Can Lead Tape Give Me 300 Yard Drives?

[@jimmypickett2449]

I did this with a Ping g430 lst. I only made the driver 5 gr heavier. I took the 22gr weight out of the back and replaced it with a 17, added 10 underneath. Spin dropped 150. I know your test is about basically using a bigger hammer not lowering spin. I basically made a Ping sub zero lol.

[@mlagatic]

AJ, another great video! I did have success adding lead tape to my driver to reduce spin and add forgiveness. In total, I added about 10 grams of tape on my sim 2 9.0 degree head. I added about 2 grams on top of the weight port in the front of the club to cut down spin. and I added 6 grams on the heel side as far and back as I could on the head. I found that the spin was cut down by the tape on the front...and the tape far and back helped me have more mass to help the clubface close while adding mass and a little more pop. Noticed my total distances jump from 200 carry/220 total to 220 carry/260 total....there was also practice involved too...but definitely improvement when using the lead tape. thanks for the videos and helping us find ways to tinker with our clubs and truly fit them to ourselves and our swings.

[@Durwin-ny4zf]

After watching your video on making a swing speed training iron, this video has me wondering a lot of things: 1. Were you just getting too tired to swing the heaviest head? 2. Once you've worked out with the extra 10-gram head, would your swing speed increase when going back to the lighter stock configuration? 3. Would tweaking the loft a little in your stock driver give you that little extra carry you're looking for? 4. Would shortening the club make it easier to swing faster with the extra mass in the head and possibly be easier to hit as well? Seems like we need some follow-up videos.

[@donaldwhitfield2794]

I replaced a 52 gram shaft with a 64gm shaft my club head speed increased by about 3 mph. Upgraded again to a 72gm shaft and increased again by another 2mph a total of 5 mph increase with a heavier shaft. My swing speed with my driver is on the slow side 91-96 mph but strangely enough my speed increased with a heavier shaft. I’ve also noticed an increase in speed with heavier shafts on my irons. I know there is probably a limit on increasing weight/speed but that’s been my experience. I do have a launch monitor that I use at practice so I’m able to consistently measure my swing speeds!

[@MaartenAnna]

I’m adding 6g to the heel side of my driver, to get that rid of that 10-15yard fade/slice, it might even increase ball speed by the looks of things… I’m testing it out tomorrow 😜

[@davidcarnicom5635]

With my old Adams f11, i added 7ish grams of lead tape to the front top. Reduce spin by quite a bit amd lowered launch angle.went from about 287 carry to 300. no monitor just on the range

[@iamdavidbwchen]

You should show us the impact on the club of face on each driver in the middle or not. If off centre hit, regardless adding weight or not at this test.

[@somethingclever1234]

exactly

[@stevegallagher9541]

Another great vid, have you thought about choking up a little when you add the weight? For me that’s always made it a little easier to use the sledgehammer after weighting

[@JohnWalkerCharlotte]

The Ping Optimal Launch & Spin Chart is a great reference when optimizing distance. At your 155mph ish ball speed and 2.x degrees upward angle of attack, it is likely your longer drives would happen if you had 13-13.5 degrees of launch angle and 2400-2450rpm spin. So a little more launch angle and a little more spin if you could deliver the club and maintain your current ball speed and angle of attack. It is likely that you could build a driver with consistently longer distance if you shortened it a bit which would a) promote more center strikes for consistently higher smash factor and b) allow you to add that extra head weight without making "feel" quit as heavy. Try it!

[@industrialpalletworx3548]

That chart would come in handy. Where can that be found?

[@dennisduncan9695]

​@@industrialpalletworx3548it's available on the Ping web site and I found it by just using Google

[@MJ-LazyBones]

I guess high school physics is right. As we are considering objects in motion we are talking kinetic energy. Mass x velocity2... so speed is a square therefore way more important than mass. Ideal to have higher efficiency with as low a weight as possible. Great work trying to find the balance AJ. It seems drivers are pretty well made to cover a wide variety of users and a few grams to tune.

[@franks4973]

Interesting, I added 4 grams to the heel for flight correction and have seen a little more distance. I would like to see you redo this with more average players with slower swing speeds (95, 85)

[@Amzseller90]

lol

[@bulldog4227]

​@@Amzseller902:59

[@larryyoung9106]

Since you have the tools, I would like to see you adopt what I am seeing some of the long drivers doing. They are using "L" flex shafts as low as 195 cpm shafts. They are also pulling the weights out of the weight ports which puts the heads in the 175 to 185 gram range. I know there max length is 48" but I'm not sure they are going that long and some are down in the 2.4 to 4.5 degrees of loft. Let me know what you think. Oh, and keep up the good work. Thanks

[@chadillac1127]

Great video. I love lead tape on my irons.

[@meots]

I’ve heard Jack Nicklaus and others used to add weight to top of the handle for more club head speed.

[@garyhovey9305]

Very cool idea! How about trying a lighter shaft like the long drive hitters are using?

[@alanduncan9204]

I have tried this and even had the tape fly off down the range I was hitting so hard. I also have a Taylormade R7 Quad driver with a selection of weights from 2 thru to 16 gms. I even tried that driver with no weights in but holes and it was inconclusive. The shaft weight also has to be considered. Heavy head light shaft, heavy shaft light head. I am pretty sure that the engineering in just about all modern Drivers has resulted in off the shelf Drivers with stock shafts and 100 mph swings the ball goes 250 yds. Only swinging faster makes the ball go further. Then only to a certain point the smash factor comes into it and spin which then makes the ball become the next part of the equation. 2 piece, 3 piece 5 piece cover type etc etc

[@barrygoodson4952]

Hi, what weight set up do you use ? I have the same driver and the weight kit for it so I am wondering .

[@alanduncan9204]

@@barrygoodson4952 Hi I was living in Thailand when I bought the Driver. I was able to find a small shop to buy extra weights. With a lot of tinkering I ended up with 2 x 10 grm weights in the front and 2 x 8 grm in the rear. I hit the ball pretty straight anyway and this resulted in a fairly low penetrating straight flight. The original set up when new was 2 x 8 grm and 2 x 3 grm weight. I moved them around and made the ball fly all over the place. The heavier weights I think steadied the face for straighter flights.The shaft is Regular 65 grm. I do believe this club has the best options of any Driver that has ever been made. Everything since is already set and all you can do is change loft and you get little or no option to move a weight. Changing the loft opens and closes the face. The R7 was set loft and you change the C of G by moving the weights. Only the SLDR Driver came close but I think the weights could not be made heavier or lighter ?. My best drive with an R7 cleared fairway bunkers at 270 yds and the ball ended up 20 feet short of a green at 360 yds.

[@frazc8148]

You might want to replace the shaft with something heavier as the overall mass will increase. It will be significantly more difficult to keep your swing speed up once you do this though I did this with G Series LST head and Diamana 93g xflex x5ct It works but you’re gonna know about it after the round 😶🤣

[@3n2a2]

Kinetic energy 0.5mv2. You took mass up 5% (~210/200). Velocity component went down 5% (108.7/111.5)^2 = 0.95. Energy the same. The difference is all efficiency which is quality of strike. Add or subtract a little mass to get swing weight and quality of strike where you get best efficiency (smash). Similar with lighter head on longer shaft or vice versa. I have a 175g head (-10%) in a 47" club for over speed training that goes 10mph faster so picks up 5% energy. Contrary to OEM offerings, most golfers would benefit from a heavier, higher lofted head, on a shorter shaft that they could square up. 220g 12-14* 43" 460cc would leave lots of mass to be moved to overcome swing tendencies and benefit 70% of golfers...ya, mini- driver is that direction, kinda.

[@keithjones203]

Would like to see how positioning of the weight changes the performance. Specifically from near the face to the back of the club.

[@EFGMC]

More towards the face drops the backspin, more towards the back ups the spin but stabilizes the head more. How much will depend on the amount of weight added.

[@lessmith5285]

Will definitely try this and report back. Thanks for the great video.

[@Big-Crow]

Where’s the report back at?

[@lessmith5285]

@@Big-Crowthanks for the reminder! It didn’t work for me.

[@hbyrdut]

What if you also added more weight to the grip?

[@davidrivera6694]

Hey love you videos. I saw someone else talk about launch conditions. I think it was the guys from TXG. You have plenty speed. Look into it because I think you are leaving distance on the table

[@CaribSurfKing1]

Efficiency jump is what your trying to gain. You did that. However, lead tape is really about attaining lowering dispersion circles. Always use dispersion circles, to rationalize changes, even with driver. Also, lighter shaft, with same cam and tape would be interesting with driver, irons and wedges

[@ross350tube]

I'd like to see if the player with a fast enough swing that could load up a stiffer shaft more by adding weight. like, with a modern driver being quite light and combined with a stiff shaft, there's never enough inertia to put much of a bow in the shaft through the down swing, but I think weight could do that and if that loading up and release could be timed perfectly, there'd have to be a bit to gain from that whip action in a stiff shaft, need a very powerful downswing though.

[@industrialpalletworx3548]

There are players out there from the persimmon era who have said that Hogan used a persimmon driver that weighed as much as 16 oz. Which sounds absurd. Yet feasible considering he was one of longer hitters of his day. He was known to tinker with equipment and if you disassemble a persimmon driver you will find lead under the sole plate.

[@donaldrippetoe5246]

I really enjoy your channel! I believe in life-long learning and I always learn from your content! I have started to renew older golf clubs but I am just starting to do it. How did you learn about building/refreshing golf clubs?

[@EFGMC]

I started at Golfsmith and learned from other club builders.

[@nebaseball6]

What if you moved the additional 5g fron round 3 to your grip instead to lower the swing weight but still keep that added mass to the driver head?

[@Clyde__Frog]

Would you reccomend adding weight for someone with a 100mph swing speed?

[@boydgrandy5769]

I'm thinking a compromise might work better. 6 to 8 grams forward, and maybe 10 grams counterweight in the grip might produce a better result. Forward COG and reduced swing weight from the counterweight might get you the reduced spin AND higher swing speed. I'm going to try that, by the way. I'll put two swing weights of tape on the end of the grip (tape), cover that with electrical tape, because lead, and 6 grams just behind the face on the sole of the driver. LOL If I keep the sole weight, I can coat the lead with clear spray paint (McGuire's headlight clear coat). 'Yes, I'm an idiot.

[@Travelmoments452]

What is strange I shorten my driver shaft by an inch because it was too long for me. But after shorten the shaft, I kept topping the ball. My swing hasn’t changed. Correct me if I am wrong but it seems the shorten shaft affected the weight of the driver and I keep topping the ball. The driver weight felt lighter. I had to make adjustment where I noticed I had to swing even harder just to get the ball up in the air and not topping. Maybe the lead tape could help by adding some more weight to it?

[@rickcudmore8156]

It looked like you have a Fujikura Ventus blue shaft but what was the flex and what degree was the driver head set to?

[@EFGMC]

6S, head set to 9.5

[@SweetSpotSpray]

10g did lower spin: You started to hit fades with lower spin than the original club going straight.

[@johnnicholsii]

Add lead under your grip to help the swing weight

[@newsogn5148]

I would venture to bet that your swing is optimized for that driver, but if you are a bigger dude with more muscle there will be a limit to your club speed, but if you can keep club speed with more weight then it would in theory really really help….

[@herbpalmer7501]

Jua st wondering...if it was more difficult to square up the club face with the additional weight, what would adding the weight but closer to the heel? Would that help square things up?

[@SynthaPak]

Take a long thick dowel (I have 20mm thickness) the same length as your driver, then drill holes towards the end and add weight until it weighs more than your driver and swing, 30 swings a day or something like that, each week add a hole and add more weight, you will be cranking the ball longer in no time, especially effective in the off season as it will affect your game so prob not the best idea in season unless you play a lot and can compensate easily through the season

[@Handletaken4]

As a 8 hcp it's crucial for me to hit the fairway. I'd rather be 150 out in the fairway than 135 out in the rough. Can you determine which spin rate finds more fairways?

[@aleksilepisto7282]

This is why the counterbalanced shafts became really popular on tour they say. Might be better feeling with something like that

[@jamesajainfo9857]

Great background information, not useable in tournaments, but good to understand having heavier weight in the front

[@EFGMC]

Why can't you use it in tournament?

[@CarlManvers2714]

Lead tape is absolutely allowed in tournaments lol lots of pros have it

[@biggregg5]

I'm curious, you added butt weight in previous videos that seemed to add distance. This seems to be the opposite concept. What if you butt weighted....then used the lightest but firmist quality shaft...then started adding head weight? I would think that overall club weight has to be considered.

[@EFGMC]

Maybe future video.

[@niteninja0133]

Question- I started golf 8 months ago play Cobra Airxs regular shaft now. went for a fitting and got fit into Cobra forged tec irons with stiff shafts. So my question is can I just buy stiff shafts and put them into my airxs? And have them perform the same as the forged tecs?

[@EFGMC]

Usually just moving one flex isn't going to change much of anything. I would be doubtful that only going slightly stiffer would change much by itself.

[@niteninja0133]

@@EFGMC awesome thank you so much for the info here and on your channel.

[@jeremydawkins8399]

What do you think about using the 10 grams at the head and counter balancing the grip? That should give you the best of both worlds with extra mass in the head for better ball speed and also being able to keep or improve your stock swing speed.

[@EFGMC]

That idea is on my video to do list!

[@jazzforJamie]

Hi, If you shorten shaft holding grip 2 inch lower, could that make longer shots?

[@EFGMC]

Yes, if your contact point becomes better and more consistent.

[@francophillips1552]

Playing my driver at 44" and E0 swingweight and am hitting farther and much straighter.

[@golfclubcoach]

Going up 5 to 7,5 swing weight points is really really heavy and can definitely mess up your timing.

[@dsbgolf]

So now you need to combine the extra head weight and an equal amount, or greater, of counterbalance, perhaps there is some magic there?

[@trimmoos]

I think you should revisit the counter balance scenario but this time use a long shaft, say 47 or 48", add the weight and then grip down to where you're gripping it at 44 or 45". I knew a club repair guy years ago and he was aware of the counter balance thing and he said that the added weight needed to be above the hands not under them so it will work as a lever propelling the club head to higher speeds. On a side note, I recently went out and and followed a few of the players in a high profile amateur event here in California and there was one guy who was choking up on his driver a good 3" and he was pounding it, consistently over 300 yds, FWIW.

[@nelsonjames1272]

Do you get the same numbers outside when compared to quad? I didn’t think so.

[@jake6501]

Is this legal to do to your clubs in tournament play??? I wouldn't think so.

[@EFGMC]

Completely legal. Just can't add the lead tape during a tournament round.

[@bmos212]

Any movement of 13 grams in the head moves the CG. SO you have yo be careful.

[@briansmith2125]

What ball were you using, or did I miss that?

[@EFGMC]

This was with the Mizuno Tour X

[@manontondalan9941]

you want to increase distance exercise swing a weight maybe 10 to 12lbs to strengthened your upper arm. 25 repetition 2x a day would be good start.

[@perrydegouveia5403]

Why do you hold your breath when you hit ? You should try exhale as you take your back swing

[@JBJHonez]

If you don’t have the strength and athleticism to swing faster, nothing will help. There are exercises and workouts that’ll get results as well as well as hitting the range more and work on ball address and such

[@GolfBert]

what about putting the 10g of weight to the back of the head?

[@EFGMC]

That will usually increase the backspin though based on this it doesn't look like it would change it much.

[@adriancox-thesantjordigolf3646]

10g was enough for me and 20 on the sand wedge.

[@mallrat11]

im surprised you didnt start with 5. i think if you lost speed with 15, and even 10.fwlt heavy, you might have noticed the best gains with 5-9g

[@EFGMC]

Will revisit this topic again with other weights.

[@johnbrodnik839]

OR, you could try the new Mizuno G driver! I have an old ST G 190 and it’s a great driver. Long! At 70 it still gets out there around 280.

[@joebouscaren1]

No reason you couldn't have gotten to 1.45 efficiency with stock head. If you had it probably would have produced best distance. As you well know it's all about strike location.

[@santiagodeponce9390]

Small tweaks to swing and you won’t need it👍🙂

[@jamieswift-adams9561]

Non- conforming as drivers on the conforming list are presumed to be at the limited of m.o.i.

[@MaartenAnna]

I was thinking that too; is your driver still conforming if you change characteristics using lead tape. You might have too high MOI or COR…?

[@chongannyap7562]

Could be due to better Swing Weight that optimized the transition and impact (for the +10g) and thus increasing SF.

[@radam2818]

Interesting. How much did the 10g extra weight change the swing weight ? What was the new sw ?

[@EFGMC]

About 5 points. Think we got up to D7-8

[@jamesanderson8712]

Calibration on those machines feeds the ego. Take 35 yards off the totals when using them.

[@bellsy13]

Like adding weight to your driver - u should try adding weights to your life

[@gregschulte2953]

all that work for....

[@Labgorilla]

Out of breath from hitting driver…

[@jimmyReesby]

NO real proof that the tape did anything😂

[@darrenmcintosh326]

Drama queen

[@EFGMC]

Hey, I working hard here!

[@johnstisabel2732]

Again way too much talk ! Get to the point

[@robertsandidge441]

I’m thinking it’s a matter of finding the sweet spot with which weight and also the perfect shaft.

[@michaelsliwinski8044]

Speed up backswing

[@nebaseball6]

What if you moved the additional 5g fron round 3 to your grip instead to lower the swing weight but still keep that added mass to the driver head?