Thousands of photos have been posted to the Lead Tape Chronicles page over the last decade. Those clubs, of course, feature lead tape, which increases swing weight so the player can better feel the club head when making crisp contact. That said, there’s another end of the spectrum when it comes to weighting a club: counterbalancing. Counterbalancing has been around just as long, though it’s not as well known, but it is equally important.

Looking through the archives, a club played by Justin Rose caught my eye in a photo from August 2024. At the top end of the shaft, at the end of the grip, there are four rolls of lead tape. These are about 1/2” wide and, judging by the diameter of most graphite shafts, about an inch in length. Typically, lead tape that is 1/2” wide and an inch long is worth two swing weight points. The GT3 driver head is 195.2 grams at stock weight, and with optional weighting, that can change. From afar, this setup would likely have a swing weight of D0-D1.

When counterweighting is in the equation, the traditional feel of more weight in the club head shifts to the butt end of the club. This allows the player to have a smoother transition from backswing to downswing. The club head may feel lighter, but the weight is more in the player’s hands. Ultimately, it comes down to player preference, as all feel is subjective with the golf club. However, this isn’t commonly seen in clubs designed for a full swing. In putters, on the other hand, counterbalancing is fairly common, especially as longer putters and grips—over 35” in length—have become more popular. That’s one way to counterbalance without adding lead tape.

Through the course of history, we’ve seen counterbalancing as a part of bag setups. Jack Nicklaus played a counterbalanced driver and woods throughout his career. His club maker, Jack Wullkotte, discovered this in the early 1960s while working on Nicklaus’ MacGregor driver. He noticed the driver was traditionally swing weighted to D6, but Jack’s was at D2. Upon further inspection, Wullkotte found that the butt end of the club had a wooden dowel inserted, drilled out, and filled with hot lead to create the counterweight.

Since counterbalancing is all about personal feel and preference, it’s rarely offered as a stock option for clubs. But there are solutions for built-in counterbalancing if you don’t want to apply lead tape each time. Shaft manufacturers now offer counterbalance shaft options as part of their lineups. For example, Justin Rose went on to play a Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange shaft, which features counterbalancing technology. Other major shaft manufacturers also offer counterbalance options.

When is it time to try counterbalanced clubs? It’s worth considering if you have trouble with your transition from backswing to downswing, or if you’re simply looking for a new feel in your hands. Most commonly, we see putters as the starting point for counterbalancing. Companies like TourLock provide weighting systems that offer various options. Traditionally, you’d find weights from 10 to 20 grams in woods, while putter weights can start at 20 grams and go all the way up to 100 grams.

We’ve also seen more 17” putter grips on tour and as stock options. That’s a counterbalance solution without custom weighting. The SuperStroke 1.0 17” grip weighs 142 grams, while the Garsen Quad Tour 17 weighs 120 grams. These are common on Tour for putters at the standard 35” length or up to 38”.

In a game of personal preference, counterbalancing provides another option to help you find the right fit for your game. For all the lead tape used to create swing weight in the club head, the opposite approach—counterweighting—is right there to consider as well.