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After searching all over the internet and the numerous books on golf club building that I have, nothing explains how to measure an individual for their swingweight. I know how to measure the clubs swingweight and how to change it but how do you figure a persons swingweight or starting point? I did finally find out what swingweight was and that it goes from A0 to F9. Can anyone direct me to where I can find out how to measure for swingweight? Thanks

If I'm not mistaken, a club is weighted for balance. If there is a heavy grip, or whatever, you may need to add some weight to the hosel.

Not 100% sure, but believe that is the case.

trainfever - I will tell you what I gathered at my last fitting/demo day

The swingweight and/or possibly the total weight of the club may be used to help a person keep the clubhead on plane --

For instance, I was hitting a very light club, and my path was all over the place, mostly outside-in, the rep handed me something a little beefier and I was better able to control the plane of my swing.

I'm going to guess that a lighter club, you could probably generate more speed, but sacrifice control of a heavier club?

As far as measuring for it (fitting-wise) I have no idea, it would seem to be a feel thing, and you and/or your fitter would need to be conscious of what is happening in your swing - trial and error.

This is all just my guess and what I have only inferred, as opposed to having been instructed on...mileage may vary...

You mean to tell me that no one here knows how to measure for swingweight?

Train, at Golfsmith.com, possibly under "clubmaking" I believe there is a clubmakers forum. If that info isn't easily found on that forum, I bet you'd get a pretty quick response, from someone that knows what you are asking.

If you find that info over there, please post it here, because I am curious if that is something that is actually measured and taylored, rather than just personal preference.

I am not quite sure what you are asking. Are you asking how to measure the swingweight of a club or how to fit a swingweight to a person?

There is no way to statically measure (as far as I know) the 'ideal' swingweight for a person. It depends on more than just bodytype, size, strength, etc. You would have to test swing a club at each weight and go with what feels best or yields the best result.

The swingweight refers to the weight of the clubhead end of the stick with a point right below the grip as the fulcrum. I don't know with what machine it is actually measured but I would guess if you got the club parallel, put a pointed object right at the bottom of the grip and put the clubhead on a mass scale such that the clubshaft was parallel to the ground, that would yield a 'swingweight' in grams. But you would have to be pretty accurate because, from below, a 2 gram error in head weight is a swingweight point off.

I am not sure how the point system works (ie C-5, D-2 and what not). I copied the following from this website on how to increase or decrease swingweight.

Basic swing-weight rules: every 2 grams added to head weight = 1 s/w; every 7 grams of shaft weight = 1 s/w; every 4 grams of grip weight = 1 s/w ; every 1/2" over length = 3 s/w. To increase swing-weight, either 1) lengthen the club, 2) add weight to the head, or 3) use a heavier shaft. To decrease swing-weight, either 1) shorten the club, 2) add weight to the butt end, or 3) use a lighter shaft.

That is what I thought, that swingweight is used to "balance" a club, not to measure and taylor the weight for an individual.

I do know a guy that has a steel head driver, and adds weights to the hosel to make it heavier. It is like swinging a sledge hammer, relatively speaking.

"A proper swingweight can allow the player to feel the head during the swing. This can increase the player’s chances for more on-center impacts. If the swingweight is too low and the player cannot feel the head then inconsistent ball striking can occur. Too high of a swingweight is better than too low swingweight but as a general rule, players with a faster tempo are those that will most benefit from higher swingweights". This explanation is from Golfsmith. There is no actual standard for swingweight. It's all about clubhead feel and is different for each person

I know how to measure a club for swingweight and how to adjust a clubs swingweight. I wanted to know how to measure a person for a proper swingweight or at least a starting point. There are actually 60 swingweight levels from A0 to G0 and that would be unrealistic to have someone try all of those.

From what hi-tek said above, you could go to a golf shop, have the person you are fitting swing a couple of different irons, have the clubmakers put the preferred club on a scale, then build the club to that weight.

Any luck on the Golfsmith clubmaker forum?

From what I've learned, no one really knows how to measure for it. I think it's like Bigfoot, some believe it exists, some don't, and others choose not to talk about it.

I don't think what you are asking is possible just like its impossible to get the correct lie angle for a club without dynamic fitting. You can take all the static measurements you want (length of club, height of person, etc) but until you see someone swing the club you don't have any idea what the lie angle should be. Swingweight, I presume, is the same way.

You could test them out in a binary tree like fashion and I estimate that you would only need 7 tries, provided after each swing you could say whether the swingweight is too high or too low. Thats not too much effort considering what you are asking for.

Right now I am playing with a 47g or so shaft. It feels as if weight needs to be added to the grip/hands area so that the club has a more balanced feel. Does anyone have any recommendations as to how I can do this? Should I regrip the club with lead tape under the new grip and grip tape? Thanks