Lead tape effects on shaft flex, distance, and control

[MannJ]

The last few years I have shortened my clubs myself, and had places adjust the lie angle for me. 
I have hit my driver long enough (260-280), but terribly out of control.
My common miss is a pull and or big hook (the hook is off the toe).

 I had tried a small amount of lead tape before, 2 to 4 grams, without noticeable results. A few days ago I decided to try it again as I had learned a little more about it. Yesterday I added about 14 grams to the head of my driver which from my understanding made up for the -1” and then some, giving me a slightly more heavy SW than normal. 
I hit some balls with that yesterday and played today and hit the driver as straight as I ever had, and just as long if not possibly a few yards longer.

 

I am wondering why this is?

Could it partially be that it got my shaft to a flex that was more manageable, and if so is there any source of info regarding weight added vs shaft flex?

Or, is it because a heavier head is easier to shallow and or keep stable?

 

Lastly I am wondering if I should add more? Should I add more to my irons which are all a 1/2” short of standard -1* lie and currently only have an additional 4 grams on the head. 
Both my driver and irons are stiff shaft. 
 

If you use lead tape or have added weight some way , what did you find as your sweet spot and why?

[Old Tom Morris]

Get a swing weight scale.  I like my woods at D2, irons at D3, and wedges at D5.  

[Stuart_G]

13 hours ago, MannJ said:

I am wondering why this is?

Could it partially be that it got my shaft to a flex that was more manageable, and if so is there any source of info regarding weight added vs shaft flex?

Or, is it because a heavier head is easier to shallow and or keep stable?

 

In general getting a good fit for shaft weight and head weight is way more important for most than a good fit for shaft stiffness.   But with that much weight added, it certainly could be a combination of both.  And there are a minority for which stiffness can be more important.

 

The details of what make it a better fit is too subjective to try and pin down but in general changes in weight feel (shaft weight or head weight) and changes in stiffness feel can potentially effect the swing in a lot of different ways.   Exactly how will vary quite a lot from individual to individual - it's just too subjective a response to pin down for anyone without a LOT more detailed analysis of the before and after swings.   But to name a few, they can potentially have a big effect on general rhythm, tempo, sequencing, release timing, swing plane, and more.

 

13 hours ago, MannJ said:

Lastly I am wondering if I should add more?

 

No one here can answer that.  But it is usually best to add the weight in small increments to dial in what the best amount might be.  Forget swig weight values, or specific amounts, or what anyone else has done - none of that will be helpful.   Just add it a little at a time on the range until you find the best feel and best results.

 

The concepts and methods here about managing head weight apply to any club in the bag, not just driver.

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2024 by Stuart_G

[Howard_Jones]

9 hours ago, Old Tom Morris said:

Get a swing weight scale.  I like my woods at D2, irons at D3, and wedges at D5.  

A SW scale is good to have to Match  A SET of iron, based on a club tuned up where we did not even look at values during tuning, but the value we find when done, is NOT transferable to a new set of irons if we change something, so don't do that mistake, thinking "the old set worked good with D2, so will the new", it does not work like that.  

Every-time we build something new, we have to go by the the trial and error test again, adding lead tape until its too much and dial back. When we have found the head wgt that works this way, NOW its time to measure what SW value that is, and duplicate it to the other irons.

For drivers, where its only one club, we have no use for the SW scale at all, not even for repair reference, its enough with the other specs where head wgt in grams is what we put into the archive, since we will not make a "set of drivers"...only 1, so we don't have any need for a SW scale there.

So..the SW scale is designed to help us to duplicate a club that already works and is tuned up, its NOT capable of helping us to build a set based on "older known SW values" when we change something, then we are back at blank letter sheets where SW values is NOT a target, before one club is dialed in and found to work as we like it.

[Old Tom Morris]

38 minutes ago, Howard_Jones said:

A SW scale is good to have to Match  A SET of iron, based on a club tuned up where we did not even look at values during tuning, but the value we find when done, is NOT transferable to a new set of irons if we change something, so don't do that mistake, thinking "the old set worked good with D2, so will the new", it does not work like that.  

Every-time we build something new, we have to go by the the trial and error test again, adding lead tape until its too much and dial back. When we have found the head wgt that works this way, NOW its time to measure what SW value that is, and duplicate it to the other irons.

For drivers, where its only one club, we have no use for the SW scale at all, not even for repair reference, its enough with the other specs where head wgt in grams is what we put into the archive, since we will not make a "set of drivers"...only 1, so we don't have any need for a SW scale there.

So..the SW scale is designed to help us to duplicate a club that already works and is tuned up, its NOT capable of helping us to build a set based on "older known SW values" when we change something, then we are back at blank letter sheets where SW values is NOT a target, before one club is dialed in and found to work as we like it.

Interesting to know.  Did not realize it was a little more complicated than I described it.

[Socrates]

1 hour ago, Howard_Jones said:

...
Every-time we build something new, we have to go by the the trial and error test again, adding lead tape until its too much and dial back. When we have found the head wgt that works this way, NOW its time to measure what SW value that is, and duplicate it to the other irons.
....

This ^^^

[Howard_Jones]

1 hour ago, Old Tom Morris said:

Interesting to know.  Did not realize it was a little more complicated than I described it.

Its actually simpler, this instrument was not designed to be used for any other tasks, or any other way than i describe it. The problem is that most users dont know that, so they have the idea that we can compare 2 different clubs, and see a value we can use for compare (or adjustment), but thats wrong, so SW values is only valid for compare of clubs within the same SET.
We cant even compare 2 sets using the SW scale, unless all components is identical, its not meant for that task either.

When we have tuned up 1 club from a iron set, then measure it, so we have a target for the others, THEN we can navigate in this values, but limited to THIS set where all components (grip and shaft model) is the same.

its a simple and very good instrument when used correct, but its "no oracle" where the return value can tell us about how feel of head wgt will be, thats over and beyond its limitations for what we can use it for