Golf Club Technology

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Golf Club Technology : Technical Specifications of Golf Clubs

Golf Club Heads

Golf club heads can be made from a variety of different materials.

• Generally Zinc and Aluminum Alloys are primarily used in beginners sets and in putters.
• HST Aluminum, which is a much harder aluminum, is popular in very large drivers.
• 431 Stainless Steel is a softer stainless steel very commonly used in high quality iron heads.
• 17-4 Stainless Steel is a harder steel found in professional quality irons and wood heads.
• Maraging metal is a stainless steel put through a very special hardening process that makes it very very hard and is a popular material for the faceplates in the highest performing woods.
• Titanium is the most expensive material used in building golf clubs heads and combines light weight and excellent strength. Titanium is used today in the highest end woods manufactured.

You should not confuse Ti-Alloy with Titanium. Ti-Alloy products are Aluminum products with trace elements of Titanium that attempt to take advantage of the Titanium name. Ti-Alloy products are among the least expensive and are meant for beginners and junior golfers. Other materials include ceramics, graphite and plastics.

To conclude this section on materials, we rank golf head materials as follows:

• Beginner woods: Aluminum, Titanium alloys
• Good woods: HST Aluminum
• Better woods: 17-4ph stainless steel, 431 stainless steel
• Best woods: Titanium (usually in drivers only), maraging metal, bi-metal, tungsten insert
• Beginner irons: Zinc
• Better irons: 431 stainless steel
• Best irons: 17-4ph stainless steel, bi-metal, tungsten insert
• Putters: material choices are immaterial. The shape, weighting and type of inserts generally override materials in your decision.

Golf heads are made in a variety of different shapes, and the key design principles are weight distribution, size and styling. There are not very many utility patents in this area, so most club makers can use most shapes that they desire without violating another companies rights.

Golf heads come in a variety of weights and there are some important factors involved. To achieve the desired swing weight there is an important dynamic between the weight of a golf head, the length of the club and the weight of the grip and shaft. However you shouldn't worry too much about this because every decent club maker uses golf club casting foundries that cast golf heads with the correct weights. It would be pretty rare to find a golf head maker that messes up in this area.

Golf Club Shafts

In our opinion, the shaft is just as important as the head of a golf club.

Should You Use Graphite or Steel Shafts? You should strongly consider using graphite shafts in your woods if:

• You are a woman
• You are a senior
• You are a baby boomer
• You have joint problems
• You want to play a longer driver
• You have pretty good swing speed tempo and are younger
• You are an average player who wants to play better

You should strongly consider using graphite shafts in your irons if:

• You are a woman
• You are a senior
• You are a baby boomer
• You have joint problems
• You love having graphite shafts in your woods?
• You have a slower swing and want to add distance

Graphite shafts reduce the weight of your club, which is good for all players, but especially women and seniors. Graphite shafts weigh from 50 grams to 85 grams, while steel shafts generally start at 120 grams. Graphite shafts will reduce the shock at impact. Graphite shafts allow for longer clubs — this is good for distance, but not so good for control. Graphite shafts have greater construction alternatives so that they can be designed to affect the flight of the ball to a greater degree than steel shafts.

What About Stainless Steel Shafts?

Most manufacturers use FM Precision, True Temper and Apollo for their steel shafts. The reasons are simple. They all make superior shafts, are long recognized as industry leaders, have very compatible steel shafts with each other and are extremely reliable. These shafts manufacturers are used by virtually every golf club manufacturer in the world today.

Golf Club Grips

Grips are the least expensive, and yet one of the most important parts of a golf club. Grips tend to oxidize, harden, get slick, and LOSE THEIR GRIP over time. It is a two edged sword — the grips with the best grip are usually the grips that lose their grip the fastest. It is important that you change your grips as soon as they start to show any signs of aging.