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Don’t do this to your clubs at home! (Part 2)

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At GolfWRX it has always been our goal to help inform, educate, and empower golfers to learn more about their equipment, and in many cases, help them take ownership of the process to work on their own clubs. With just a few basic tools, it’s quite easy to do things like regrip, re-epoxy, or change paintfill, but there are still a lot of jobs that should be left to professionals with the proper tools—for both safety and for the sake of your gear.

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As we covered in part one of this series, there are some ways to customize the finish of your clubs at home, but you should leave stripping chrome up to the professionals. I know it may seem obvious, but based on the number of questions I get on a weekly basis about how to potentially strip chrome plating, I believe it was a great introductory topic.

CHROME PLATING — NORTHWEST CHROME

For part two, we’re going to get into something a little less complicated but still important.

Don’t pull a graphite shaft without the proper tools!

Graphite shaft technology has never been better, and that includes the materials and processes used to manufacture them. Although driver shafts can handle a lot of forces from the golf swing and the impact of the ball, the one thing they can’t handle is too much heat and twisting. Steel shafts, on the other hand, can take the heat and twisting, which is why they are the best place to start for beginner club builders, since all you need to pull a club head is a vice, rubber clamp, and torch.

If you are going to work on graphite-shafted clubs, the most important tool that any hobbyist club builder should have or have access to is a high-quality shaft puller. It’s a necessary tool for anyone who wants to do repairs and helps prevent damage to a shaft while pulling it.

Why a shaft puller is important

A shaft puller only applies linear pressure down the shaft towards the hosel of the club. The more linear pressure that can be applied to the clubhead, the less heat needs to be used to break down the epoxy. When done properly both the shaft and the head are reusable in the future.

And by the way, if you want to know how to pull a graphite shaft, check out my video below.

 

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. joro

    May 22, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    I can’t tell you how many came in my shop with the tip like this from trying to take a Graphite shaft out with a torch and twisting it till they ruin it. Most of them do not want to pay the price for a new one so my correction would be to cut off the ruined part, reset it and put a Graphite extender in. Of course that affects the flex a bit, but not that much and of course I would explain it all before doing it. In a Wedge though I don’t think it is that bad because wedges are stiff anyway. If they do want a new one you can save the old and use it for another ruined club. The longer the better. I know some will criticize me but I worked with Several Graphite Companies and club companies and they say most of the shafts are not the same anyway. Callaway once told me all the shafts were basically stiff no mater what the label said. It is not that precise.

  2. Benny

    May 21, 2020 at 1:21 pm

    Well said and agree. I just about ruined a set of Steelfiber Player Spec shafts. Super rare and expensive.

    Completely ruined Recoil wedge shafts.

  3. stanley

    May 21, 2020 at 10:35 am

    love these series. I am trying to get into a little bit of club builing. thanks for the info.

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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