Playing with golf irons that are too short for your height and swing is a recipe for inconsistency and frustration. Instead of adapting your body to the club, you can adapt the club to your body by extending the shaft. This guide will walk you through precisely why and how to extend your own golf irons, covering the tools you’ll need and the step-by-step process to get it done right at home.
Before you break out the tools, it's important to know if extending your irons is the right move for you. While a professional club fitting is always the best way to get definitive specifications, there are some clear signs that your clubs might be holding you back.
The most obvious candidates for longer irons are taller golfers, typically anyone standing over 6'1". However, height isn't the only factor, a player's "wrist-to-floor" measurement is just as telling. If you have to slouch excessively or bend your knees far too much just to get the clubhead to sit flat on the ground, your clubs are likely too short. This poor posture isn't just uncomfortable - it forces you into an inefficient swing plane, leading to a host of problems.
Extending your irons can fix these issues by promoting a more athletic and stable setup. When the club fits you, you can stand taller, hinge from your hips properly, and let your arms hang naturally. This provides the foundation for a more powerful and repeatable swing, allowing your body to rotate freely instead of fighting to stay down.
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Tackling this project is very manageable, but it requires having the right equipment on hand before you start. Gathering everything beforehand makes the process smooth and prevents any mistakes. You can find most of these items online or at a dedicated golf component shop.
With your tools and materials ready, it's time to get to work. Work carefully, one club at a time, and focus on being precise. The steps are the same for each iron in your set.
First, decide exactly how much length you want to add. Most extensions are done in half-inch increments (e.g., +0.5", +1.0"). Let’s say you want to add one inch. Secure the club in your vise using the rubber shaft clamp, clampinmg it just below the grip.
Take your hook blade knife and, starting at the bottom opening of the grip, pull it up and away from your body to slice through the rubber. Once it's cut, peel the old grip off. Next, you need to remove the old grip tape. Sometimes it peels off easily, but often it's stubborn. A light application of heat from your heat gun will help soften the old adhesive, allowing you to scrape it off with your knife or a dull blade. Clean any remaining residue with your solvent.
Most shaft extensions are several inches long, so you’ll need to cut them down. If you decided to add 1 inch to your club's length, measure and mark the extension to be cut. Remember that the plug will insert partly into the shaft, so be mindful of the desired final length. Extensions often have a "plug T-section" which inserts fully, your added lenght starts from where the T section ends. Cut the extension carefully with a hacksaw or pipe cutter.
Next comes a vital part of the process: creating a strong surface for the epoxy to bond to. Lightly sand the inside of the top of the golf shaft and the outside of the extension piece that you'll be inserting. This abrasion creates texture for the epoxy to grab onto. Once sanded, wipe both surfaces clean with a cloth and some solvent to remove any dust or oils.
First, do a "dry fit" to make sure the extension fits snugly inside the shaft. It shouldn't be too loose or too tight. Once you're confident in the fit, it’s time for the epoxy.
On a disposable surface, like a piece of cardboard, squeeze out equal amounts of the two parts of the epoxy. Mix them together thoroughly for about 60 seconds until you have a uniform color. Using a stick, apply a thin, even coat of the epoxy around the section of the extension that will be inserted into the shaft. Don't overdo it - too much epoxy will just get pushed up and out, creating a mess.
Firmly push the extension into the shaft with a slight twisting motion to ensure complete coverage. Instantly wipe away any excess epoxy that squeezes out with a cloth and a bit of solvent.
Patience is everything here. Prop the club upright (grip-end facing up) and let the epoxy cure for the full time recommended by the manufacturer, which is typically 24 hours. Don’t be tempted to rush this step, a weak bond will fail on the course.
After the epoxy has fully cured, you’re ready for the final step: installing your new grip.
Let the new grip set for a few hours, and then you'll have a newly extended, custom-fit iron ready for the course.
Modifying your clubs goes beyond just the physical length, it also changes how the club *feels*. The most significant change you’ll notice is to the swing weight. Swing weight is a measurement of how heavy the club head feels when you swing it. It's measured on an alphanumeric scale (e.g., C9, D2, D4).
Adding length to a club shaft increases its swing weight. As a general rule, every half-inch of length you add increases the swing weight by approximately 3 points. So, if your standard-length 7-iron was D1, adding an inch of extension will make it feel like D7.
Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, but it's something to be aware of. A heavier-feeling club can sometimes smooth out a player's tempo, but for others, it might feel sluggish or difficult to control. There’s no right or wrong answer - it comes down to personal preference. After you’ve extended your clubs, your first range session will be about getting used to this new feel. You may need to adjust your timing slightly to stay in sync with the heavier_feeling club head.
Extending your own golf irons is an empowering and cost-effective way to get your clubs fitted better to your unique build. Following these steps carefully will give you a set that promotes better posture, more consistency, and ultimately, more confidence over every iron shot.
Of course, custom-fitting your clubs is just one piece of optimizing your game. Understanding how your newly extended irons will affect your distances and on-course decisions is the next step. With Caddie AI, you can get instant, intelligent advice on club selection, strategy for tricky lies, or any other golf question you have. We designed it to be your 24/7 golf coach, ready to help you pair your personalized equipment with smarter decisions so you can play your best.
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