1030 Carbon Steel: A softer form of steel typically used in iron forgings. It is more malleable than other stainless steels used in golf clubs making it easier to hand work during forging. 8620 is another common example of carbon steel.
15-5 Stainless: A stronger lighter alloy of stainless as compared to 17-4 stainless. 15-5 is commonly used in thinner-walled fairway and hybrid clubs. It is composed of 75% iron, 5% nickel and 15% Chromium.
17-4 Stainless Steel: A type of stainless steel used in iron head and all metal wood head construction. In composition, 17-4 is no more than 0.07% carbon, between 15 and 17% chromium, 4% nickel, 2.75% copper, and 75% iron and trace elements.
18-8 Stainless Steel: A type of stainless steel sometimes used in the manufacture of iron and putter heads. Its composition is no more than 0.08% carbon, 18-20% chromium, 8-11% nickel, with the remainder being iron and a few trace elements. As 18-8 cannot be treated to make it harder, it is best used only on non-offset iron heads with thicker hosels.
431 Stainless Steel: A type of stainless steel used in iron and putter head construction. In composition, it is not more than 20% carbon, 15-17% chromium, and 1.25-2.5% nickel, with the remainder being iron and a few trace elements.
6-4 Titanium: A grade of titanium used in wood head manufacture. Its technical formula is 6Al-4V, indicating that its composition is 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium. Its high strength to weight ratio allows it to be used to effectively for thin-walled face inserts.
Backspin: The backward rotation of a golf ball in flight around a horizontal axis as caused by the club hitting the ball. Typically the more loft on a club, the more backspin will be imparted to the ball.
Balance Point: The point at which a shaft achieves equilibrium; the point at which a shaft's weight is evenly distributed in both directions when rested on a single fulcrum point.
Ball Size: The size of a USGA conforming ball must not be smaller than 1.680" (42.67mm.)
Ball Weight: The weight of a USGA conforming ball must not be greater than 1.620 ounces avoirdupois (45.93 grams.)
Bend Point: The point of maximum bending on a shaft as measured by a compression test of the shaft on both the tip and butt ends.
Beta-Titanium: An alloy of Titanium that is stronger and lighter than typical titanium allowing the walls of the head to be made thinner due to the higher strength of beta-titanium.
Bias: Term to describe the ball flight of a clubhead, such as draw, neutral or fade based upon the position of the weight distribution.
Blade: The general term given to the striking face of any iron head.
Blade Style Head: The class of irons identified by their equal weight distribution. Blades are identified by their relatively smooth back shape. Blade style irons are popular among better players due to the increased feel and feedback they may provide. Blades are also known as muscle-back irons due to a possible concentration of weight directly behind the center of the club face.
Blade Length: The length from the outermost portion of the toe to the position on the sole where the shaft would touch the ground when measured at its proper lie angle.
Blade Height: The measurement of an iron head at the center of the face from the ground line to the top line.
Blind Bore: A bore configuration of wood head in which the shaft penetrates the bore to a point of 1/2" from the sole of the club head.
Bore-Through: A hosel type in which the shaft penetrates through the sole of the club. Callaway? clubs are the most common examples of bore-through heads.
Bore Type: The bore configuration of a type of a wood head identifying the distance from the bottom of where the shaft seats to the ground line.
Bounce: The angle created from the leading and trailing edges of the sole of a golf club. Wedges typically have the most bounce in a set of clubs, where the leading edge will be resting higher than the trailing edge with the club in the square position. Bounce helps these clubs go through sand and high grass easily.
Build-Up Tape: Masking tape applied to the butt section of the shaft to increase grip size. Two layers of masking tape (.038" thick) will increase grip size @ 1/64."
Butt (Shaft Butt): The large end of the shaft onto which the grip is installed.
Butt Trim: Term applied when cutting a shaft from its butt end.
Butt Weight: The process of adding weight to the butt end of a shaft, either by wrapping it with lead tape or by installing a lead plug in the shaft. The "Butt Weight" is also the term given to the plug that may be placed into the shaft. (See also Back weighting or counter balancing)
Camber: The radius measurement of the sole of a club. A sole can be cambered from toe-to-heel, from front-to-back, or both.
Cavity Back: The design of an iron head in which the weight is distributed toward the perimeter of the head. Cavity backs are easily identified as having a recessed area on the back of the head.
Center of Gravity (CG): The point in a club head at which all of the points of balance intersect. CG is often mistakenly referred to as the "sweet spot."
Center-Shafted: A type of hosel configuration, common in putters, in which the shaft enters the head toward the center. Bullseye-type putters are the best known examples of center-shafted putters.
Chrome Plated Finish: Type of finish electrostatically applied to forged or cast carbon steel irons and identified by its high lustrous appearance.
Coefficient of Restitution (COR): The amount of energy put into a golf ball as compared to the amount of energy at (after) impact. The COR is the relation between rebound velocity and initial velocity. Putty would have a COR of 0. A perfectly elastic material has a COR of 1. Any golf club with a COR exceeding 0.83 does not conform to the Rules of Golf.
Component: Any of the parts used to assemble golf clubs, be they heads, shafts or grips.
Core (Ball): Any one of various materials used inside the golf ball. A solid core ball utilizes a hard material inside the cover; a wound core ball typically has softer core covered by a series of windings and the cover.
Core Size (Grip): The internal diameter measurement of a grip. Typically core sizes match shaft butt sizes. For example, an M60 grip core will match with a .600" shaft butt size and produce a standard size grip.
Counter Balance: The process of adding weight in the butt end of a shaft to achieve a specific swingweight and/or feel. Counter balancing will increase the overall weight of the club and shifts the center of gravity of the club closer to the hands.
Cover: Outside surface of a golf ball. The cover may be one of any number of materials, Surlyn?, Elastomer and balata being most common.
Crown: The upper portion of the head of a wood head or hybrid. It is the portion of the head most visible to the player at address.
Curved Shaft: A shaft, usually steel or aluminum, designed for use in no-hosel putters that features a bend or bends no more than 5" from the shaft tip. The curved shaft tends to create offset and/or lie and possibly face balancing on putters with no hosels.
Demo Clubs: Used for the purpose of trying out a clubhead designs or a known specification used as part of the fitting process.
Die-Cast: Process of club head production (primarily used with zinc or aluminum) in which heads are formed through the injection of material into a pre-formed die. This process is generally used on lower-priced heads.
Dimple: Depression on the cover of a ball providing lift, leading to distance and/or accuracy. Deeper dimples generally cause a lower ball flight; while shallow dimples add to trajectory. Large diameter dimples tend to make the ball stay in the air longer than do smaller diameter dimples.
Dimple Pattern: Arrangement of dimples on a ball. Various dimple patterns provide added lift, accuracy and/or distance. Patterns vary greatly from one manufacture to another.
Double-Sided Tape: Also known as "Two-Way" or "Grip" tape, a type of tape, with adhesive on both sides that is used along with a solvent to secure grips in place.
Drag: Wind resistance as a golf ball flies or resistance caused when a club contacts the ground or goes through grass.
Driver: Term given to the club that is typically used to hit the ball for the first shot on a par 4 or par 5 hole. It is the longest hitting club in the set.
Driving Iron: General term given to an iron club with little loft; typically the name for a #1 iron.
DSFI (Dynacraft Shaft Fitting Index): The industry's first "apples-to-apples" method of shaft classification. The DSFI is a comparison of shaft characteristics based on actual test results of the cut frequency, torque, tip and butt deflections of the shaft and how they relate to a player's swing speed and tempo. A DSFI "number" is given to each shaft tested in order to best match the shaft to a given player.
Face Angle: The position of the clubface relative to the intended line of ball flight. A square face angle aligns directly at the target, an open face aligns to the right and a closed faces to the left of the target (assuming a right hand golfer).
Face Balanced: A putter that, when balanced toward the shaft tip, will exhibit the property of the putter face being parallel to the ground line. Face balanced putters tend to be favored by players who employ a straight back-straight through putting stroke.
Face Insert: The center portion of the face on a wooden, composite, or metal head, typically constructed from numerous types of materials depending upon the clubhead type. Effective with a 1992 USGA ruling, all types of woods, irons and putters may have face inserts.
Face Progression: The measurement from a shaft's centerline to the leading edge of the club face.
Flex: The common term given to the relative bending properties of a golf club shaft. Flex is usually identified by a letter: L for Ladies, A for Amateur, R for regular, S for Stiff and X for Extra Stiff.
Forged Titanium: A method of wood head manufacture in which the body and sole of the head is formed (forged) from 100% (pure) titanium. The face and hosels of such woods are typically produced from 6-4 titanium. Forged titanium woods are less costly due to their ease of forming as well as their lower raw material cost.
Forging: The process of producing a golf club in which a piece of semi-malleable metal is subjected to a series of steps in which the club is literally pounded from a raw piece of metal into a clubhead in a combination of stamping dies and numerous hand operations. Forged heads are typically made of softer metals than are cast heads and require laborious hand finishing and chrome plating (irons) in order to produce a finished product.
Graphite: A synthetic material used for shaft and head production. It is produced through a series of heating steps to make soft, black carbon graphite filaments. Graphite fibers may differ greatly in strength and modulus.
Grip Tape: A type of tape with adhesive on both sides that is to be used along with a solvent to secure grips into place. Also known as "Two-Way" or "Double-Sided" tape.
Heel-Toe Weighting: A type of club head design in which weight is positioned toward the heel and toe of the clubhead in an attempt to stabilize the clubhead (and produce straighter shots) on off-center impacts.
Horizontal Flow Weighting: A manner of distributing weight from club to club in a set of irons in which the highest concentration of weight moves from the toe of the longer irons to the heel of the shorter irons or vise versa.
Hosel: The entry point of the shaft into the head on any golf club.
Hybrid: Generic term given to any club designed from characteristics of a wood and an iron. The TaylorMade Rescue clubs popularized this type of club also known as an "Iron/Wood."
Inset Hosel: A club design that moves the position of the hosel toward the center of the club face in an attempt to reduce head twisting. The United States Golf Association (USGA) Rule lists a maximum inset of 0.625" or 16 millimeters above the horizontal plane on which the club is resting in its normal address position.
Kick Point: The point of maximum bending of a shaft as measured by deflecting the tip end while the butt remains stationary.
Launch Angle: The angle of a ball's flight immediately after it leaves the club face.
Leading Edge: The forward most point of the club face.
Lie: The angle between the shaft and the ground line when the club is measured in normal playing position.
Lift: Upward force on a golf ball as it flies.
Lightweight Shaft: A weight classification of shaft that falls within 100 and 120g in steel shafts and within 70 and 90g related to composite shafts.
Loft: The angle created as measured from the center of the club face in relationship to the hosel bore with the head in the squared position. More simply, it is the angle of the club face as related to the shaft position.
Low Balance Point: A shaft that has a high percentage of its weight toward the tip. Such shafts are designed to assist in positioning more mass toward or behind the hitting area of the club. These types of shafts will tend to create clubs with higher than normal swingweights.
M2 Bore: Type of metal wood bore in which the shaft bottoms out in the hosel 1" from the ground line. Most common bore type found in today's fairway woods.
Mallet: A type of putter head identified by its broad appearance from front to back when positioned at address.
Mandrel: A tapered steel rod around which composite materials are wrapped when making a composite shaft.
Maraging Steel: An alloy or family of steels with unique properties. Typically maraging steels are harder than are non-maraging steels such as 17-4 and 15-5. Maraging steel is commonly used in club face applications, rather than in entire club heads.
Moment of Inertia (MOI): The resistance to twisting of any golf club head when that head is impacted by an off-center shot.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): A golf club company that, as its main concern, sells completed clubs either on the wholesale level or to the general public.
Official Swingweight Scale: A type of swingweight scale that uses a 12" fulcrum as its measuring point, providing balance in ounces and total weight in ounces or grams. Not typically used in many shops.
Offset: The distance from the forward most point of the hosel to the leading edge of the face.
Over-Hosel: Type of shaft-to-head assembly in which the shaft fits over a post protruding from the head. Not nearly as common as in-hosel assemblies, over-hosel applications are used on irons and putters only.
Oversize Iron Head: The generic name given to any number of iron heads larger than standard. An oversize iron has a blade height of approximately 47+ millimeters and a blade length of 85+ mm.
Oversize Shaft Tip: An iron shaft with a tip larger than .370" or a wood with a tip larger than .350". Certain manufacturers claim that larger tip diameter shafts will assist in the stabilization of club heads, especially on off-center impacts.
Parallel Tip Shaft: The type of shaft construction in which the shaft has one constant diameter in its tip section. .370" is a common tip size for parallel tip iron shafts, while .335" is common for wood shafts. Parallel tip shafts can often be used in any club in a set; the same shaft can be used to assemble a #1 iron all the way through to the SW. Parallel tip shafts are favored by clubmakers, although a number of OEM's use them as well.
Perimeter Weighting: The design concept of redistributing the weight on the head to the heel and toe in an attempt to stabilize the club on all types of impacts.
Progressive Offset: Iron head design feature in which longer irons have more offset and shorter irons have less. The offset progresses in somewhat uniform increments through the set. More offset is featured in long irons as offset tends to eliminate pushed or sliced shots and helps most players hit the ball straighter.
Roll: The measure of face curvature from crown to sole on wood and hybrid clubs.
Round Grip: A grip that tapers uniformly the entire distance along its length and has no discernible ribs.
Satin Finish: Type of finish applied to any metallic surface through a series of finishing belts and appears as a brushed aluminum type of finish.
Shaft Extension: A piece of material that is inserted into the butt end of a shaft for the purpose of making a club longer. The extension, with a maximum of no more than 2", may be made of wood, steel, aluminum, hard plastic or graphite.
Shaft Pattern: The design of a particular shaft indicated the distribution of steps along the length of the shaft. Pattern is also the term used to designate a particular model of shaft, e.g., Dynamic, TT Lite, and Shadow, etc.
Shallow Face: Any wood or iron having a face height less than the norm. Shallow face clubs typically have lower center of gravity, thus making them easier to get airborne.
Sole: The underside portion of any type of golf club. It is the area where the club rests on the ground in playing position.
Sole Width: The measure of a club's sole from its leading edge to its trailing edge.
Sole Weighted Iron: The design of an iron had in which the majority of its weight is concentrated toward the sole of the club. This produces a lower center of gravity making it easier to get the ball airborne.
Spin Rate: The amount of spin on a golf ball as measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
Standard Weight Shaft: A steel shaft weight classification that weighs above 120g.
Static Fitting: The process of fitting an individual without actually watching him or her hit balls. Examples of static fitting include mailed in fitting forms, and telephone fitting.
Static Weight: Also known as overall weight or total weight, static weight is the weight of the entire assembled club as expressed in ounces or grams.
Step: Location on a steel shaft where the diameter of the shaft changes or "steps up" to a larger diameter. The average steel shaft has numerous steps which help identify its playing characteristics and/or manufacturer.
Stepless: A shaft that does not have any steps. Nearly all graphite shafts are stepless. The most popular stepless steel shaft today is the Rifle.
Strong Lofted: The loft of any club, particularly an iron that is less than the standard specification for that club. Stronger lofted clubs tend to hit the ball lower and longer than standard lofts, but may sacrifice some control.
Sweet Spot: The position on the club's face at which maximum energy and feel will be transferred.
Swingweight: A club's weight distribution around a fixed fulcrum point. The fulcrum point is typically 14" from the butt of the club. Swingweight is commonly referred to as the relationship between the weight of the grip end of the club and head end. It is measured in alpha-numeric units such as D-1, D-2, and so on with higher letter-number units indicating more weight in the head relative to the grip.
Taper Tip Shaft: A shaft whose tip immediately increases in diameter as opposed to maintaining the same dimension for and extended length. One of a number of shafts manufactured with a tip section that varies in length and thickness below the first step. This type of shaft (in steel) requires that a specific length, known as a discrete length, shaft be made for each club in a set. Taper tip shafts are only used by select OEM's.
Ti-Alloy: A metallic alloy used for wood heads that contains some titanium. Typically Ti-alloy heads are comprised mostly of aluminum and are considered to be of lesser quality than other head materials.
Tipping (or Tip Trimming): The process of trimming a shaft from the tip to increase its stiffness.
Tip Stiff: Design of shafts (typically graphite shafts) which feature a firmer tip section as compared to the remaining portion of the shaft.
Titanium: Club head material utilized primarily for woods and irons, it has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than most steel alloys. See also Beta-Titanium, Forged Titanium and 6-4 Titanium. Titanium can also used in shaft production.
Torque: The amount of twist in a shaft under a given amount of force. Lower torque shafts twist less than do higher torque shafts.
Total Weight: Also known as overall weight or static weight, total weight is the weight of the entire assembled club as expressed in ounces or grams.
Tour Weight: The somewhat generic term applied to composite shafts that weigh approximately the same as standard weight steel shafts (@125 grams.) or at least greater than 90g.
Trajectory: The shape and height of a shot in relation to its direction.
Trailing Edge: The most rearward part of a club's sole.
Tungsten: A high-density metallic compound used to add weight to a club head, either as a swingweighting material in the shaft or as a defined weight attached somewhere in/on the head.
Two-Piece (Ball): Type of ball characterized by a center core surrounded by a cover, usually made of a durable material.
Two-Way Tape: Also known as "Double-Sided" or "Grip" tape, a type of tape, with adhesive on both sides that is used along with a solvent to secure grips in place.
Ultra-lightweight Shaft: A weight classification of shaft that falls below 100g in steel shafts and below 70g related to composite shafts.
Undercut Cavity: A design feature in irons, where a "channel" is formed between the face and rear of the club in order to displace more weight rearward in the clubhead for greater stability and a high launch angle.
Underlisting: The rubber or paper material onto which a leather or two-piece synthetic grip is wrapped.
Upright Lie: A club's lie that is more upright than the standard specification for that particular head. For example, a 62 degree head would be 2 degrees upright if the stated specification was originally 60 degrees.
"V" Grooves: Face lines (or grooves) pressed, cut or cast into a triangular (or "V") shape during club manufacture.
Zinc Iron Heads: Iron heads die cast from an alloy of zinc. These heads typically are considered less expensive and less durable than their stainless counterparts and thus are designated primarily for beginner sets. Zinc heads can be identified by their non-magnetic properties as well as by their typically larger diameter than normal hosels.
