Frequently Asked Questions

Go ahead - ask us! If you have a question about club assembly or any of our products, contact us. You'll have a response within a business day (usually sooner). If for some reason you prefer, you may e-mail us at customshop@primegolflab.com or call our Customer Service people at 503-481-2528. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the lofts and lies on my irons change as a result of regular play?

Yes. Lofts and lies can be affected by a variety of conditions, such as play on hard fairways, hitting off mats, and the occasional abuse of a frustrated golfer. Maintaining even increments from club to club is important, we suggest that you have forged golf clubs checked periodically. Cast clubs are much stronger than forged clubs, and specifications vary little.

How is club length for a specific individual determined?

Club length is determined mostly by the ball striking ability of the golfer. The longer the club, the harder it is to make a clean hit on the sweet spot. It is much easier to strike the ball on the center of the face with a shorter club. A golfer, short in height, with a good ball striking ability, can handle a club that is 1/2 to 1 inch longer than standard. A tall golfer with a high handicap would be able to connect with the sweet spot more easily using a shorter club. Ideally, the clubs should be as long as is consistent with his swing - the longer the clubs, the greater the potential for long shots - and the greater the potential for loss of control. A really long drive out of bounds into the trees is a lot less desirable than a shorter drive right down the fairway!

What is flex?

Flex is the bending action of the shaft in relation to the speed of the golfer's swing. Like torque, the amount of shaft flex necessary to make good ball contact depends on how much clubhead speed the golfer generates.

Can golf shafts lose their stiffness?

It has long been thought by many that, over a period of time, a golf shaft, through constant flexing, will tend to lose its stiffness and become weaker. Exhaustive tests performed by club manufacturers, reveal that the shaft does not lose its stiffness. If, however, a shaft is rusted, pitted or bent, its flex characteristics may have changed.

       What features should you look for when choosing a putter?

Because the game of golf is so mental, this question is answered by personal preference. You must have confidence in your equipment to execute good shots. If a putter looks good-TRY IT!

What are the advantages of box grooves versus v-grooves?

Box grooves have no advantage over v-grooves upon impact if there is no foreign material between the clubface and the ball, such as grass or water. Box grooves put more spin on the ball by working like a snow tire on a car-the grooves are bigger and thus allow the grass or water to escape which helps maintain better contact between the golf ball and the clubface.

What is torque?

Torque is the degree to which a golf shaft twists when force, such as hitting the golf ball on the toe or heel, is applied.

Are there any simple steps a golfer could use to help improve his or her game?

1. See a professional swing instructor
2. Be properly fitted with quality equipment
3. Maintain a positive attitude
4. Practice
5. Play

In using any, or preferably all, the steps listed above we are certain you'll see positive results in your game.

How important is it to have grips fitted properly?

The proper grip size should feel comfortable when in address position. This will allow for positive control during the swing and help keep the wrist correctly aligned as the clubhead moves into the impact zone. A grip that is too large will cause you to leave the ball to the right, while one that is too small will cause you to hook the ball.

Why do I have a tendency to pull my short irons and push my long irons?

This has been a long-standing problem that most all golfers have experienced. Some suggest the reason for this is that the shaft is too stiff or too flexible for the player. In actuality, the problem is in the lie angle of the club. If a set of clubs is built with progressive 1° lie angle increments from the #1 iron down to the #9 iron, chances are the short irons will be too upright and the long irons too flat. Typically, a lie that is too upright causes the ball to be pulled left and a lie that is too flat causes the ball to be pushed right. The lie angle of your clubs is very important and should be considered when selecting clubs.

Do tall or short golfers need longer or shorter clubs?

Overall length, except in unusual circumstances, should be determined by what the golfer feels comfortable and confident with. More importantly, the playing ability and athletic coordination of a golfer are the key factors. For example, a tall golfer, 6 ft 3 in with an 18 or higher handicap, who has a hard time hitting the ball solidly and on the center of the club face, may be better off with standard length clubs. On the other hand, a shorter golfer, say 5 ft 6 in, who has a 6 handicap and hits the ball straight with solid face center hits, may want to try 1/2 to 1 inch longer than standard clubs to obtain more distance by increasing club head speed. Generally speaking, almost any golf club can be fit to any golfer as long as the lie angle is correct.

Why are almost all graphite shafted drivers longer than the standard length or steel shafted drivers?

The inherently lighter weight graphite allows a longer shaft without increasing the total weight of the club. The longer club, in turn, produces a longer arc and greater head speed (as noted in question one above). Also, the loss of swingweight on a standard length graphite shafted driver is regained with additional shaft length.

How can I determine what the shaft length of my clubs should be?

This important golf club specification is frequently misunderstood and, therefore, incorrectly fitted to many golfer's needs. This is the case when the criteria for correct length is determined by the measurement between an individual's fingertips and the floor with the arms and fingers extended straight down beside the body. Simply stated, club length should only be determined by the individual's ability to strike a ball solidly on the center face of a club. The longer a golf club is, the more difficult it is to hit a ball solidly on its face. The correct approach is to play with the longest possible club length that still allows the confidence of achieving solid ball contact with accurate results.

What happens when I shorten the length of my golf clubs?

To change the length of a club is relatively simple, but, the other specifications are directly affected, such as total weight, swingweight, shaft flex, and lie. Each of these specifications has an effect on the playability of the club. These specifications should be measured, considered, and, perhaps adjusted, after a length change has been made.

What happens to club length during the swing?

A golf shaft flexes in at least two different directions during downswing. As the shaft is flexed, it actually shortens the club before reaching the ball. A test was conducted on the actual shortage of a driver with the True Temper mechanical golfer. The results showed that a driver shortens approximately 1/4 inch in length at the time of impact due to this flexing of the shaft.

How is club length measured?

Most of the specifications on a golf club such as loft, lie, bulge, roll, etc., are easily defined with only one standard method of measurement being accepted industry-wide. Length, however, is different, since a number of manufacturers measure using different methods. The traditional standard for measuring length is simply defined as that distance from the back of the heel to the top of the grip cap.