Over length iron builds - hard stepping

[Pnwpingi210]

For those of you that play and build over length clubs, is there a benefit to hard stepping?

 

I'm looking to build a 1 inch over (37 end of grip on Mitchell 9 iron) length set as a backup set/to be used when my back is balky.  I will be using roughly standard weight heads (283 ish 9 iron) that should put me right about d6-7 at that 1 inch over.   I would like the shaft to feel and play like my d4 weight standard length set (36 inch 9 iron). 
 

I’ve heard playing over length can increase dynamic loft so trying my best to avoid that.

[loheiman]

I'm new to this but I think that would make sense. I think another alternative is to soft step a stiffer flex. Tutelman says tip trimming 2" is equivalent to going up one full flex.

https://www.tutelman.com/golf/design/flex4.php

 

That gives you more options which might be useful depending on what irons you're getting and the available range of shafts. 

 

You may want to check out this thread which contains a lot of good suggestions for those playing 1+ over standard length 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/1340546-fitting-tall-golfers-with-no-chart-or-preconceived-ideas/

Edited September 27, 2024 by loheiman

[Stuart_G]

11 hours ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

For those of you that play and build over length clubs, is there a benefit to hard stepping?

 

No, not typically.  But there might be a benefit for soft stepping - depends on what you do about head weight and swing weight.

 

Ideally, you'd lighten the head significantly for those longer lengths in order to properly manage swing weight.  On a +1" set, the head weight should be dropped around 10-12 gm's or more - and that would take at least one soft step to compensate for.  I would think it would be even more important to properly manage swing weight in the context of some back issues.    And it's what you do to the head weight that will be (by far) the much more dominant effect on how the shaft plays.   So shafts on a properly built over-length set will tend to play much stiffer than they were designed to - not softer.   The effect of the extra length on the stiffness of the shaft is usually pretty negligible.    So even with no adjustment to the head weight, you can usually ignore the effect of the extra length.

 

But everyone's different - so always best to build and test one club (mid or long iron) first before building the whole set.   Ideally the effect of different aspects of the build on the shaft performance would have been figured out when one is fit (or fits oneself) for the shaft, length, and swing weight - but I realize that's not always easy to do.

Edited September 27, 2024 by Stuart_G