Tuesday, June 22, 2010

What does it mean to "HotMelt" a Golf Club?

HotMelt is a heavy glue that is put into Wood or Hybrid heads to add swing weight, adjust flight bias, dampen impact sound, and/or arrest rattles. Tour vans generally stock lighter to standard weight heads and use hotmelt to customize wood and hybrid heads for swing weight and flight bias. Most PGA pros play shorter than retail woods and use hotmelt to return the clubs to a decent swing weight. For every 1/2" a club is shortened, it loses three swing weight points. Applying 6 grams of hotmelt inside the head can restore the original swing weight while allowing the player to play a shorter, more controllable club. For example: a driver that swing weights at D2 at 45" will swing weight at D0 if cut down to 44 1/2". Applying 6g of hotmelt can allow the golfer to play the driver at the new length of 44 1/2" with the original swing weight or feel of balance. In most cases, shorter clubs, especially the driver, produce tighter dispersion patterns and greater accuracy. If the balance is restored properly this also generally comes with no loss of distance.


Where the hotmelt is applied within the head can affect the flight bias (although dependent on how much is needed). If the hotmelt is applied to the (inside of) the face it will dampen impact noise, produce a lower flight, and reduce spin slightly. If it is applied to within the rearward portion of the head it can potentially create a higher trajectory with a little more spin and less noise reduction. Applied to the toe of the club it can promote a fade, while application to the heel can promote a draw. Obviously there are several combinations of each of these applications.

HotMelt is a fine tuning tool for spin reduction as there are other more influential factors such as loft, shaft profile, angle of attack and swing speed. If you are willing to provide me a little more info on your current set up and what your ball is doing I will be better able to help you find the right solution.  Please drop us a line at tourtech@nc.rr.com or come see us at tourtechgolf.com, We love talking shop!
 
Fairways and Greens...