How to Make a Golf Shaft Spine Tool

If the shaft of a golf club were perfect, golf shaft spine tools wouldn't be needed. A golf shaft spine tool finds the narrow line, called a spine, along the shaft of the club that defines its bending characteristics. The line should be on the side of the target or the side away from the target so the shaft straightens accurately during the downswing.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 inch pipe,12 inches long
  • Tape
  • Vise
  • 1/2-pound weight tied to a length of string at least a foot long
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Instructions

    • 1

      Apply the tape around the inside of the pipe on both ends. The purpose of the tape is to avoid scratching the golf shaft.

    • 2

      Tighten the pipe in the vise so that one end is slightly higher than the other.

    • 3

      Wrap tape around the middle of the shaft.

    • 4

      Insert the golf shaft into the pipe from the lower end. You want the narrow part of the shaft to rest against the tape in the high end. Leave 2 inches of shaft protruding from the back of the pipe.

    • 5

      Tie the weight to the tip of the shaft. It doesn't need to be tight.

    • 6

      Rotate the shaft. Watch the tip. The weight will cause the tip to droop. As you rotate the shaft, the tip will rise and fall with the stiffness of the shaft. You're looking for the stiffest side of the shaft. When the tip is at its highest point, you've found the spine.

    • 7

      Mark the tape wrapped around the shaft when the tip is at its highest point. The side of the shaft that runs along the mark on the tape is the spine of the shaft.

    • 8

      Attach the club head to the shaft with the spine, or the mark on the tape, pointed toward the target.