How to Align a Golf Shaft

The shaft of a golf club is a semi-flexible stick that is commonly made from graphite or carbon. Along the entire length of the shaft is a seam known as the spine. This is where the sheet of graphite or carbon is fused together to create the tube of the shaft. When the shaft comes into contact with a golf ball, the shaft bows. The primary reason to align your club shafts is to get as much downward force as possible.

Things You'll Need

  • Utility knife
  • Vise
  • Torch
  • Heat-resistant gloves
  • Spine finder
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Instructions

    • 1

      Detach the club head and grip from the shaft. To detach the club head, first remove the ferrule. Cut it with a utility knife and strip it from where the head and shaft meet. Place the shaft in a vise. Heat the epoxy that holds the club head to the shaft with a torch. This will melt it and break the bond of the epoxy. Pull the club head from the shaft with heat-resistant gloves. Cut the grip with a utility knife and peel it off the shaft.

    • 2

      Notice where the spine is located on the shaft. Wrap a single layer of masking tape around the shaft approximately 1 inch from the tip of the shaft that contained the head.

    • 3

      Secure the fin portion of the spine finder in a vise so it is parallel to the floor. The fin is the protruding metal piece on the side of the tube of the spine finder. A spine finder can be purchased at a golf supply store. It is an adjustable metal tube-shaped device.

    • 4

      Open the spine finder wide enough so the shaft can fit inside.

    • 5

      Slide the shaft of the golf club into the tube of the spine finder.

    • 6

      Slide a bearing over the shaft, right above the masking tape. The bearing should be of a diameter that fits your shaft. All parts of the interior of the bearing should touch the shaft, the way an appropriately-sized ring fits a finger. However, the shaft should be able to still spin freely in the bearing.

    • 7

      Pull downward on the bearing, which will cause the shaft to bend slightly into a curve. The shaft will turn until the spine is facing upward. If you turn the shaft to the right or left and release it, the shaft will always return to a position with the spine facing upward. Make a line on the masking tape at this position with the spine facing upward.

    • 8

      Release the bearing.

    • 9

      Turn the shaft one quarter of a rotation.

    • 10

      Pull downward on the bearing again. The spine of the shaft will turn upward again.

    • 11

      Turn the shaft approximately 180 degrees.

    • 12

      Pull downward on the bearing again. If the shaft spine does not turn upward again, this indicates that there are two spines.

    • 13

      Make a mark on the masking tape in the location of each spine. This will be the second location the shaft naturally goes to upon release after the 180-degree turn.

    • 14

      Align the spine (or one of the spines) at 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock.

    • 15

      Replace the grip and head of the club in accordance with the spine. The head and the start of the grip tape should be placed back on the shaft with the masking tape mark, at either 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock, in relation to the front of the head.