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Re: Don't Tell Anyone ...
You rekon lead tape and weights make much of a difference to golf club performance? Yes ... No ...?
I bet most of you say "yes" ... actually:
It will have a minimal effect at best. Each 1" strip of lead tape is 1 gram. The total weight of a 5-iron club is roughly 424g. So you have amended the weight by 0.23%, say 0.25% to keep it easy. Even at tour player swing speed with a 5-iron, the net effect of the additional force applied by adding the 1g is less than 1.25%.
Marginal at best ... to make a noticable change to the ball flight the net effect of the additional force has to be at least 15% or 63g or 63" of lead tape.
As far manipulating centre of gravity, the effect of change has to be a minimum of 1/3rd of the weight. So, to change the COG and so affect the ball flight significantly of a 5-iron you have to move or add 127g. That's 127" of lead tape!
Where there is a significent difference is the swing weight ofthe golf club. For every 2g of weight added to the club head, the swingweight increases 1 point. That's why pro's put lead tape to change swingweight, not affect the ball flight.
To decrease swingweight, add lead tape under the grip (on the inside of the shaft is best). Again, 2g per swingweight point.
Drivers are a similar ratio, except an average driver these days weighs 350g. So the R7 at best, with 9g of weight change has an effect of 2.5%, which at tour swing speeds the force effect is 12.5% - just about the minimum amount to make a noticeable (not significant, only noticeable) difference to ball flight.
There you are ... club fitting lesson over for the day!
You rekon lead tape and weights make much of a difference to golf club performance? Yes ... No ...?
I bet most of you say "yes" ... actually:
It will have a minimal effect at best. Each 1" strip of lead tape is 1 gram. The total weight of a 5-iron club is roughly 424g. So you have amended the weight by 0.23%, say 0.25% to keep it easy. Even at tour player swing speed with a 5-iron, the net effect of the additional force applied by adding the 1g is less than 1.25%.
Marginal at best ... to make a noticable change to the ball flight the net effect of the additional force has to be at least 15% or 63g or 63" of lead tape.As far manipulating centre of gravity, the effect of change has to be a minimum of 1/3rd of the weight. So, to change the COG and so affect the ball flight significantly of a 5-iron you have to move or add 127g. That's 127" of lead tape!
Where there is a significent difference is the swing weight ofthe golf club. For every 2g of weight added to the club head, the swingweight increases 1 point. That's why pro's put lead tape to change swingweight, not affect the ball flight.
To decrease swingweight, add lead tape under the grip (on the inside of the shaft is best). Again, 2g per swingweight point.
Drivers are a similar ratio, except an average driver these days weighs 350g. So the R7 at best, with 9g of weight change has an effect of 2.5%, which at tour swing speeds the force effect is 12.5% - just about the minimum amount to make a noticeable (not significant, only noticeable) difference to ball flight.
There you are ... club fitting lesson over for the day!
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