Golf Club Construction
Every golf club is constructed using a club head (whether a wood wood (they’re still around), a metal wood, hybrid, iron or putter), a golf shaft either made of steel or carbon fiber graphite and a grip.
How Golf Clubs Are Put Together
Club heads are attached to the shaft with glue at a spot called the hosel. The shaft slips into the hosel and is glued into place. The club maker then adds a little cosmetic piece of plastic called a ferrule which gives the club a nice finished look, and covers the joint between the hosel and shaft.
Before the shaft is inserted into the club head it is cut to size. In a factory this would be a standard size for each club, but for the custom club maker it can be determined by the customers preference.
The tip of the shaft that’s inserted into the hosel is sanded slightly and epoxy is applied. The shaft is then attached to the head and the club maker wipes off any excess epoxy and leaves the club to dry usually 24 hours.
Once the golf club head has been mounted on the shaft and the epoxy has dried the club is ready to be gripped. When choosing a grip the biggest factor is comfort. Is your hand big or small, are you able to take a good grip in the fingers of your hand?
A layer of two sided tape is placed on the butt end of the shaft using a gripping station. The club is then locked into a gripping station where the shaft is clamped down. Then a solvent/lubricant is applied and in one smooth motion the club maker slides the grip on, ensuring that it is lined up properly and is not twisted.
The club is then left to dry. Once the solvent is completely dried the club can be used.
Another point to remember on your grips is they should be replaced at least once a year if you’re playing often -you don’t want your grips to get hard and slippery -you’ll have a tendency to squeeze too tight when making a swing.
If you’re a person who likes to be hands on, you might enjoy putting your own clubs together at some point – or just leave the club construction stuff to the pros.