Putting a fitting golf club into a child's hands can be the difference between them falling in love with the game or giving up in frustration. If you have an old set of clubs and a child eager to play, cutting them down might seem like an easy solution. This guide will walk you through exactly how to cut down golf clubs for kids, covering the full process, the potential pitfalls, and the critical details you need to get right to give your junior golfer the best chance to succeed.
We’ll cover the necessary tools, a step-by-step process for shortening the shaft and replacing the grip, and the important factors beyond simple length, like swing weight and shaft flex.
Before you reach for the hacksaw, it's important to understand what happens when you shorten an adult club. While it can save money, simply cutting a club down doesn't turn it into a proper junior club. Three main things are affected: weight, shaft flex, and lie angle.
So, when is it okay? Cutting down clubs is most viable for older juniors or teens (think 13+) who are growing out of kids' sets but aren’t quite ready for a full-length adult set. A set of lightweight women's or senior's clubs can be a fantastic "bridge" set. For young children (ages 5-10), you will almost always get better results from a dedicated junior set designed with appropriately light heads and ultra-flexible shafts.
If you've decided to move forward, getting the right equipment will make the job much easier and safer. You can find most of these items online or at a golf component supply store.
With your tools gathered, we can get started. We'll use a 7-iron as our example, as it's a great middle-of-the-bag club to work with. Take your time and measure twice, cut once.
Getting the length right is foundational. An easy way to find a good starting point is to have your child stand tall and relaxed with their arms hanging naturally at their sides. Measure the distance from their wrist crease down to the floor. You can match this measurement to a standard junior club length chart, which is readily available online. For a 7-iron, here’s a rough guide:
When in doubt, it’s better to leave the club a little longer. It's easy to trim it again, but impossible to add length back on.
Secure the club in your vise using the rubber clamp, just below the grip. Use your hook blade to *carefully* cut the grip away from your body, starting at the bottom opening of the grip and moving up toward the butt end in one smooth motion. Once you've cut through it, you should be able to peel the old grip off. Afterward, scrape off all the old grip tape, a little solvent or a heat gun can help loosen any stubborn adhesive.
With the old grip removed, measure from the floor up to the desired finished length and make a clear mark on the shaft. Place the club on the ground as if you were at address to get the measurement right. Once marked, wrap a layer of masking tape around the shaft just below your cut-line. This gives your pipe cutter or saw a better purchase and is critical for preventing graphite an-d steel-shafted clubs from splintering and peeling back.
Place the club back in the vise, securing it a few inches below your cut-line.
The cut edge of the shaft will be sharp. Use a deburring tool or a metal file to smooth out the inside and outside edges of the butt end. This prevents it from slicing through your new grip during installation.
Next, apply a new strip of double-sided grip tape. Run it from the butt end down the shaft, leaving about a half-inch of extra tape overhanging the end. Peel the backing off the tape and then twist and tuck the overhanging piece into the opening at the end of the shaft. This creates a seal that prevents solvent from getting inside.
This is the final step. Have your solvent, new grip, and a rag ready.
First, cover the small hole at the end of the new grip with your finger. Pour a generous amount of solvent into the grip. Cover the main opening and shake it vigorously to coat the entire inside surface. Pour the excess solvent from the grip directly over the entire length of the grip tape on the shaft.
Now, working quickly, align the visual markings on the new grip with the clubface and push it on in one smooth, continuous motion. It should slide on easily. Once it’s fully on, you have a few seconds to make any final alignment adjustments. Stand the club up and look down the shaft to ensure the grip is straight.
All done! All that's left is to let the club dry for a few hours before it's ready for the range.
You’ve successfully shortened the club, but you've also drastically altered its balance point, or swing weight. By removing weight from the handle end, you've made the head feel much, much heavier in proportion. Think of it like a baseball player who uses a bat that's too "end-loaded" - it's hard to control and swing fast.
For a young child, this is an issue. The club will feel unwieldy. The "easiest" way to fix this is with counter-weighting. You can buy specialized brass or tungsten weights that insert into the butt end of the shaft before you put the grip on. Adding 20-30 grams of counter-weight can help restore some balance and make the club feel more controllable for a junior golfer.
While some people recommend adding lead tape to the clubhead, this makes an already-heavy adult head even heavier and is generally not the best solution for a developing child's swing.
Cutting down golf clubs is a totally doable weekend project that can be a great, cost-effective way to get a teenage player into a set that fits them better. It provides them with equipment they can comfortably swing while they continue to grow.
However, for younger children just starting out, the stiffness and weight issues from a chopped-down adult club can create bad habits and cause real frustration. In these cases, a proper, purpose-built junior set - many of which are very affordable - is often the better investment. They are engineered from the ground up to be light, flexible, and easy for a beginner to swing, setting your child up for a much more positive and fun introduction to this wonderful game.
Ultimately, shortening old golf clubs at home is a great project if you understand the limitations and set realistic expectations. By following these steps and paying close attention to length, flex, and balance, you can create a functional "bridge" set that helps a growing junior enjoy their time on the course.
Once you’ve got the right equipment fitting for your young golfer, the next step is building their skills and confidence on the course. We designed Caddie AI to bridge that exact gap, acting as a personal coach right in your pocket. If your child is ever stuck on club choice for an approach shot, confused about a ruling, or simply wants to know the smartest way to play a tricky hole, our app delivers instant, friendly, and expert advice to help them learn the game and play with confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
