Difficulty of removing extensions?

[Mclancy94]

Recently picked up a really nice set of 945’s for a good deal. Only problem is they are 1” over and I’m going to play standard. My question is to remove the extensions is it a simple heat/cut them off and regrip? Is it something I can do myself easily?

[Socrates]

Clarify... Steel or graphite shafts and same with what the extensions are made of.

[Stuart_G]

I'm assuming they really do have extensions in them and the shafts were not cut to the longer length.

 

For steel shafts, pulling extensions is pretty easy. A torch and a glove (heat and pull) is all that's needed so shouldn't be a problem. For graphite shafts it's probably better to cut them off (but still not difficult).

 

The problem is what might happen to the swing weight and whether or not the head weights were adjusted for the longer lengths when the extensions were installed. Do you know what the swing weight is now at the longer length?

[Mclancy94]

Haven’t gotten in yet but they have c taper lite 115X. I will have the swing weights checked along with L/L. I would rather just do the grip/extension work myself as long as it is straight forward.

[Stuart_G]

Haven’t gotten in yet but they have c taper lite 115X. I will have the swing weights checked along with L/L. I would rather just do the grip/extension work myself as long as it is straight forward.

 

Do you know for sure if they actually have extensions? as opposed to say being a custom order that came out of the factory at +1".

[Mclancy94]

I was told they were extensions but I guess I won’t know for sure until I get them in. If they are not extensions can I bring them into the local fitter and have them cut down? Then SW them?

[Stuart_G]

If they are not extensions, then they could have come from the factory at +1" or they could have just been reshafted after.

 

It really comes down to what the head weights are (and how they SW).

 

Best case, they came out of the factory at normal length and nothing was done with the head weights when the clubs were extended and then you can pull the extensions and likely not have to do anything with the head weights (nothing major if the stock SW is a good fit for you).

 

Worst case, you may have to compensate for the length loss - which could need up to 12 gm's of added head weight for a 1" length reduction. Easiest way in your case would be lead or tungsten powder down the shaft (corked in place). That's a lot but doable. The alternative is to pull the heads and add tip weights.

 

Normally I advise against buying used over-length clubs and cutting them down because of that worst case - but If you've already ordered them, best to just wait and see what you get before worrying about anything.

[ppl4golf]

Don’t do something stupid like I did...

 

Tried to shorten a sand wedge >1” over with metal extension for steel shaft.

I figured out what my length was needed.

 

Heat the butt end so the extension turned loose...tube cut the shaft to length as I needed another 0.25” below the original shaft...

 

(There was some rationale in doing that because the extension served some purpose to prevent me from cracking the shaft with tube cutter when I was only cutting 0.25”)

 

Anyways, the original shaft was of course cut properly, however the extension was stuck because of the pinching! The extension was actually cut as well LOL

 

I ended up with maybe an inch or two of extension buried inside now. The counterbalancing effect actually was very desirable along with adding some 15g static weight to the club. SW is D2 which is more disturbing on paper than in real life.

 

I should have pulled the extension completely off before cutting.