Published on 31st Dec 2024
Many golfers share the same thoughts about the game. They wish that they had started younger. Those who began playing in childhood likely started with adult golf clubs that had been "cut down" to a more appropriate size, or you were told to "go down the grip" to shorten the club.
While this can be seen as a valid and cost-effective way to introduce kids to the game, it can make enjoyment more difficult and breed bad habits into techniques that can be challenging to overcome as they progress.
Our guide to shortening golf clubs will take you through the pros and cons of both shortening adult clubs and purchasing clubs specifically made for young players:
Can golf clubs be shortened?
Yes. Golf club customisation is a huge factor in custom-fitting, and the shaft length is a big part. While it can be done, several aspects should be considered first.
In previous years, player height and their wrist-to-floor measurements were all that was thought of, if this was considered at all, with many players buying an "off-the-shelf" set of clubs. However, as the game has evolved and clubs are becoming more custom, there are countless factors to consider, from swing weight to grip size, that can all affect performance.
This is a critical consideration when resizing a golf club, especially for juniors; if performance doesn't start well and growth can't be seen, kids will likely get upset, lose interest and not return to our wonderful game.
Pros and Cons of shortening golf clubs
Pros
- Cost - This can be a much cheaper option for parents, especially if you already have the clubs.
- Reuse - Rather than unused golf clubs collecting dust, they can be repurposed to grow the game.
Cons
- Poor technique - Both adults and juniors who use cut-down clubs are susceptible to developing poor technique. Golf clubs are made with the correct weight through the club head and shaft length.
- Stunt progression - Using clubs that aren't made for you will make it more challenging to swing, making it harder to see improvement and growth in your game.
- Frustration - In the age of instant gratification, junior players and those new to the game need to see progression and improvement to continue their engagement. People need to enjoy the game to continue playing!
- Challenging to do - Cutting down the clubs is challenging and hazardous.
Considerations when shortening clubs
Swing weight
Swing weight is a metric golf club manufacturers use to help each golfer maintain a consistent swing plane throughout the bag. 'A consistent swing plane' means that as golf clubs become longer as you work up the bag, the weighting and balance of the golf club will be the same to enable a consistent golf swing.
Club weighting is a complex mathematical and physical calculation that leaves a golf club correctly weighted through the club head weight and shaft length. If the shaft becomes shorter, the head-weight-to-club length ratio will be affected. This applies whether the shaft is shortened by an inch or several.
Shaft flex
Depending on which end of the golf club the shaft is shortened from, the differences in shaft flex can be considerable. There are two ways a golf shaft can be shortened:
- Butting - This is the process of shortening the golf club at the grip end. The grip will be removed, the shaft cut from the top, and a grip reapplied. This affects the shaft flex but is generally less noticeable, especially if the length removed is minimal.
- Tipping - This is the process of taking the club head and ferrule (the cover at the bottom of the shaft) off of the shaft and cutting the shaft at the clubhead end. As this part of the shaft often travels at the most speed in the golf swing and carries the most flex, taking length from this section will make the golf club flex play much stiffer.
Grip thickness
The thickness of golf shafts in adult golf clubs is far more than in children's golf clubs. This is partly due to weight but also due to grip size. Adult hands are naturally larger than children's, meaning that if adult clubs are cut down for children to use, it is likely that the grip will be much thicker than a club made for them.
Having a grip that's too thick can lead to technique issues in both the grip and swing plane from an early age. If these fundamentals are poorly developed in junior golfers, they can become very hard to correct as they grow.
Lie angle
The lie angle of the club head in relation to the shaft and the ground is one of the most important factors in determining the direction and flight of the golf ball post-strike. Having golf clubs shortened will naturally alter the lie angle the club head will sit at, and this must be calculated before you begin cutting into the shaft.
Technological advances
Most golfers will tell you that golf equipment technology has come a long way in recent years. Advances have been driven by record numbers looking to play the game and the ever-present search for distance, especially from the teeing ground. This can mean that even golf clubs that are around 5 years old can be way behind the current models.
Summary...
Cutting down and shortening adult golf clubs to create junior clubs is a poor approach as it unbalances the club's weight and alters the shaft flex, making it harder for young players to develop proper technique.
Cut-down clubs lead to inconsistent swing mechanics, reduced accuracy, and slower skill progression, ultimately frustrating juniors and diminishing their enjoyment of the game. Without appropriately designed equipment suited to their size and strength, young golfers are less likely to build confidence - they may become discouraged, frustrated and potentially lose interest in golf altogether.
To counteract this, parents/guardians should aim to provide children with appropriately sized and spec'd junior clubs.
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