A lighter swingweight can bring speed, but there's a downside, too

Question: I heard on a recent CBS telecast that Emiliano Grillo uses a driver with a C4 swingweight. How does he get it that low, and is that something everyday players should consider?

Answer: We're sure CBS would be happy to hear you're paying such close attention. That said, the comment about swingweight from analyst Colt Knost perked up our ears, too.

Apparently Grillo built his own 9-degree Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond driver with a 53-gram Mitsubishi Diamana WB shaft and a head that weighs about 180 grams, which is eight to 10 grams lighter than usual.

So that’s Grillo. As for everyday players, well, proceed with caution.

Although lightweight shafts are in these days, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should use a club with a lighter swingweight. Most golfers switching to a lightweight graphite shaft probably should aim for a swingweight two points higher than what they were comfortable with when using a heavier shaft. That's because the change to a lighter shaft reduces the total weight of the club, which can cause tempo to quicken. You might need to increase the head weight to regain tempo. A good rule of thumb is that for every 20 grams you decrease shaft weight, increase the swingweight by one point over what was comfortable with your previous setup.

Contrary to popular belief among consumers, it is always better to err on the side of a higher swingweight than a lower one. If your swingweight is too low, you will increase the percentage of off-center hits, most often by hitting the ball more on the heel. If your swingweight is too high, the worst thing that will happen is a tendency to push the ball.

How do you know when you have the right swingweight? By feel. If the swingweight is too light for you, you'll sense you're having a harder time controlling your tempo and the number of times you hit the ball on the heel or top it will increase. If the swingweight is too high, you'll have trouble squaring up the clubface at impact, and the club will feel heavy and more laborious to swing.

“When it comes to swingweight, it really comes down to timing and tempo,” says Avery Reed, owner and master fitter at Fairhope Golf Works in Alabama and a former PGA Tour rep for Mitsubishi. “I find with heavier swingweights—D5 and above—the head feels very heavy in transition, like swinging a sledgehammer. It causes the player to use the hands and wrists to transition into the downswing, almost a casting effect, instead of allowing the club to transition smoothly. This makes timing very difficult.

“On the other hand, I find a really light swingweight—C7 and below—makes it very difficult for the player to feel the head. The transition becomes quick, which can cause timing and tempo to be off and cause an inconsistent impact location. There is also less mass at impact, which can create lower ball speeds, especially on mis-hits. That's one reason counterbalanced shafts became so popular. We were able to add more mass in the head, giving the player more feel in transition while maintaining a good swingweight.”

When it comes to a lighter swingweight, yes, it can add speed and make it easier to square the face. The player may prefer a shorter driver for control, creating an even lighter swingweight. However, if it gets too light and the player can't feel the head, it will create timing issues, inconsistent contact, slower ball speeds and a wider dispersion of shots. So tread carefully when it comes to altering a club's swingweight.