Lead Tape .. Hurt or Help ?

[pappy64]

I have two drivers, a Cleveland XL 10.5* and a Krank El Diablo 9* .. I was looking at adding some lead tape to add a little weight to them, seem a lil too light to me..

 

Is this a good idea, bad idea ?

 

What exactly is lead tape supposed to accomplish or be placed at ?

 

thanks

brian

[bluetrane]

From my own experiences and what I've read lead tape is used just to add weight. Some say that the weight added to the heel or toe won't affect ball flight like MWT or OptiFit (Draw, Fade etc.).

 

Sometimes having extra tape on the toe could give you a psychological safety net. Put some on and try it out. If it doesn't work take it off. Just make sure to get all the adhesive off.

 

Hope this helped.

[weizard]

Lead tape will also change the flex (or CPM's) of a club. For example, if you have an X flex shaft at 250 cpm, and you add 5 or 6 grams of lead tape to the head, that will change the flex 1/2 more flexible. So, you'd have about a 245 cpm club. Now you have a "Stiff and a half" flex. Some people can get real picky and want their shafts to be within 1-2 cpm's. And when shafts come in flexes that are 10-12 apart as you get more stiff, you may need help to find something in-between.

 

Personally, I use lead tape to try and get somewhere between an X and an XX flex.

 

 

Did you provide a swing analysis and fill out the questionnaire when you purchased the El Diablo? If so, did you speak with someone? What kind of questions did they ask that's not on the questionnaire from the krank website?

[pappy64]

When i ordered the club i did it through the website and answered the basic questionaire. It came to a 46" 9* stiff flex club. This is basically what i was thinking before i ran through the questionaire.

 

If you look closely at the questionaire and change some questions, the club they suggest very very rarely will drop you before a 9* . Only if you put you avg 330+ did i ever notice it suggesting anything else.

 

I have never been on a swing machine to get any actual numbers.

 

Was at the range tonight tho, and adding some lead to the top i was really able to find a nice sweet spot where about 80% of the time i would nail a ball LONNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG and straight. I am always looking for moree long, and a few shots i hit even amazed me and made me walk away laughin ! ! I was hitting the balls 250 yards to the tree line and they were easily above the trees that are bout 3 houses tall still flying strong..

 

The club has some hops, but needs a little tweaking !!

[socalkid86]

I use lead tape when the shaft is a bit too stiff feeling or "doesn't come around" as much as I'd like. Usually I tape up a clubhead if i get a consistent push or fade with the club. (of course, to get the push/fade out you gotta weight the club biased toward a draw, would is closer to the hosel.)

 

personally, I like my shafts lighter/softer than most because I really like to load em up and unload. also, i found softer shafts (I play a Stiff, but usually the lighter weights...mid to low sixties) are easier to draw for me. hence, if i get a club that plays stiffer than I like, i tape it up half strips at a time.

 

tape in the right spot can shape shots. I always weight the head close to the heel/hosel. this bring the inside of the clubhead around better, closing the face more at impact (i think) and promotes a draw.

 

weight it toward the toe gives me a fade.

 

it also helps me bring headweight closer to what I want. I usually like a stiff playing around D4. so if a club comes to me at D1 or D0 and feels still, I tape it til i get my desired headweight. it's cheaper than going to a fitter and adding weight inside the head or something.