Are Your Clubs PURE?
Despite being used by countless Tour pros and loads of custom club builders – including the world’s largest – SST PURE remains an unknown to many golfers. That’s a shame, because it can make your clubs perform and feel better. In this article, we’ll bring you the facts about this process so you can start PUREing your clubs and your shots.
Find out what shafts need SST PURE the most HERE
“What is SST PURE?”
SST PURE is a process through which a club builder finds a shaft’s most stable bending plane or Neutral-Axis. Said more plainly, it finds the correct way to install a shaft so that it bends in a stable, repeatable way.
Every shaft has imperfections. Modern shafts are very good, but they will never be perfect. As such, they are going to be stronger in certain spots, weaker in others. SST PURE minimizes the effects of these imperfections by finding the best, most stable orientation.
“What are the benefits of SST PURE?”
Longer, straighter golf shots. In a Golf Myths Unplugged test [read it HERE], we found a PURE’d shaft produced 7 yards more distance with a six iron as well as hitting shots 2.2 yards closer to the target line.
Additionally, PUREing helps you to swing the club faster and more consistently. When the shaft is moving off-plane (not in the directions you intend), your body has to adjust and “fight” the shaft. When the shaft is PUREd, moving only the intended directions, it speeds up and improves your swing.
PUREing also makes your clubs feel better. In the aforementioned test, 6 out of 7 golfers were able to feel the difference between a PURE and un-PURE shaft.
“Is SST PURE only for driver shafts?”
No, every shaft can be PUREd – steel and graphite, driver through putter. While some would argue that it makes the biggest difference in a driver shaft, an argument can be made for almost any club. PUREing a putter shaft won’t drastically change your dispersion, but putting is a game of inches, and a perfectly installed shaft can make a measurable difference.
“Can you PURE an old (used) shaft?”
Yes, you can PURE any shaft. If you’re using a shaft that you like, but want to get more out of it, a club builder with an SST PURE machine can remove the shaft, PURE it, and then re-install it in the correct orientation.
“What equipment is required for SST PURE?”
An SST PURE machine is required to perform SST PUREing. There is no substitute.
“How is SST PURE different than spining or FLOing a shaft?”
SST Pure, spining, and FLOing all have the same goal – finding the best orientation of the golf shaft. SST PUREing is simply a much more scientific, accurate way of achieving that goal. It’s a bit like asking how is a Formula 1 race car different than a tricycle. Both are ways to go from here to there, but one does the job on a very different level.
“How do you install an SST PURE’d shaft?”
When a shaft comes out of the SST PURE machine, it has a line on it (see the line on the tape above). This line is installed straight up (think “logo up”) to orient the “strong” side toward the target.
There is an alternative called “Soft Side PUREing” where the strong side faces away from the target. The benefits can be a softer feel and higher launch, but this method is the exception, not the rule.
“How does SST PURE work with adjustable hosels?”
The answer to this question varies based on which adjustable hosel system you use.
If your adjustable hosel system does not change the shaft’s orientation, there’s no issue at all. You can install the shaft as you normally would, make adjustments, and the shaft will remain in the PURE position.
If your adjustable hosel system changes the orientation of the shaft, you will need to re-install your shaft if you decide on a new setting. This is why it’s important in your fitting to nail down not only the right shaft and head but also the correct hosel setting.
Visit SST PURE HERE
Visit Club Champion HERE
Watch Nick Sherburne Explain SST PURE HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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20 Comments
So if I have an existing set of irons how would I go about getting them PURE’d?
Will,
The club builder would remove the shafts from the heads, PURE the shafts, and re-build them.
Best,
Matt
Oh ok, so Club Champion would most likely be able to help me with that
Thanks
Yes, 100%.
-Matt
A PGA Club Professional told me that puring only made a difference with faster swing speeds. Any thoughts on that? Thanks.
Lee,
I don’t agree with that. If you have the correct shaft for your swing, it’s going to flex. If it’s going to flex, you want it to flex in a consistent, predictable way.
Best,
Matt
I’m going to be honest, I’m surprised you believe in SST pure. It’s been debunked a lot and honestly, flies in the face of the manufactures that their quality control is not sufficient. The shaft market has stepped up their quality significantly and if there was any truth the the SST pure, spine, etc. “science” that would be an easy up charge that could come from the shaft companies themselves.
Ramsey,
We don’t “believe” in SST PURE – we’ve done our own testing and found it very impactful. With regard to it being “debunked” – where and by whom?
Second, your claims about the manufacturers are poorly thought out. No one is arguing that shaft manufacturers don’t make high quality product, but, just as with anything, there are tolerances. SST takes something very good and makes it better. It’s no different than the fact that club OEMs have tolerances for lofts, lies, etc which is why golfers need club builders to check or perfect the builds. The reason that shaft manufacturers don’t PURE themselves is the same reason why club OEMs don’t offer “perfect spec” builds – it draws attention to the fact that not everything comes out of the factory 100% perfect.
-Matt
do you know who does pureing in Kansas City Mo
Danny,
There is a Club Champion in Overland Park.
Best,
Matt
Matt, what are your thoughts on puring some of the newer graphite iron shafts? How do they compare with steel iron shafts in terms of minimizing dispersion by puring?
Elliott,
Interesting question. I don’t have any data on steel vs. graphite and how the PURE position relates to logo up or logo down, but that could make for a very interesting Golf Myths Unplugged. My general feeling, however, is that it’s worth PUREing everything.
Best,
Matt
I had tried to post before but it never made it into the comments. Not everyone agrees with SST and the buyer should do research on their own. Russ Ryden is a club shaft guru and he thinks most shafts do not need this process and the extra cost associated with it.
Chris,
How do you suggest buyers “do their own research” – buy their own SST PURE machine and test dozens of shafts?
With regard to Russ Ryden – what makes him a “shaft guru” above and beyond any other fitter and what testing does he have to show that SST is unnecessary?
-Matt
I believe in the fact that any shaft has some flaws/impurities that affect the shaft’s behaviour. Whether you believe in it, is a completely different story.
I had once 10 identical shafts delivered and I weighted them and frequency analyzed them. 10 different values on both parameters.
The fitter community cannot agree on whether spining/flo-ing/puring make any difference.
I believe that it matters and do it on the shafts that I install , using my own methods. And if it doesn’t make any difference, then it won’t hurt, either.
Matt I concur with you in regards to Ramsey ‘s poorly thought out response in regards to PURE. He makes a statement with no data to back it up. Challenging golf issues is not like politics-you don’t seem to have to back up anything politics.
This process basically doubles/triples the cost of already expensive shafts. I’ve seen prices $25-$75 per shaft. How can it possibly be so costly to run such a measurement and place a mark on the shaft?
Steven,
How does adding $25 double the cost of a shaft? Most aftermarket driver shafts cost in the neighborhood of $300.
The process is relatively slow and requires a specialized machine that only does one thing. Only one shaft can be measured at a time, and an employee needs to sit and “babysit” the entire process. That costs money which the club builder needs to recoup.
-Matt
I am buying a used set of shafts that have been pured. The P sticker is still on the shafts. Does tjhis sticker go up, down, front or back? Will that location change the feel and performance vs. a different location?
It depends who put the PURE sticker on. From Club Champion, the PURE sticker goes “logo down”.
Best,
Matt