If you’re like a lot of golfers, I’m sure you have a “I can fix it myself” attitude. You love to fix things yourself, whether it’s around the house or on your golf clubs.
You might need to change your shafts during your golf career. This is easy for drivers, fairway woods, and some hybrids. You can swap shafts as long as you have an adapter Without having to go through the work to re shaft the entire club.
But with a lot of new fairway woods and irons or wedges nowadays, you can’t just swap them out easily. Instead, it’s a pretty tedious process as you have to remove the old shaft, ready the new shaft, do the installation, and wait for everything to dry.
However, it’s worth the work as the right shaft can make a huge impact on your game. Whether it’s changing the flex or weight, the right shaft can help you make better contact, improve ball flight, and increase distance.
Let’s get into this process to see if this is something you want to fix on your own or something you should outsource to a certified club fitter.
How to Reshaft a Golf Club – Step-by-Step Process
Let me begin by saying that reshafting a golf club is quite different from changing your grips. Changing grips is pretty easy (even if you aren’t particularly handy) and requires minimal tools. Even if you live in an apartment without a garage, it’s an hour job (at most) for regripping your clubs.
If you want to learn more about this process, click here to read our full guide now.
Although it takes more effort to reshaft a golf club, it is still possible to do it at home if you have the right equipment and patience. If you have the courage and determination to reshaft your own clubs, here’s how to make it happen.
Step 1: Obtain the Right Equipment
The amount of equipment you need to change your iron shafts or install new grips is the biggest difference. Here’s what kind of tools you need to reshaft a golf club (or am entire set of clubs).
- Protective gloves: Since you will pull the clubhead off the shaft once it’s heated up, you must wear leather gloves. These gloves will protect your hands and make it simple to remove the old shafts.
- Hyde knife: This will be used to cut off the ferrule and could also work if you’re changing the grip as well. It’s also needed if you’re adding new grips too.
- Heat gunThis will be used several time to remove the shaft from your clubhead. We suggest a heat gun vs. a blowtorch.
- Wire brush: This will be used in order to clean the clubhead and prepare it for the new one so that the installation goes smoothly.
- Epoxy glueThis will keep the shaft and clubhead together. We like the Brampton Epoxy as it works on steel, graphite, and titanium. These bottles are easy to squeeze and don’t require any tools.
- Safety glasses: Anytime you’re using a heat gun and doing repairs like this, safety glasses are needed to keep your eyes protected. This essential tool should not be overlooked!
- New shaftsTo replace your worn out shafts, you will require a new set of golf shafts. The right shaft can make a huge difference in your game, so choose wisely!
Finally, ensure you have a safe place to do this process. Then follow the simple steps below.
Step 2: Discard the Old Shaft
Once you have the right setup, it’s time to remove the old shaft(s). This isn’t a one-size fits all process though and you need to use a different process depending of if you have graphite shafts or steel shafts.
These are the steps to remove each type of shaft.
Steel Shafts
Start by securing the club in a vise-like shaft holder. Once the ferrule is secured, heat it until it becomes soft. After the ferrule has been properly heated, remove it from the shaft with a Hyde knife.
Heat the hosel for 30 seconds with the heat gun. Grab the head of the club with your protective gloves and pull it out. If the head is stubbornly attached to the shaft, heat it for another 15-30 seconds. You can then heat it again until the shaft separates the head.
It might be that it is more difficult to remove the head from the shaft the older the clubhead. If you haven’t had success after multiple attempts, this might be the time to take it to a certified club repair shop.
Graphite Shafts
Graphite shafts are a little more delicate so make sure you use a heat gun here too (some people use a blow torch but we don’t recommend it). You can follow the same steps as for steel shafts, but don’t twist the clubhead!
This is really important because there’s a chance that part of the graphite can get stuck in the hosel. This makes it more difficult to remove the graphite from the head.
If you’ve made it this far, keep going and prepare the club for the updated shaft.
Step 3: Prepare the Clubhead
Once the old shaft is removed, it’s time to prepare for the new shafts to get installed. Use a wire brush to remove epoxy from the hosel. It’s easier to clean the hosel when it’s still warm.
Let the hosel air dry and then use Blue Away (or a similar product) to wipe the hosel with an old towel. This will get rid any heat marks left from the previous steps and make the hosel appear new. Sandpaper can be used to remove epoxy glue and smoothen the surface before applying the shaft in the next step.
Optional Step: Trimm the Shaft
This could or might not apply to you.
However, if you purchase a shaft that is not cut, you will need it to be cut to the right length before you install it. If this is the situation, I recommend that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions online. They provide tipping instructions based on the type of club you’re installing it with.
Measure everything here and don’t forget to remove 1/8 inch for the grip cap.
Because length can alter flex, you want to ensure that you follow this process. A shaft that is longer will become stiffer if it is cut down more.
Step 4: Insert the new shaft
Now it’s time to add your new shaft to the clubhead. First, ensure that the shaft tip is the right size. It varies between woods and irons.
In general, woods are either .335” or .350” while irons are .355” or .370”.
Once the tip size is confirmed, dip the tips (or tip) into epoxy so that it’s totally covered. Then slide the shaft into the hosel and rotate to ensure it’s secured.
To make sure it’s fully secure, hold it against the floor and tap the other end with your hand to push it 100% into the hosel. Make sure you align the graphics on the shaft correctly.
For example, a lot of players prefer the logo or design to be underneath the shaft so they don’t see anything at address. This usually looks more professional and is less distracting as you’re standing over the golf ball.
Step 5: Let the Shaft Cool, and Set
Finally, after installing the new driver shafts or iron shafts, let them cool down and set up for optimal performance. This is the most important step when reshafting a club. Too soon and it will ruin all your hardwork.
For example, when you take your clubs to the PGA Superstore for club repair services, they don’t even allow you to pick up the shaft for 48 hours. They want to ensure that the shaft is properly set before it can be used.
You can also add grips to your existing grips, but you need to wait until everything is set.
FAQs About Reshafting Clubs
Do you have any questions about reshafting club shafts? If so, we’re here to help make this repair as easy as possible.
How much does it take to reshaft golf clubs?
It’s a lot cheaper to do it yourself and can definitely save money. If you would prefer to have someone else do it, you can expect to pay between $20-$25 per shaft (not including the cost of the shafts).
They might offer a shaft swap where they swap shafts between clubs. They also might give you a discount if you’re doing a full set vs. just changing one shaft.
Can you reshaft your own golf clubs?
You can reshaft your golf clubs at home by following the steps above. You can also hire a professional club fitter from your local golf shop to do it. You can search for a local golf shop on Google and call to confirm the price.
How do you reshaft your golf clubs at home?
Follow the above steps and allow the clubs to dry. Otherwise, if you get too anxious and hit them before they’re fully dried, you might ruin the shaft or clubhead. Be patient and allow the club to dry thoroughly before you test it out at the driving range, or on the golf course.
Can you reshaft irons yourself?
Yes, it takes more work though as you’ll have 6-8 clubs vs. just doing one or two fairway woods.
How can you remove shafts from an Iron?
You’ll need to heat the hosel so that you can remove the shaft from the iron. To make this process easy and not cause damage to the clubhead, refer to the steps we have already described.
How much does a golf shaft cost?
There are many factors that affect the price of a shaft. A basic steel shaft can be purchased for $30, while driver shafts can cost up to $300. They can be purchased on a golf website or eBay.
Which shaft is more superior: steel or graphite
I wouldn’t say one is better than the other. Instead, it’s about using the shaft that suits your game and overall swing speed.
Beginners should choose lighter shafts that are usually graphite. This makes it easier to swing your club faster, generate more power, and makes the game easier. While better players like using steel shafts as they’re heavier and allow for more accuracy and shot making.
Also, consider the flex. Players with slower swings need to use regular flex shafts. Advanced players will need stiffer shafts.
Final Thoughts
Your golf club shafts can make or break your game. The key to choosing the best golf clubs is having the right shaft. Many golfers get so focused on the clubhead that they forget to consider the shaft.
In reality, you should spend as much time researching and comparing shafts to find the right flex and weight. This will help to find your ideal trajectory and may even help you get there faster.
When it comes time to reshaft a golf club, there are two options. If you decide to do the job at home, be sure to follow the above instructions, not rush and let them dry completely before using. Plus, always use safety precautions to ensure you don’t suffer any injuries in the process.
