Tip trimming driver shaft - clubfitters

[wulsy]

Is it possible/desirable to tip trim a parrallel tip driver shaft (Prolaunch Red Axis)?

A guy told me if you tip trim it the kick point moves downwards resulting in a higher trajectory, although the shaft is stiffer. Not sure I believe him....

Thanks for any input.

 

[Frans@France]

Yes it is possible. According to the manufacturer it can be cut to a maximimum of 1 inch.

Is it desirable : Well only trying can tell if it is in your situation /swing

The relation between trajectory height and kick/bend-point position was assument to be there but more modern studies have shown that cog of the clubhead has more influence then kick/bend-point.

 

[wulsy]

Thanks Frans.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Just to add to Frans response, it depends on how much it was trimmed already. A lot of times shafts are sold to clubfitters "raw" and are instructed by the OEM to tip trim to fit certain flexes. So you can continue to tip but a prolaunch red is a rather "active tip" shaft for higher launch so if you tip it too much you might ruin the feel of the shaft. But if all you plan on doing is another 1/2 to 1" you should be fine.

 

[jmessner]

Regarding the kick point moving downward - I don't think so. You're trimming off the weakest part of the shaft (the tip) and as a result the remaining shaft will be stiffer and will deflect less not more. Typically, clubmakers would tip trim a driver shaft to lower trajectory not raise it. Kick point is a loosely defined parameter anyway and is pretty much obsolete now with shaft frequency and/or deflection profiiling being used to characterize a shaft.

 

[mgranato]

Regarding the kick point moving downward - I don't think so. You're trimming off the weakest part of the shaft (the tip) and as a result the remaining shaft will be stiffer and will deflect less not more. Typically, clubmakers would tip trim a driver shaft to lower trajectory not raise it. Kick point is a loosely defined parameter anyway and is pretty much obsolete now with shaft frequency and/or deflection profiiling being used to characterize a shaft.

Well said. Shafts don't have a kick point.

 

[Frans@France]

To make sure we are all using the same definition : A kickpoint is defined as the area of the shaft that deflects the greatest when a straight line is draw from the tip to the butt when the butt is secured and a pre-determined amount of weight (or force) is applied to the tip of the shaft.

When tip trimming the size of the deflection becomes less and depending on the shaft design the area of the largest deflection might even move up (towards the butt).

However any change is trajectory height is more because of the changed flex due to the tip trimming then the possible moving of the kickpoint.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

To make sure we are all using the same definition : A kickpoint is defined as the area of the shaft that deflects the greatest when a straight line is draw from the tip to the butt when the butt is secured and a pre-determined amount of weight (or force) is applied to the tip of the shaft.

When tip trimming the size of the deflection becomes less and depending on the shaft design the area of the largest deflection might even move up (towards the butt).

However any change is trajectory height is more because of the changed flex due to the tip trimming then the possible moving of the kickpoint.

Excellent response.

 

[wulsy]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess that guy I spoke to was talking shyte, as I suspected.