Swapping steel for graphite

[Pingeye2_fan]

Looking at a set of irons that have heavier weight graphite shafts in the 90 gram range.
The company sorts there heads for graphite or steel.

Would switching to a 90 gram steel shaft mess things up?

[bl8d]

Re: Swapping steel for graphite

need more info for the guys who want to answer.
who's the company? what's the iron model, present length of graphite shaft and flex?

[Tintin]

Re: Swapping steel for graphite

Should be OK swingweight wise if you stay within the prescribed weight range. Usually companies that do that use lighter heads for graphite and a bit heavier for steel. Also depends on balance point.
As a general rule of thumb graphite clubs are 1/2 longer than their steel counterpart. Are you mostly worried about the swingweight? Or lie angles?

[TommyJ]

Re: Swapping steel for graphite

Should be OK swingweight wise if you stay within the prescribed weight range. Usually companies that do that use lighter heads for graphite and a bit heavier for steel. Also depends on balance point.
As a general rule of thumb graphite clubs are 1/2 longer than their steel counterpart. Are you mostly worried about the swingweight? Or lie angles?

Other way around isn't it, heavier heads for graphite. I think club makers used to go 1/2" longer on graphite so they could use the same head as for steel and maintain the swing weight but now more manufacturers as building steel and graphite to the same length and just letting the graphite come out at a lower swing weight. A general rule of thumb is that you increase SW by one point for every 8-9 gram increase in shaft weight. So if you pull the 90g graphite shaft and put in 110g steel you'll increase SW by around 2 points.

[Tintin]

Re: Swapping steel for graphite

Other way around isn't it, heavier heads for graphite. I think club makers used to go 1/2" longer on graphite so they could use the same head as for steel and maintain the swing weight but now more manufacturers as building steel and graphite to the same length and just letting the graphite come out at a lower swing weight. A general rule of thumb is that you increase SW by one point for every 8-9 gram increase in shaft weight. So if you pull the 90g graphite shaft and put in 110g steel you'll increase SW by around 2 points.

You're right if they are to be built at the same length. However the 8-9 gram increase in shaft weight is debatable:
balance point

[TommyJ]

Re: Swapping steel for graphite

Totally agree with your comment about balance point. If you replace a Dynamic Gold with a KBS Tour of equal weight you're going to drop your swing weight. But the 8-9 grams is a good starting estimate for where you might end up on SW.