Sub 70 Golf Technical Faq

Why is Handcrafted Assembly Better Than Pre-Built Golf Clubs?
At Sub 70 we hand build every golf club in Sycamore, IL. This allows us to make any necessary adjustments to the club on site and then assemble the club with the desired shaft and grip. The combinations are endless and the hand building process provides a great advantage to the customer. It allows every person to have each club built exclusively for their game...nothing is pre-built or automatically "stock".

Is a Graphite Shaft or a Steel Shaft Better For My Game?
Steel shafts are normally used when a golfer has the desire for more accuracy and consistency. Steel is generally better for stronger players. Steel shafts are also heavier than a graphite shaft in most instances. Graphite shafts are used when a golfer is looking for increased distance. Graphite is typically lighter than steel, providing more clubhead speed, and also reduces vibrations at impact which can ease joint pain or wear and tear on the body. For example, a PGA Tour golfer would use a graphite shaft in their driver or fairway woods as distance is most critical and would normally use a steel shaft in their irons where accuracy is paramount.

What is the Difference in Grip Sizes?
Golf grips are offered in Jumbo/Oversize, Midsize, Standard and Undersize and referrers to the circumference of the grip (Jumbo/Oversize is the largest and goes down in size from that point). Comparing your grips to your golf glove size is a clear way to determine the appropriate grip size. If your glove size is a men's extra large, it is best to use a midsize or jumbo grip on your clubs. A men's large or medium glove size usually requires a standard size grip. A men's small glove size, or a women's medium or small glove size should consider using undersized grips.

What is Lie Angle?
Lie angle is defined as the angle between the shaft and the ground line when the club is measured in normal playing position with the center of the sole touching the ground line. The most important thing about measuring lie angle for each particular golfer is how the club is interacting with the ground at impact. A lie angle that is to upright will cause the golf ball to go left of the intended target line and a lie angle that is to flat will cause the golf ball to go right of the intended target line

How Do You Measure a Golf Club’s Length?
A 48” golf club ruler is placed along the backside of the club with the tip of the ruler touching the ground by the club's heel. The final length is measured at the edge of the grip cap (and not the very top).

What is Shaft Flex?
The five flex categories of shafts can help a golfer get the most out of his or her clubs. Shafts come in five flex categories: extra stiff (X), stiff (S), regular (R), senior (A) and ladies (L). Generally, the faster your swing the speed, the stiffer the shaft you will need.

What is Soft-Stepping vs. Hard-Stepping in Shafts?
Soft-stepping and hard-stepping are the terms used to indicate changing flex of shaft by adjusting the tip cutting of a shaft. In the case of a soft-stepping, the shaft is tip cut less than the standard amount to give it more flex. In the case of a hard-stepping the shaft is tip cut more than the standard amount to give it less flex. This is a practice that is used to “fine tune” to a desired flex.

What is Shaft Torque
"Torque" is a property of golf shafts that describes how much the shaft is prone to twisting during the golf swing. A shaft with a lower torque rating means the shaft better resists twisting; a shaft with a higher torque rating means the shaft is more prone to twisting (all other things being equal).

What is the Difference Between Forging and Casting
The main difference between cast and forged irons is the actual process of manufacturing. With casting the manufacturing process is called the investment casting process. In this process, a wax model of the club head is made and then this model is coated with a ceramic mixture. Once the ceramic mixture is hard the internal geometry of the ceramic is now exactly like the club head model. The wax is then melted out of the ceramic mold and is replaced by a molten metal. The metal is cooled, the ceramic is broken and what remains is a perfectly shaped golf club head that does not require a lot more labor or attention before it is ready to be assembled to a shaft. In the forged process, a solid billet of steel is used. The steel billet is heated to very high temperatures, put in a press and is then hammered into shape with several tons of pressure. This process can be repeated several times before the head is ready for finishing. It is at this point that there is a big difference between cast and forged. In the forged process, the head has to go through a grinding, buffing and detailing process before it is ready to be shafted. This part of the process requires very skilled craftsmen and is extremely labor intensive. The cost of labor is the main reason why forged clubs are much more expensive.