Golf is a confusing sport.
There’s so much going on and there is a lot to learn when you’re just starting out. Heck, even if you’re an experienced player, it seems like you can always learn something new.
Whether it’s a new type of shot to hit, which new clubs to use, the correct swing weight, and the best gadgets to help your game. One of the things that a lot of players focus on is buying the right clubs and equipment. Using the right gear makes golf a little bit easier (but far from an “easy” sport).
There are a lot of components to buying a club or set of clubs though. You need to consider things like club head size, golf shaft stiffness, shaft weight, grip, and swing weight. The last thing most golfers think about is swing weights but it plays a big role in using the right equipment.
In this post, we’ll break down what swing weights are, why they matter, and how they can impact your golf swing.
Swing Weights Explained
If you’ve played golf for any length of time, chances are you know it’s important to play golf clubs with the proper weight. A set of golf clubs that are too heavy can make it hard to swing aggressively and open up the doors to potential injury. While lighter clubs might reduce your accuracy and make you spray it all over the golf course
You can normally feel if the weight of a club is right for you as soon as you pick it up. But there’s a difference between swing weight and total weight, so let’s break it down.
Swing Weights Defined
First off, measuring swing weights has been around for quite a while.
In fact, this measurement of golf clubs have been around more than a century after being invented in the 1920s! Hard to believe that about 100 years ago, golfers were concerned about swing weights when they were playing hickory shafts and old school woods.
This creation and measurement of this was from Robert Adams. He learned how to properly balance golf clubs and identify the swing weight of each club. This is not to be confused with the total weight of a golf club either.
Swing weight is how heavy a club feels when you swing it.
It’s not so much a finite measurement like other parts of the game. For example, certain shafts are absolute – whether they are 40 or 80 grams. While grips might be 25 or 35 grams depending on the size and manufacturer.
Swing weights are different and measure how the weight is distributed throughout the golf club. To determine the swing weight, you first need to consider the four factors:
- Length of the golf club. The first factor is the length of the golf club. The shaft length makes up most of the overall length. Putters are the shortest clubs and range between 33-36 inches. While the driver is the longest club and typically 44-46 inches. The length depends on the brand, if you custom order to lengthen or shorten, and other factors.
- Weight of the clubhead. Some clubs are ultra lightweight to help increase swing speed while others are much heavier, such as wedges. Heavier clubs require more natural swing speed and will play a big role in swing weight.
- Weight of the grip. Grip weights change dramatically depending on the size, brand name, and other factors.
- Weight of the shaft. This also plays a huge role in the total equation as shaft weights vary greatly between golf clubs. As an example, in drivers and fairway woods, anything over 70 grams is pretty heavy for most golfers. While some irons are 130 gram shafts are more and very stiff too.
How Do You Measure Swing Weight?
Measuring swing weight is much more complicated than you might think.
For example, if you want to know your physical weight, you can just step on a scale (the same goes for a head or golf shaft). Or, if you want to measure the length of a golf club, just use a tape measure.
But a swing weight measurement device is far from something you have just lying around your house or garage. Instead, it’s a special balance scale to determine the overall swing weight.
The device places the club at the fulcrum point which is where the club is balanced 50/50. This point will change based on the four factors above. After the club is perfectly balanced a clubfitter would adjust a sliding weight to balance the other part of the club – this is the counterweight.
After the counterweight balances the club, then, they would determine the swing weight of that specific club. Again, this is pretty technical and not something that we recommend buying or trying to do on your end. It’s not as simple as regripping a golf club at home.
Swing Weight Scale – Breaking Down Swing Weight Numbers
So, how do you read a swing weight scale? Not like a normal scale either…
Keeping with the “complex” theme of this topic, they don’t make it easy to read this scale. Unlike a traditional scale, you don’t just get one number and can go on with your day.
Instead, you get a letter and number combination to determine the swing weight of the club. The values range from 0 to 9 and the letters range from A-F. For example, one club might be a D4 while others could be an F8 swing weight.
The higher the number, the heavier the shaft. The further along in the alphabet, the heavier shaft too. That’s why an F9 shaft is the absolute heaviest while an A0 is the absolute lightest.
If you’re like most golfers you’re probably thinking… What are standard swing weights for men and women?
It’s a good question because this information isn’t as easily found when buying clubs online or in store vs. the weight of the head or shaft.
The standard swing weight for men is between D1-D3. Women’s clubs are much lighter and the standard range is between C5-C7. Again, these are ballpark numbers and you can always verify online to find the weight of the club.
While there are a ton of options in terms of swing weight numbers/letters, it’s important to note that going from one weight to another is a small amount. A few ounces is all that separates one swing weight vs. another… not grams like in shaft measurements.
What Changes Swing Weight?
Changing the swing weight doesn’t take much as it’s such a small difference from one swing weight to another. That’s why a lot of different factors can change your total swing weight.
Some factors that can change the swing weight points include:
- Changing the length of the club. Since one of the four measurements is total length, shortening or lengthening a club can play a big role in swing weight numbers. Plus, it can also adjust the flex of the golf club too. For example, that’s why we recommend buying clubs for juniors vs. sawing down an old set of yours. Not only will these clubs be too heavy and stiff for them, the swing weight point will be off as well.
- Changing grips. I love playing with fresh grips as it makes a huge difference in my overall grip pressure. I find that when grips get worn down, I sometimes feel like I have to grip it too hard, which adds unnecessary tension in my forearms. While it’s a great idea to swap out your grips before they get worn down, just be careful about which grips you swap out. While you might not have realized it until reading this article, grips vary greatly in weight which impact total swing weights. Changing size and brands can affect the club’s swing weight without you even realizing it.
- Replacing shafts. Using the right shafts in your woods, irons, and wedges also plays a significant role in tempo and grooving a consistent swing. While most players obsess over buying the latest and greatest club heads, most forget about the right shafts too. Sometimes you need to swap shafts, heavier or lighter, but don’t forget it can impact the club’s swing weight as well. A different weight shaft or shaft length change can alter the entire club dynamic as the balance point changes. Click here for our guide to reshafting golf clubs.
- Lead tape. If you’re the type of player who uses lead tape, be careful as it can affect the total weight and thus, swing weight pretty easily. Some players like to use lead tape on short irons, while others use wedges, or even other clubs for extra weight. Click here to learn more about lead tape and see if it can help your golf game.
- Sliding and interchangeable weights. Even small things like adding weight with a new screw into your driver can impact the swing weight.
- New golf clubs. Buying new clubs is exciting and one of the most fun parts about golf – always searching for new equipment to play better. But changing your club head can make huge changes to swing weights and why you should tread carefully. For example, if you switch from a lightweight club head with a lightweight shaft to a slightly heavier club head with the same shaft, it will change. I’ve found that when upgrading drivers and staying with the same brand, it doesn’t impact the club head weight too much. If you’re ever not sure, make sure you check out the specs on the club makers website as they display more swing weight data.
While each one of these can adjust the swing weights of a club, imagine changing two or more things. For example, if you take a club into a fitter and change the grips and shafts, the club might not even feel the same when you swing it.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to swap out one thing at a time and see how it feels. When you only alter one variable at a time, you can determine what works and what doesn’t. If you swap out more than one thing, it’s much harder to figure out what is working and what isn’t working.
Does Swing Weight Matter?
Yes, swing weight matters and can make a significant impact on your golf game. Even though swing weight is not like changing out a golf grip or reshafting a club, it matters.
Here’s why swing weight matters…
Because if a club has a higher swing weight than your swing, it’s going to feel really difficult to swing the entire round.
It can lead to you feeling more tired, not making your normal swing, affecting ball flight and potentially an injury. A heavier swing weight can also kill your distance as the club feels too much and your swing speed decreases.
In a world that is obsessed with distance and the debate rages on, the more distance you have, the better. But the wrong swing weight can make it nearly impossible to swing hard enough.
Conversely, a club or club head that is too light of swing weight can also negatively impact your golf game differently. When a club is too light, it’s easy to overswing and not maintain your proper path. While it’s easier to swing faster, you’re likely going to spray it all over the golf course too.
Lastly, it can also negatively influence your tempo too. If you’ve ever done any speed training with SuperSpeed Sticks, I’m sure you know this first hand. While those devices are great for increasing total speed, that’s their sole purpose… not to hit golf balls with them.
Instead, you use them off the course to train your muscles to swing faster. But if you play a club that is too light or heavy for too long, it can completely mess up your tempo. Which is one of the most important things in golf, even if it’s not discussed as often we think it should.
A solid, consistent, 2:1 tempo is key to better, more consistent ball striking. But clubs with the wrong swing weights make it nearly impossible.
By the way, your putter weight matters too. Read our full article on putter swing weight here.
Buying New Golf Clubs
When you buy new golf clubs, try to keep the swing weight spectrum about the same.
Swing weight matching is going to make things a lot easier than switching to ones with a big weight difference. Otherwise, a new golf club that is too heavy or too light will change the club’s swing weight drastically and could negatively affect your game.
FAQs About Swing Weights
Do you have more questions about swing weights and how it can impact your golf swing? Keep reading to figure out everything you need to know about the proper swing weight.
What is a good golf swing weight?
The best swing weight is the right one for your own unique swing.
As you read about in this blog post, swing weight is how heavy or light a club feels to you and your swing. Since no two golfers are the same, everyone has their own interpretation of the weight of the club.
You want to find a weight that is comfortable for your swing and allows you to create speed. This will help you transfer your energy properly, improve your tempo, find the right ball flight, and max out your distance.
Remember, a lighter weight isn’t necessarily the key to more distance. While it can help you produce more speed, it’s not everything as you might lose accuracy in the process. Conversely, a heavier weight might help with accuracy but will kill your distance.
As you know, both are needed in this crazy game of golf. That’s why it’s so important to find the best of both worlds so you can max out the distance, hit it straight, and master your tempo.
Should you play the same swing weights in each club?
This is a good question and there seems to be some debate about the topic. Some clubfitters think all clubs should be the same or as close as possible to keep your tempo consistent.
While other clubfitters believe fairway woods and drivers should be slightly lighter. Since those clubs are more focused on distance, a lighter swing weight can help increase speed and acceleration for more distance.
Personally, my driver is my favorite club in the bag so I’m always pretty hesitant to change much. Even switching to a different grip led to accidentally subtracting weight and having to get a different one. Similarly, the right driver shaft also plays a huge role and why you should find the perfect driver shaft for you and stick with it.
What is a good swing weight for irons?
The right swing weight is one that is right for your own tempo and swing. Irons are more complex as there are both graphite and steel shafted iron sets that range greatly in weight.
Some lighter flex graphite shafts might only be 70 or 80 grams. While more skilled players use heavy, steel shafts that are 115-130 grams (or more).
Needless to say, your swing speed, strength, and other factors all factor into finding the right one for your game.
Does swing weight affect swing speed?
Absolutely. Swing weight plays a huge role in overall swing speed.
If a club is too heavy, you won’t have as much swing speed as a club. While a lighter weight can lead to faster swings.
How do I increase my swing weights?
You can add weight in all sorts of ways including lead tape, a heavier shaft, longer shaft, heavier screws in woods/drivers, grip changes, and more.
Is a D3 swing weight heavy?
For some golfers, this would be very heavy but for others this would be too light. Remember, swing weight isn’t a set number like shaft weight or grip weight.
Does changing the shaft alter the swing weight?
This depends on the changes you’re making with the shaft(s).
For example, if you swap one for another and it has the exact same shaft length and weight but you only change flex, the club’s swing weight will remain the same.
However, if you swap out a shaft that is heavier or lighter, it will alter the swing weight scale. The same goes for a new shaft is longer or shorter as well as the fulcrum point will change.
Does changing the lie angle affect the swing weight?
No, changing the lie angle to make your clubs flatter or more upright will not impact the weight.
Instead, it will just adjust the look of the club at address and bend as needed. Just make sure to not try to and bend a club too often or too much to not jeopardize the integrity of the club.
What is the difference between D1 and D2 swing weight?
Remember, each swing weight has both a letter and number associated with it. The letters range from A-F while the numbers range from 0-9. Paired together, you get the swing weight for each club.
A “D” swing weight is pretty standard with most men’s clubs and in the middle of the scale. A move from D1 to D2 is a matter of ounces. Since it’s such a small amount, it’s hard for a casual player to see the difference.
It would be much more noticeable if you went from a D1 to an E1 or F1. Remember, an ounce isn’t much more than the weight of a penny so we’re talking about very small increments.
Does changing grips affect swing weight?
Changing your grips could impact the swing weight. But like shafts, it depends on the changes you’re making.
For example, if you add a few rolls of grip tape below the grip to make it larger, then yes, it would adjust the counterbalance and total club weight. Or, if you go from a midsize grip to a standard grip, you would be subtracting weight as the golf club would be lighter.
Similarly, changing the grip weight would also affect the swing weight. But if you just replaced the grip with the exact same grip you’re currently using (or a new one that is the same), it would not adjust swing weights.
Should I get fit for clubs?
Clubfitting is a great option but not for every type of player.
Many golfers don’t need a custom fitting session yet with a certified club fitter. But, as you increase ball speed, a club fitting session could help your game a ton.
The last thing you want is your clubs not to match your game. A fitter can help you:
- Understand the right grip weight.
- Get you into the correct swing weight.
- Test out a variety of club head options to measure club head speed.
- Teach you more about lead tape and see if it’s right for each golf club.
- Figure out the right shaft weight or see if you need more of a heavy club
- Help you decide on steel vs graphite shafts and between a stiff or regular flex shaft.
Club fitting is great, just make sure you’re playing consistently enough and/or want to keep improving to make the most of it.
Final Thoughts on Swing Weights
Hopefully, this confusing topic makes more sense after reading this blog post. Again, it’s a tricky subject with golf equipment because swing weight isn’t an actual weight like pounds on a scale. Or, how many grams your shaft weighs in your driver.
Instead, it’s a complex number that is determined from a scale that was built about 100 years ago. But it still works well to learn the swing weight of each golf club in your bag. While you don’t need to go buy one online to find the balance point for each club, it’s good information to know.
Swing weights can impact your game and might already be doing so whether you realize it or not. One of the biggest things to consider is when you swap out a shaft or update your grip, how much it actually impacts the swing weight.
Once you buy clubs that you like, don’t tinker too often. Remember, all of the little things can make a huge difference in altering your swing weights. Some of those factors include:
- Changing grips
- Adding lead tape
- Changing club head
- Lengthening the club
- Buying a golf club or set of clubs
- Replacing shafts with a different shaft weight or length (not shaft flex)
And more. Small adjustments can change the overall weight.
