some mods ha been done to the hosel top too, some heads look like made for collared ferrules, the others dont?

Standard SW matched set, NO MATTER SW value, has a average close to 7 grams per club. A standard #3 iron head is plus minus 240 gram, and if wre for the sake of example say that delivers D1, then 244 grams is expected to be close to D3, so a higher SW in a set means ALL heads is above standard weight, but still with a difference of average 7 grams club to club head. The rule of thumb for SW is usless, but here we can use it to illustrate If 2 grams is 1 SWP, and we change head wgt progression from 7 to 8 grams, we have also moved SW progression by 0.5 points per club, since 1 gram is average 0.5 SWP Before you rip of grips, measure play lengths, that will tell if is PL thats off, who can be both shafts cut to long, or a grip not fully seated, sometimes not fully inserted into the hosel. (1.25" is expected insert for most heads).

Do you measure BP with or without grips? - Assuming with grips, then check actual play lenght (grips might not be fully seated, and extend the club), that will also move the clubs BP as measured from the butt. 8 grams? thats high if you have a 4/8" set, and like all to be D3, you are by that in direction of a progressive SW value with about 0.5 SWP per club. (#5 as D3, #6 as D3.5, #7 as D4, #8 as D4.5 and #9 as D5) So, measure play lenghts...(all clubs, take notes----1 mm = 0,25 SWP - have you adjusted loft and lie inbetween build and SW measurements? 1 flat = 0.25 SWP

Wishon makes really good working and feeling club heads in general, but i never understood why 555M was taken of the program, and no new model replaced it. It might be the demands for blade irons in general thats to low, but they was impressive forgiving for a blade when matched with the right shaft for the player, so i would rather have those as short irons (#8-#9-PW, GW), than any other blade on the marked. If the plan is to build a combo set, using second hand heads, look for Wishon 555M for the short end. (Loft 40* and up dont have much benefits as Cavity back, so most can play blades from 40* loft and higher like Wishon 555M #8 iron has stock..) https://wishongolf.com/555m/

Bear in mind, im a former Club fitter....(colored opinion) Nobody here is able to tell if you can gain much, or how much, that realy depends on what you play now, and how far from your "ideal specs" those clubs are. Only a fitting can find the right clubs, then we can make a apple to apple compare of them, not before or without. The amount of hours you spend on this sport, tells me you are dedicated, and if you combine a fitting & new clubs with swing lessions, basic specs alone will make it easier to progress, and take advantage of the swing education given. (Golf is hard enough as it is, dont add your clubs as one of the hinders to make it.) Im not sure how much you use course management during play since you are high HDCP, but a decent score is mostly won or lost in the short game, or by controlled or crazy tee shots. If you have clubs in you bag who often fails for you, take them out of the bag, dont even bring them to the range. There is something about those clubs specs thats simply dont work for you. So, it really starts "at home", where you ask yourselves, whats my favotite clubs in my bag? - Those clubs who most often does the job like you want them, and what clubs belongs to the opposite end ? When you note that down, and find club specs on both this groups of clubs, you are a step closer to what seems to work for you, and what direction of specs that dont. Many starts with a fitting of the driver, but for a high hdc player, " a safe tee club", who gets the ball in the fairway is what you really need. not good distance on 2 shots a round with 5 OOB and 5 lost balls per round. I would start with the putter, then wedges and short irons..... But OK, grab the driver you have, buy a roll of lead tapé and a whiteboard pen/dry erase marker, and read this post you can bookmark and bring to the range with your mobile. Its a complete DIY driver tune up guide, with no needs for pre-knowledge of fitting or club tech, and no other tools than lead tape, a white board pen, and some "tape" to set markers on the grip is needed. Its valid for all full swing clubs, the putter has its own chapter as post #9 in the same tread/link. You might be in for a HUGE surprise, where you keep the driver, and rather spend the money on lessions and some equipment improvements in the short end of the bag. (Putter and wedges)

Tip weights. - Lead tape is good for testing and tunging, to figure out how much weight is needed. SW values shall ONLY be target AFTER a "blind tune up test" is done. (add or remove weight untill it feels right and impact is good...wiithout a clue about who much we added, untill we are done and back home to measure that) We should never add tungsten powder to the epoxy, its a "back alley method" thats no good. Compared to the shafts design, TRUE SW below D2 makes the shaft to play stronger with 1 CPM per 1 SWP and opposite. Example, D2 is standard, our blind test tune up brings us to D6 (dont happen very ofrten). We are now adding 4 SWP the shaft must handle, who weakens flex 4 CPM or equal to soft stepped once. We shall try to duplicate the "blind tested tuned up club" as best as we can, so ideal is "spot on", so it boild down to how lrge tolerances is accepable? That will vary from OEM to OEM and club builder to club builder, and my own standard was "within 0.25 SWP from target (plus minus 0.25 SWP) D4.67 is expressed like that value is, or as D4 2/3, NOT as D5. (we use exact values, and judge them by comparing them to our accepted tolerances, but the value remains as it is. #3 . Slow = 24h / Fast 30 minutes, the last shall only be used for "test clubs" in a fitting studio. #4 - If install is done right, there is most often no epoxy in the shaft tip to be removed when pulling, so its more a question of how we use epoxy and how much. We can and should avoid to fill the shaft tip wth epoxy, it got no job to do there. The method to use to avoid epoxy in the shaft tip goes like this: . Mix 0.5 grams per club, expect NET use to be about 0.35 grams (0.15 lost on the mixing paper and as wipe off). Add epoxy in stripes, from the ferrule to the tip. Add epoxy to ONLY the upper 1/3 of the hosel, install the shaft UP (hold the head upside down) into the hosel while you rotate it. This will make a full epoxy bound between the hosel from the ferrule to the tip, but hardly no if any epoxy will find its way into the shaft tip. (those who "fill the hosel" with epoxy does this all wrong, and ends up with most of the epoxy indside of the shaft tip.) #5 - 1 SWP to grams vary with play lenght, so the answer is NO If we have a 45" long driver 1SWP is only 1.6 grams, but if the club is a 10 inch shorter LOB edge, we are up at 2.36 grams per SWP....all other clubs on a fluid progression between thos 2 points, so FORGET the rule of thumb who say 2 grams is 1 SWP, its usleess END NOTE - There is MANY factors that have a ifluence on SW values, lie angles, presice cut of play lengths to mention 2, and SW should really be tuned up UN-GRIPPED, so we dont fool ourself and adjust head wgt, due to tolerances in grip wgt who only fools the SW scale. A good build starts with the Blind test tune up", where we later measure, UN.gripped, so we get the correct dry fit value. Then we shall adjust loft and lie for all heads, since later changes moves SW. If SW values is off on the play redy clubs, our measurements and notes will explain why, example grip wgt. Tolerances and its effect on SW value - Lie angles, 4 = 1 SWP, so a later adjustment (after build is done) by only 1.0" moves SW with 0.25 SWP. Play leghts moves SW with 0.75 SWP fo each 1/8", and since 1/8" is right above 3 mm, we can use rounded numbers and say 1 mm off on PL = 0.25 SWP. Converted to "grams head wgt" it will vary, but for irons who need 2.0 to 2.3 Grams per SWP, 0.25" SWP off due to PL or Lie angles, is equal to 0.5 to 0,55 grams of head wgt. That means during the build prosess, EVERYTHING must be done correct, if not we will have 1 or more parameters that combined can move our target specs for SW way off, even if we did our best to get head wgt right.... So...what level of club making are you willing to pay for, and what tolerances? To make sets where the tolerances combined gives us clubs where SW values is within 0.25 SWP is NOT a "10 minute per cub" job, its takes about 1 hour per club, where 3_PW is a full day job. (Blueprint of all specs)

BOTH is listed, with identical specs, but different labels. the OP had 2 treads about this, and he should measure and compare step patterns and tip length, since there is no step pattern drawings of them on TTs web, but both is listed,

You got it right. . If the task is to simulate the effect of higher shaft wgt, "all else equal", lead tape should be distributet in both directions from the shafts BP who most often is at the middle, or right above the middle. Where is the middle of the shaft? - Gross gripcap is most often 0.25", so the shaft starts 0.25" below the grip end. We can follow the shaft to the top of hosel, and add 1.25" for insert. Thats means, end of grip, to top of hosel plus 1.0 = net cut shaft length. Net cut shaft length / 2 + 0.25" (grip cap) = the middle, measured from the end of the grip. If we know that BP on the actual shaft is say 1.0 inch higher than the middle, we set the mark there, and add equal amount of lead tape in the grip to head direction. (underside of the shaft so we dont see it from adress)

Did you try the classic DG S300 130 grams? or DG 120 series, where both X and S should be tried.

Exactly, and the driver is a "stand alone club", we dont "match in" as part of a set like irons, so its SW value is really out of interest for enything but as a repair reference..(head wgt in grams is more than good enough) Follow the steps in my DIY driver tune up, and like the post say, pay attention to impact location on the face, and how tight that pattern is. Combine it with what you feel (to little or to much, untill it feels "just right". During the test, be aware of that your stance, ball position in the stance and tee height makes a difference for where we make impact on the face, so pay attention to those too, .

My bad, i did not zoom it, so it looked like a conventional glued short hosel design.