There are at least three fine weighted training clubs on the market. We recommend The Momentus as endorsed by David Duval. It is a standard-looking iron except for its school bus yellow shaft. When you pick it up, however, you will notice that it is extremely heavy. After a slow swing or two you will be impressed by how beautifully balanced and manageable the club feels.
This is an extremely comfortable training club to use. The price tag of eighty bucks is a little steep, but it is worth the expense. Most full-service retail outlets and catalog companies handle the Momentus. A weighted driver is available for ten dollars more.
Gary Player also produces two weighted training clubs which we have yet to try. One is available with a preinstalled training grip. These clubs are available from many sources including Edwin Watts. Another popular brand has a short shaft and a heavy cylindrical weight at the end. This is particularly useful for golfers who have limited headroom where they live.
The alternative to buying a weighted training club is to build one. It is a surprisingly simple procedure. Take an old iron – a 7 or 8 would probably be best. Remove the grip. Fill the shaft with sand and put on a new grip. If you have access to a component catalogue you might want to order a ‘training grip’ which has finger grooves and notches molded into it. This will create a double duty training club. Allowing you to memorize what a good grip feels like as you build a more powerful swing.
If a heavier club is desired, lead plugs or lead powder can be added to the bottom of the shaft and lead tape can be wrapped under the grip tape or around the shaft, just below the grip. Hollow weight cylinders are also available through large component companies. Install one in the butt of the club before regripping and fill it with lead powder. Lead tape is available from any of the major component companies.
Strips of lead tape may also be placed on the back of the clubhead to gain additional weight. Or, a small stone or block of wood may also be taped to the back of the clubhead. This will add a very large amount of swingweight to the club.
Simple, red, weighted donuts have been on the market for years and a number of people swear by them. We have found that extra weight on the head without any weight distributed farther up the shaft can create an unpleasant strain on the wrists and hands during the follow through. In some cases overuse can damage wrist tendons. We recommend the donuts only for brief warm-up swings. Swinging two clubs, baseball-style provides a better warm-up experience, however.
