If you are researching the cost of reshafting golf irons it is likely for two different reasons. Most obviously, one of your shafts has broken and needs to be replaced. Alternatively, you are unhappy with the performance of your current shafts. This could be because your swing has dramatically changed since you got the original irons, maybe you fancy upgrading from stock shafts or possibly you want to change from steel to graphite.

Whatever the reason, the cost of reshafting irons can sometimes surprise some golfers. This article will highlight what these costs are as well as the benefits and negatives of reshafting versus a new set of irons.

Costs Involved when Reshafting Irons

The overall cost of reshafting irons will vary greatly depending on three separate individual costs; labour, shafts and grips.

Labour Costs

On average the labour cost for reshafting irons in the US tends to be around $20 per shaft.

Golf USA - $20

TD Custom Golf - $25

Austad’s - $20

GolfDom - $20 (or $16 for 5+ clubs)

RedTail Golf - $20 steel / $25 grapite

Labour costs involve the pulling of the original shafts, cleaning out the hosels, adding new ferrules, epoxy, grip tape and the fitting of the new shaft and grip. Some golfers do choose to do their own reshafting, however unless you already have the correct tools and are supremely confident at doing an expert job, it is best you take them to be done by a professional.

Shaft Costs

The cost of an iron shaft is going to vary hugely depending upon the quality and brand that you want to choose.

Elite players, or golfers with the biggest budgets, can spend up to $200 per shaft. Generally though most amateur golfers will spend between $15 to $45 per steel shaft, or between $30 to $70 per graphite shaft.

Grip Costs

New grips will normally cost between $5 to $15 each depending on the quality you choose. 

Sadly, it is usually not worth saving your old golf grips when reshafting. There are specialist processes that golf workshops can use to remove the grips without damaging them, but unless the grips are almost new it is normally too labour intensive to be cost effective.

Replacing a Broken Shaft

When replacing a broken shaft, it is imperative to ensure you get the exact same shaft as your other irons. Any difference will lead to inconsistencies in your iron performances. 

If you kept the stock shafts when you bought your irons this will be easily replaceable. But, if your irons were custom-fit then it will be helpful to the reshafter if you have the specific shaft information to hand. This will ensure that they get all the exact requirements correct.

Cost of reshafting a set vs buying new irons

As explained above, the overall costs can vary greatly depending on your personal choices and budget. However, to give you a rough idea, let's work on the estimated average costs.

The following costs are based on reshafting a set of seven irons (PW - 4 iron).

Labour: 7 x $20 = $140

Shafts: 7 x $30 = $210 for steel or 7 x $50 for graphite = $350

Grips: 7 x $10 = $70

In total, the overall cost of estimated average iron set reshafting is $420 for steel shafts or $560 for graphite shafts.

Depending on your specific preference, a new set of irons (2019-21 models) from a leading manufacturer is likely to cost you anywhere between $700 to $1000.

Overall, it is probably going to work out cheaper to reshaft your irons over buying a new set. However, probably not by quite as much money as some golfers would have thought. It is also worth considering that if your old irons have some resale or trade-in value this may help to further recoup some of the difference in costs.

Graphite vs steel

This will probably come as no surprise to keen golfers, but graphite is easily the more expensive shaft material. Graphite shafts are often favoured by seniors and ladies, because they are significantly lighter. They can help golfers generate more clubhead speed, improving distance. Despite their higher cost graphite shafts are much less durable and will require more looking after to maximise their lifespan.

Steel shafts are heavier and more robust, offering additional control and playability. They are definitely the better option for faster swing speeds and are favoured by lower handicap and Professional male golfers.

Benefits of reshafting your clubs

Firstly, if you are going to get your clubs reshafted I recommend getting custom-fit for the perfect shafts to suit your swing and characteristics. This way you can be confident you are going to see the benefits as well as getting the best value from your investment. 

Having the perfect shafts in your irons can transform the performance of your golf clubs. This will be especially true if your original shafts were ‘off the rack’, because these shafts are designed to suit the average golfer. Whereas, custom-fit shafts will ensure everything including the shafts length, flexibility, kick-point and weight are all chosen to optimize overall performance.  By getting the correct shafts it is likely you will see an immediate increase in distance, accuracy and consistency.

Three reasons to reshaft your iron set

1. Your irons are still relatively new. Therefore you are not likely to benefit from purchasing any upgraded technology and replacing the shafts should further enhance performance.

2. You got your irons professionally fitted. You know they are perfect for your swing, they feel great and you’re still happy with their performance. Some golfers definitely have an affinity with their irons and if that is what gives you maximum confidence, so maybe don’t change.

3. Your irons are a traditional forged muscle-back style. Forging technology does not see significant technology advances like game-improvement irons.

Three reasons to buy a new iron set

1. Your current clubs are an old set of game-improvement style irons. Leading manufacturers spend millions on research and development every year and the technology in game-improvement style irons is significantly better now versus five-plus years ago.

2. It would cost less to buy newer irons. Depending on the type of shafts you want as well as what newer clubs you would want to purchase, it could work out cheaper to buy new irons.

3. You did not get your current clubs professionally fitted. Without proper club fitting originally, getting these clubs reshafted is unlikely to be worth the investment. I would suggest getting a custom-fit with PGA Professional who will be able to show you the difference a new fitted set can have on your game.

Conclusion

Reshafting your entire set of irons can be an expensive process, with all the costs adding up. That being said, there are definitely still benefits to reshafting over buying new irons, especially if your current irons are still quite new or you particularly love them. Reshafting can provide a huge performance boost to your current clubs, but you need to be sure you will reap the rewards before investing your budget here instead of getting newer club technology. 

If you are still torn between the two options, I would recommend having a fitting with a local PGA Professional. By hitting your current clubs, newer clubs and trying different shafts the fitter will be able to provide you with all the data you need to feel confident you are making the correct decision.