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Big Papa Golf's FAQ
- Frequency Asked Questions -
| 1. |
Golf Terms Glossary? |
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This is a basic golf term glossary presented by Big Papa Golf. Defining these terms will help golfers and club fitters become more familiar with our products. And hopefully help them determine which shaft fits their needs better. A more in depth golf term sheet is listed below in the page footer.
Model product designation or code for a specific shaft.
Flex – shaft designation of stiffness used to help golfer choose the correct shaft. Flex designations are as follows:
L = Ladies flex (Most flexible shaft of the model)
L/A = combination flex where the shaft can be trimmed for both L and A flexes
A = Amateur or Senior flex
R = Regular flex
R/S = combination flex where the shaft can be trimmed for both R and S flexes
S = Stiff flex
X = Extra Stiff flex
Weight – this is the finished weight of the shaft measured at purchase length after the shaft is painted.
Torque – measurement of how much the shaft twists when a force is applied. The butt end and tip end are clamped then a one foot-lb moment load is applied. A higher reading means the shaft will twist more during the swing. Torque readings of woods and irons are measured using different spans and should not be compared against each other.
Launch Angle – designates the launch characteristics of a particular model. Several factors contribute to the launch characteristics of the shaft – weight, torque, tip technology and butt stiffness. The golfer or fitter should choose a Medium-High or High launch shaft to launch the ball higher.
Tip Parallel (PTS or Parallel Tip Section) – amount of the tip section of the shaft that is designed to a specific diameter. At the end of the Parallel Tip Section, the shaft will begin to taper. Iron shafts, typically, have 5.5 inches of parallel tip section to allow tip trimming for complete set of irons. Most of our Wood shafts have 4 inches of parallel tip section to allow tip trimming and the building of Drivers, 3 woods and 5 woods. The club builder will need to leave enough of the PTS to allow for the hosel depth insertion.
Butt Stiffness (Flex) - a R&D frequency measurement of the butt section of the shaft. We use a 7 inch clamp length and a 211 gram tip weight. A higher reading means the butt section of the shaft is stiffer or stronger. A stiffer or stronger butt means the golfer will get a firmer feel where the golfer grips the club. (Note: The stiffness profile of the shaft is provided to compare shafts. When comparing shafts this reading is only valid when comparing wood shaft to wood shaft, iron shaft to iron shaft, similar flex to similar flex and they must be the same length! This measurement is used in determining shaft flex.)
Mid Stiffness (Flex) – a R&D measurement of strength for the mid section of the shaft. A higher reading means the mid section of the shaft is stiffer or stronger. (Note: Wood shafts use a different span length compared to iron shafts. So when comparing Mid stiffness make sure to compare iron shaft to iron shaft and wood shaft to wood shaft!)
Tip Stiffness (Flex) – a R&D measurement of tip strength. The tip end is clamped in a simulated hosel then the shaft is deflected to a specified distance, reading the load required to produce this deflection. A higher reading means the tip section is stiffer or stronger. Tip flex factors into the launch characteristics of the shaft. A stronger tip generally launches the ball lower while a more flexible tip will help launch the ball higher! (Note: Once again, it is important to compare tip stiffness of iron shaft to iron shaft and wood shaft to wood shaft because the span length used to load the shafts is different from iron to wood.)
Tip O.D – the outer diameter measurement of the tip section before paint at the very tip. Wood shafts can be parallel dimensions of .335” or .350” and Iron shafts can be parallel .370” or tapered .355”. Different Tip ODs are used to fit different head (or hosel) configurations. The club builder will need to abrade or sand the paint off the tip of the shaft to allow proper fit into the hosel.
Butt O.D – the outer diameter measurement of the butt section at 4 inches. Most manufacturers of golf shafts strive to stay around .600” so that most grips will fit onto the shaft. Club Builders can use the Butt OD to make the grip the proper size for the golfer!
Length – this represents the purchase length of the shaft. Shafts can be tip trimmed and/or butt trimmed to make the desired club length.
Swingweight
Swingweight is a club's total weight to how much it weighs when placed on a swingweight scale, a club's swing weight refers to how light or heavy it feels to swing. Swing weight is determined by the ratio of weight concentrated in both ends of the club. The clubhead-end is always heavier than the grip end; however, the larger the discrepancy in weight between the head-end and grip-end, the heavier the club will feel to swing, and the heavier its swing weight will be. Swing weight is identified using a letter combined with a number, e.g. C-3 and D-1; the higher each one is, the heavier the swing weight . For example, a club measuring C-5 has a heavier swing weight than a C-4; and a club measuring D-1 is heavier than a C-5. Drivers are usually balanced around D-2 for men while wedges are usually heavier, around D-5. Drivers for women are usually around C-5.
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.
Bounce
Bounce refers to the shape of the sole. A club whose sole protrudes below the leading edge of the club is said to have positive bounce, while a club whose sole is level with the leading edge and parallel to the ground is said to have zero bounce. Positive bounce is useful for preventing the clubface from digging deeply into the turf; it is especially useful for playing explosion shots from sand, helping the clubhead to bounce upward and out of the sand instead of digging downward.
Swingspeed
A player's swing speed is the speed at which he or she swings the club through the bottom of the swing arc. Swing speeds vary from player to player. A speed of 105 mph and above is considered fast; tour professionals usually swing faster than 120 mph. The average recreational golfer's swing speed ranges between 80 and 90 mph. Equipment can influence swing speed; for example, most players will be able to swing a lighter shaft faster.
Grooves
Grooves are the thin, straight, horizontal indentations found in the clubface of irons and woods. The purpose of grooves is to help the club impart backspin on the ball at impact. When the clubface, moving at a high rate of speed, makes contact with the ball, the cover sinks into the grooves, which "grab" the ball and impart backspin. The average, cleanly struck wedge shot spins at about 10,000 rpm.
Offset
Offset is the distance between the leading edge of clubface and the front plane or the hosel. Offset is engineered into some model of irons to help players who tend to leave the clubface open at impact to square the clubface. Thus, offset helps eliminate a slice while also helping the player to draw the ball.
Coeffecient of Restitution
Coefficient of Restitution, or "COR," relates to the energy transfer that occurs when one object collides with another. In terms of golf clubs, COR is directly related to the speed of a golf ball as it rebounds from a clubface. Generally, a club with higher COR will generate greater ball velocity, equaling more distance. COR is expressed as a percentage. To measure a club's COR, balls are fired at a clubface at a fixed speed, known as initial speed. The speed at which the balls rebound is known as rebound speed. The COR is generally equal to the rebound speed divided by the initial speed. For example, if the initial speed is 100 mph, and the rebound speed is 84 mph, the COR would be approximately .840. In terms of distance, a player with a swing speed from 100 to 120 mph should gain about two yards for every one percent increase in COR. Players with slower swing speeds will generally gain less yardage.
CNC Milling
Milling is a process of cutting metal to achieve a specific type of shape or surface. CNC (computer-numeric-controlled) milling entails creating an electronic file via CAD (computer-aided design), and then loading that file into a DNC (direct numerical control) computer that feeds the code to the mill and directs the tool. CNC milling allows for the precise creation of intricate designs that might be difficult to execute by hand milling, plus CNC milling virtually guarantees that each design will be repeated exactly the same way, time and time again.
Grip Size
Grip size or diameter can influence how you release the golf club through the impact area and will also affect the way you align the club face to the target. It is very important to get the correct size. |
| 2. |
Do you have a Low Price Guarantee Policy? |
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Yes, we always guarantee the lowest prices. If you find a lower price on any product we sell please contact us and we will beat that price to ensure that you receive the best deals. See our policy page for details. |
| 3. |
What about shipping? |
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We use UPS, USPS, and Fed Ex and we're are located in Cypress, California to help you with an estimated shipping time. We will also email you a tracking number for ease of tracking your package. |
| 4. |
How fast do assembled clubs or components ship? |
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Golf component pieces usually ship the same business day if order is in by 12 noon pacific time. Assembled clubs take on average 2-5 business days for assembly. All our products are directly imported from overseas and we may occasionally run out of stock on a product but rest assured more are on the way. Please allow for the shipping days on the map.
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| 5. |
How do I know what shaft is for me? |
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The shaft is the most important part in the golf club. The shaft manufacturers make 3 diferent kick points low, mid, high. The kick point you will need is determined by the swing speed of the golfer and the trajectory desired by the golfer. Grafalloy www.grafalloy.com , United Sports Technologies www.ustgolfshaft.com, True Temper www.shaftfit.com, Penley Golf www.penleygolf.com are great sites to help you fit yourself for the exact shaft, gram weight and flex you should be using. Always refer to the manufacturers for the correct shaft fitting. |
| 6. |
Can you do loft & lie adjustments on your clubs? |
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We sure can. Our irons can be adjusted up to 2 degrees upright Over 40% of all amateur golfers have their clubs custom fit for them, yet 80% of all golfers believe their game will improve if they use custom clubs, according to a survey in Golf Digest. Even Tiger Woods, in a recent interview on The Golf Channel, said that most important thing amateur golfers can do is get their equipment fit to them rather than trying to fit to their equipment. This is where club length and lie adjustments come into play. The club lie is the angle between the shaft and the ground line when the club is measured in normal playing position.
We recommend looking at the chart below to see if your clubs need a possible lie adjustment for proper club fitting. We only perform lie adjustments on irons as many builders feel that woods, hybrid clubs and putters can not be adjusted due to the hosel of each club is cast in a way where physically bending the head at all will cause damage.
Also, from our experience we find it rare to need more than a 2 degree adjustment upright or flat, therefore we only perform lie adjustments to either extreme in 1 degree increments.
Although we do not recommend loft adjustments on irons due to the weakening of the hardened metal and can lead to future metal fatigue, it is a service we can perform for the same fee as the lie adjustments. Please contact us with any questions on either of these services. |
| 7. |
Who is Big Papa Golf? |
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We are a Christian owned and operated business with a staff of experienced club builders and golfers with the knowledge to offer expert fitting advice, club recommendations, and quality customer service. We constantly test new golf equipment as it hits the market so we can provide you with the most accurate information and get you the clubs that will best suit your game. For more information see our company info page. |
| 8. |
Why Buy From US? |
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We are the one of the largest wholesale leaders in discount golf products with unbeatable prices! We only use the highest quality building materials combined with our premium quality club heads, shafts, and grips to produce a stronger, more reliable golf club. Few companies can match the care and quality control of our club building. |
| 9. |
Do your products perform as well as the popular name brand ones? |
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Absolutely! Although Big Papa Golf may not spend huge amounts on paying touring professionals to use our products, a significant amount of money is spent on R&D (Research and Development). This allows us to give you the latest technology at affordable prices. We require that all finished articles pass through a rigid process of quality control, ensuring that all products meet the demanding specifications set out by our club designers and engineers. At present, many professional golfers are using our products. Our products compare favorably in both quality, materials, and performance. Most our products are manufactured and produced in the same manner and at the same foundries as the big name brand products. The only difference is the major advertising and marketing exposure they do. We use the exact same head materials, shafts, and grips as Callaway, Titleist, Taylormade, Ping, Cobra, etc. We use the same overseas foundries as they use. The major cost with name brand clubs is Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, VJ Singh just to name a few of the thousands of tour players that they pay millions to every year. That money comes out of your pocket. So next time you are going to pay $399 for a driver and $699 for a set of irons that will be obsolete in 3-4 months you might want to think about it. We make it so you can afford to keep up with the new esthetic changes. All they do is change the way they look and market them saying you will hit it straighter and longer than anything you ever owned. You know what is funny they have been using the same head materials the last 8 years and the core rating .830 has not changed in years due to USGA. Golfers today are stronger and work out everyday for added strength and swing speed. The shafts are another reason why you also see distance increases. We hope this helps you understand the golf business and if you have any questions please feel free to contact us. |
| 10. |
Do i need to regrip my clubs? |
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Yes, whether you just bought a brand new set of golf clubs or just want to update and clean up an old set, determining the right grips for your game is essential. Feel Better and you will play better. Grips should feel good in your hands. When a club is in your hands, you should feel confident and connected to the club head. Regripping every year at the start of the season will ensure the best performance from your clubs. Custom club fitting is making club selection easier for many amateur golfers. Manufacturers and fitting professionals are doing a great job at getting the correct loft and shaft flex, but many are mistakenly overlooking the most critical part of your club the grip. The correct size could mean the difference between hooking or slicing the ball. Getting the best feeling grips will improve confidence and enjoyment. If you are unsure about your current grip size, contact us and we will get you all set up. Regripping will not only make your clubs feel new again, new grips will give you the traction and tack you need to make good golf shots. Grips that are worn will slip and increase torque, which means less accurate shot making. The game is hard enough; lower your risks and possibly your score with an annual tune up. |
| 11. |
Why are Big Papa Golf's products less expensive than the popular brands' ones? |
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In reality, popular name brands spend huge amounts of money on staff, organizational administration, advertising, and endorsing touring professionals to promote their products. Even though they spend on R & D, their huge outlays for touring professionals and advertising must be somehow recouped. In contrast, Big Papa Golf is a company that relies purely on the performance of its products on the golf course. Consequently, we spend a limited amount in advertising our products on TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. This ultimately allows our products and services to be reasonably priced in the market place. In essence, this strategy allows us to pass the savings, directly onto you! |
| 12. |
Do custom fitted clubs make a difference? |
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Absolutely, Off the rack clubs come usually with a high kick point shaft and come regular or stiff flex and standard length and grips. Folks everyone is has different heights, arm lengths, finger lengths, swing speeds, etc. We make them exactly to fit you. We weigh each and every shaft before installation for perfect matched set of clubs. We make sure every shaft is the exact same gram weight. We are only the company in the industry doing this. |
| 13. |
Who do you custom assemble clubs for? |
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We custom assemble clubs for men, women, juniors, womens, lefties, and righties of course. We can build any club for anyone. |
| 14. |
Basic Club Assembly Instructions? |
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Basic club assembly:
1. Shafts are usually sold in single lengths and trimmed to accommodate individual clubheads (trimming instructions are included with each shaft). If the instructions call for tip trimming, find the trim point using a ruler, or tape measure and mark the spot on the shaft with a felt-tip pen. For graphite shafts, first wrap the area with 2-3 layers of masking tape and mark the spot.
2. Trim the shaft tip. For metal shafts, use a shaft cutter or tubing cutter, applying even pressure during rotation until the tip is severed. For graphite, use a hacksaw, preferably with a rod saw blade or abrasive cutoff wheel. The masking tape will prevent the shaft tip from splintering during cutting. Remove the tape after cutting. Never use a tubing cutter on graphite shafts.
3. The shaft requires a rough surface for proper adhesion. Steel shaft tips must be abraded to provide a rough surface, using a 1" belt sander, rasp, or medium-grade sandpaper. For graphite, remove the polyurethane coating using a surface conditioning belt or strip. To protect your shaft manufacturer's warranty, remove the paint and finish only, and avoid cutting into the graphite fibers. Never snad a shaft tip to fit into a clubhead; if the fit is too tight, the hosel must be bored or reamed. With any shaft, be sure to rough only that portion of the shaft tip that will penetrate the hosel of the clubhead (approximately 1.25" for a typical iron or metal wood head).
4. Mix the epoxy thoroughly, making sure to achieve the prescribed mix ratio on the container.
5. Coat the interior of the hosel and the roughened shaft tip with the mixed epoxy. Insert the shaft into the hosel, rotating gently to ensure all surfaces are coated with epoxy. It is advisable to turn the club upside down and sharply tap the butt end of the shaft a few times on a metal plate or concrete floor to ensure the shaft is seated at the bottom of the hosel. With graphite shafts, before setting the club up for curing, make sure the graphics on the shaft are aligned to provide good visual sight lines for the golfer at address. Finally, set the golf club aside with the head down and allow the epoxy to cure the prescribed time.
6. After the epoxy has fully cured, measure the club for final length using a 48" ruler, bench rule or the True Measure Precision Golf Club Rule. Apply masking tape and mark the trim point at the butt end of the shaft.
Determine the desired final overall club length and, using a club rule or tape measure laid flat, measure the club from the point where the shaft intersects with the base of the sole to the butt end. Allow 1/4" for the grip butt cap, and mark the trim point with a felt-tip pen. For graphite, cover the trim area with masking tape before marking and cutting.
7. Trim the butt end of the shaft to its final length using the shaft cutter or rod saw for steel shafts and a cut-off wheel or hacksaw with a rod saw blade for graphite shafts.
You are now ready to install the grip!
Grip installation:
Remove the old grip (If Applies)
1. Secure the club in a vise near the grip using a protective rubber vise clamp. Position the clubface prependicular to the floor in the playing position.
2. Remove the old grip with a grip knife, hacksaw or stripper (metal shafts only) and scrape off all the old grip tape and residue, taking care to always cut away from yourself. For graphites, remove the old grip with a hooked blade in a utility knife, peel off the old tape by hand and clean up the residue with a cloth and some grip solvent. Do not scrape the shaft, as scraping can cut into the graphite fibers and weaken the shaft.
Preparing the new grip
3. Hold the new grip next to the cleaned shaft butt to determine how much area will be covered by tape.
4. Apply build-up tape (masking tape) if the grip needs to be made larger. Use either 2" or .75" tape and apply as shown. Be sure to account for shaft butt diameter and grip core diameter.
Vertical Wrap: Apply 2" tape vertically, centered along the top of the shaft butt so that the slight overlap occurs along the back of the shaft.
5. Apply one layer of two-sided "miracle" grip tape, either 2" or .75", as shown. Leave an extra one to two inches of tape over the shaft butt.
Spiral Wrap: Spiral-wrap .75" tape up the shaft butt (bottom), leaving a slight gap between the edges.
6. Peel the backing off the tape and cover the shaft butt with the overlapped portion of tape.7. Squirt a generous amount of nonflammable grip solvent inside the grip, sealing the vent hole in the butt of the grip with your finger or a golf tee. Close the small (mouth) end of the grip, and shake to wet the entire inside of the grip walls. Never use a flammable fuid in grip application.8. Pour the excess solvent over the entire length of the two-sided tape. Use extra solvent from the can as needed, using a metal tray to catch excess fluid. Solvent may be re-used.
Installing The New Grip
9. Hold the grip with the alignment pattern up and squeeze the mouth of the grip between the thumb and forefinger to obtain a flared shape. With the applied tape still wet with solvent, push the flared mouth up and over the shaft butt.
10. Slip the grip on quickly and methodically while the solvent is wet, but do not rush. Rushing causes mistakes.
11. Push the grip firmly onto the shaft to make sure the grip butt cap is all the way up against the shaft butt.
12. Make sure the grip is on straight and the alignment pattern is squared to the clubface. The grip can be adjusted for a few minutes after installation while the tape is still activated. If the grip is to be made smaller, it may be stretched down the shaft and held in place for a minute or so. Allow ample drying time (varies by brand - consult instructions on solvent bottle).
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| 15. |
How do i hit the ball further? |
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Use a lighter weight shaft. Use a more flexible shaft. Check your lofts and lies on your clubs. |
| 16. |
What can I do to hit the ball straighter? |
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Use a heavier gram weighted shaft.
Use a stiffer shaft.
Check your lofts and lies on your clubs. |
| 17. |
What can I do to hit the ball higher (or lower)? |
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To hit the ball higher:
Use a lower bend point shaft (minimal effect)
Weaken the loft of the club (major effect)
To hit the ball lower:
Use a higher bend point shaft (minimal effect)
Strengthen the loft of the club (major effect) |
| 18. |
What is Shaft Spine Alignment and Frequency Matching? |
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Spine Alignment:
Most all golf shafts, whether steel or graphite, have some sort of flaw or irregularity inherent in the manufacturing process. This could be from the shaft not being perfectly round, the material of the shaft may be just slightly heavier on one side of the shaft than the other, or from an imperfection in the shaft material. This can cause the shaft to bend towards the flawed area when you swing, causing the clubface to open or close.
When we Spine Align the shaft, we test the shaft to locate the flawed area of the golf shaft. Then the shaft can be installed so that the spine of the shaft is directly behind your target line. This way it can not affect the direction of your shot.
Have you noticed that sometimes you will have a "favorite" club in a set of clubs with the exact same heads, shafts and grips, that you just seem to hit better and more consistently than the others? This is most likely due to the fact that the spine in that club happens by chance to be correctly aligned in the club. The opposite is probably true for the club in the set that you can't seem to hit well at all!
Frequency Matching:
Special devices, available to clubmakers, can measure the stiffness of shafts through what is called "shaft frequency measurement." In this device, the stiffer the shaft, the faster the rate of oscillation; the more flexible the shaft, the slower the rate of oscillation. The frequency analyzer is designed to count the oscillation rate of the shaft and display the reading in the form of "cycles per minute" (a numerical value). We take the final value for each shaft in the set and place them in a specific order making the progression of grip-end stiffness from club to club more consistent from the longest to the shortest club. The end result is a fine tuned club set!
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