Equipment
Why your golf clubs keep snapping (and how to stop it)
A long, long time ago, in the glory days of minimum wage and perpetual verbal abuse, I landed a job as a club builder. Well, that’s a bit generous — I was really just a teenager tasked with pulling off 25-year-old Golf Pride Tour Velvets, scraping tape residue with the finesse of a bricklayer, and regripping clubs for hours on end. The black stains on my hands and the acrid stench of the chemicals still linger in my memory.
But through the blisters and solvents, I learned a thing or two about club repair — and even got to meet some fascinating people along the way.
Like most stories worth telling, this one starts on the course. I was playing with a guy who was on the verge of giving up golf altogether. His clubs were snapping at the hosel with alarming frequency. He was frustrated, convinced he was cursed, and ready to quit the game entirely.
Quit golf? What? It was like a bat signal calling me into action. I had to figure out what was going on.
To get some expert insight, I enlisted my friends at KBS Golf Shafts, including Kim Braly himself. Kim is the director of research and development at the company that bears his name. I am so lucky to call him a friend since he is one of the leading experts in shaft design and craftsmanship, and his team produces some of the finest shafts in the game. With their help, I uncovered the most common reasons clubs snap — and how you can prevent it from happening.
Sanding: Less Is More
When installing graphite shafts, club builders sand the tips to ensure a proper fit in the hosel. This step is crucial, but it’s also where a lot of damage can be done.
Too much sanding — especially over multiple pulls and re-installs — gradually weakens the graphite fibers. Over time, the shaft becomes brittle, prone to cracking or breaking under normal swing stress. Kim pointed out that frequent reshafting without proper care can significantly shorten a shaft’s lifespan.
If you frequently tinker with your clubs, be aware that each reshafting slightly reduces the shaft’s durability. If you’re working with a fitter, make sure they’re sanding only as much as necessary to avoid unnecessary wear.
Epoxy Overflow: The Silent Shaft Killer
When installing a shaft, club builders use epoxy to secure it in the hosel. This adhesive is essential for stability, but if too much is applied, it can seep up the shaft.
Why is that a problem? Because golf shafts — especially graphite ones — are designed to be hollow, allowing energy to dissipate and the shaft to flex properly. When epoxy clogs the inner diameter, it creates a solid core at the tip, which increases the stress on the shaft during impact. Over time, this extra trauma weakens the shaft, making it more susceptible to breakage.
How to spot it: If you’ve had a club suddenly snap near the hosel, pull out the broken piece and check for hardened epoxy inside the shaft. If you see it, that could be your culprit.
Coning: The Overlooked Step That Matters
Before installing a graphite shaft, the hosel of the clubhead needs to be properly prepared — a process called coning. This involves removing any roughness, burrs, or slivers of metal inside the hosel that could grind against the shaft during play.
Skipping this step creates a hidden hazard. Even tiny bits of metal can act like sandpaper, gradually chewing away at the graphite fibers with each swing. Over time, this micro-abrasion weakens the shaft from the inside out, leading to unexpected snapping.
When having clubs reshafted, ask your builder if they cone the hosels. It’s a small step that can significantly extend the life of your shafts.
Bonus Tip: Temperature Matters
One more thing Kim and the team at KBS emphasized: temperature fluctuations can wreak havoc on club durability. Leaving your clubs in a hot car or exposing them to freezing temperatures can cause the epoxy to degrade and the shaft materials to weaken.
Treat your clubs like a decent bottle of wine—store them in a temperate environment.
Final Thoughts
Clubs snapping at the hosel might seem like bad luck or poor-quality gear, but more often than not, it’s the result of overlooked craftsmanship issues. With insights from Kim Braly and the team at KBS, it’s clear that proper sanding, avoiding epoxy overflow, and ensuring coned hosels are key to preventing shaft breakage.
So, if you’re tired of watching your clubs snap like dry twigs, consult with a trusted club builder. Your clubs—and your handicap—will thank you.
*Featured image via Reddit
*Additional images via KBS
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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