How to regrip golf clubs can feel manageable. This guide will walk you through each step of the regripping process, offering insights into the technique, necessary tools, and where to procure them.
By regripping your clubs yourself, you simplify the process, save money, and tailor your clubs to your preferences.
How To Regrip Golf Clubs?
The Supplies
Here’s a concise rundown of the tools and supplies necessary for regripping your golf clubs at home. Everything is conveniently available on Amazon, which is ideal for Prime Members like me who already rely on their speedy deliveries (our weekly influx of Amazon boxes is quite something).
The Checklist:
- Hook Blade – Essential for grip removal, available for just over $8.
- Utility Knife – Handy for tape removal from shafts, priced at approximately $10.
- Regripping Kit – Amazon’s top seller, including solvent, tape, and a rubber vise clamp for $11.49. Alternatively, tape and solvent can be bought separately if you already possess a rubber vise clamp.
- Grips – The heart of the operation! Grip choice is personal; I prefer Golf Pride MCC for its dual-layer comfort. The classic Tour Velvet, a popular and economical option, is highly recommended.
- Additional Tips from Nick Banks – Wynn Grips are more challenging due to their rigid tips. Consider ordering extra grips in case of errors during your DIY regripping endeavors (more on this later).
Additional Essentials: Ensure you have plenty of towels to protect floors and clean clubs. A paint liner beneath prevents excess grip solvent spills. While a vise is ideal, we’ll guide you through regripping without one.
Regripping Your Golf Clubs
Step 1: Removing Your Old Grips
To streamline the process and maximize efficiency, adopt an assembly-line approach when regripping your clubs.
Start by carefully removing all old grips with a hook blade. This tool is preferable over a utility knife to avoid damaging shafts, especially graphite ones. Slide the hook under the grip and gently cut downwards away from your body.
Step 2: Removing Tape
Next, remove the old tape, the most time-consuming part of the task.
Score across the tape with a utility knife along the shaft until it’s completely removed. Take extra care with graphite shafts; using a heat gun or hair dryer can help soften the adhesive for easier removal by hand.
Step 3: Applying New Tape
Now, apply new tape to the shafts, ensuring it ends below the grip. Hold the grip next to the shaft and mark where the tape should stop, leaving the bottom quarter to half-inch tape-free beneath the grip.
Apply tape to each club shaft, ensuring it’s snug and properly aligned.
Step 4: Applying the Grip
This step is crucial for effective regripping.
There are two methods: using a vise, recommended for its leverage, or the no-vise method, where you stabilize the club between your feet.
Before applying the grip, generously apply grip solvent to its interior and evenly coat the tape on the shaft. Excess solvents can be collected with a paint liner for reuse.
Quickly and firmly slide the grip onto the shaft, ensuring it’s fully seated. Beginners may need extra grips in case of mistakes.
No-Vise Method
- If not using a vise, secure the club between your feet, ensuring steady pressure without bending the shaft excessively.
Vise Method
- Utilize a vise for added control and leverage. Insert the rubber clamp from the grip kit and tighten enough to prevent the club from moving during installation.
Once secure, make final adjustments, aligning the grip logo as desired and tapping the grip on the floor to ensure a tight fit.
Step 5: Clean Up and Allow to Set
Congratulations, you’re nearly finished! Wipe off excess grip compound with a towel and allow your clubs to dry for several hours before use.
How To Choose The Best Golf Grips for Regripping Your Golf Club?
Selecting the proper golf grips involves carefully considering several factors directly impacting performance and comfort.
1. Size
Choose from oversized, midsize, standard, and undersize grips based on your hand size. Build-up tape can fine-tune the fit between sizes.
When gripping the club, ensure your fingertips lightly touch the base of your thumb. If they dig in too much, your grip is too small; your grips may be too large if they don’t touch. A good grip size is necessary to maintain your game.
A grip that’s too narrow might encourage a pull, while a grip that’s too wide could lead to a push or slice, potentially hindering wrist action and reducing distance. Some players opt for wider grips to accommodate conditions like arthritis.
Your PGA Professional can provide expert guidance on sizing, or consider using Lamkin’s Interactive Grip Selector for assistance.
2. Texture
Choosing a grip involves balancing feel and security. Any grip movement during the swing can cause issues, but gripping too tightly is counterproductive.
The texture choice is influenced by whether you glove your lead hand or play bare-handed. Most players glove their lead hand, while some use gloves on both hands for added grip. Tour professionals typically use a glove on their lead hand.
3. Firmness
Swing speed determines the need for torsion control. Faster swings benefit from firmer grips, allowing stability with lighter grip pressure favored by skilled players.
Softer grips may lead to excessive torque at higher speeds but are suitable for slower swings or weaker grips. A too-firm grip can compensate for stability issues caused by a too-soft grip.
4. Weather Considerations
Golfers in wet or humid conditions often prefer textured or corded grips for enhanced grip. Grip slip during the swing can significantly affect the shot.
However, some find corded grips uncomfortable, particularly if gripping firmly. Smooth grips may require tack spray in damp conditions to maintain grip.
By carefully considering these factors, you can select grips that enhance your game and suit your playing conditions.
Exploring Golf Grip Varieties
Modern golf grips utilize diverse natural and synthetic materials, catering to players’ preferences for feel, durability, tackiness, torsion resistance, and vibration absorption.
Golf grips fall into four categories: wrapped, rubber, corded, and hybrid.
1. Wrapped
Wrapped grips, traditionally made from genuine leather, remain popular. Modern variations use synthetic materials molded in a wrapped design, offering resilience against temperature and humidity fluctuations.
2. Rubber
Rubber grips are widely favored for their affordability and standard inclusion in many beginner and intermediate club sets. High-quality rubber grips provide stable handling, which most golfers appreciate.
3. Corded
Corded grips feature a coarse texture that enhances traction, which is ideal for golfers playing in wet or humid conditions. The cord construction channels moisture away, maintaining a secure hold. Players with powerful swings often prefer corded grips for their added control.
4. Hybrid
Hybrid grips combine a firm corded upper section for control with a softer rubber lower section for comfort. This design acknowledges the differing needs of the fingers and palm during the swing, offering a balanced solution for various playing styles.
By understanding these grip types, golfers can make informed choices that enhance their performance and comfort on the course.
Frequently Ask Question
How can you determine if it’s time to replace your grips?
Determining when to regrip your golf clubs involves recognizing a few key indicators. Firstly, indentations around the thumb areas of the grip signal wear from hand friction during swings.
Secondly, a shiny, slippery grip compromises grip pressure, potentially leading to over-tightening. While cleaning with warm, soapy water and a scrubbing brush can help, it may not fully restore the grip’s original tackiness. When cleaning fails to revive the grip, it’s a clear sign that replacement is necessary.
How to Choose the best grip size?
Choosing the correct grip size is a matter of personal preference. Traditionally, the guideline was to ensure that the fingertips of the top hand lightly touched the fleshy pad of the thumb while holding the grip.
However, this approach is only sometimes followed among top touring professionals. Bubba Watson, for instance, opts for up to 18 additional layers of tape under his grips to achieve his preferred thickness. In contrast, Padraig Harrington has used no tape and stretched his grips to play as thinly as possible. Remarkably, both players wear the same glove size.
Ultimately, trial and error is crucial. Discovering what feels and performs best for you is critical to selecting the ideal grip size.
How to Choose the best grip tape?
Selecting grip tape for regripping your clubs involves a few considerations. Unlike other golf equipment, there’s no universal standard for grip tape. In practice, any double-sided adhesive tape will suffice.
However, it’s worth noting that grip tapes vary in thickness. This factor becomes critical if you prioritize uniform grip thickness across your set. Typically, grip tapes are now available in 2″ widths, intended for use as solid strips. Some golfers, though, prefer thinner tape that spirals around the grip to avoid leaving a visible seam.
What is the typical cost to regrip a single golf club?
The cost of regripping a single club can vary significantly. Budget options may start as low as $3 per grip, while premium choices can go up to $30 or more for top-tier grips.
Considering a complete set regrip, including your putter, which may require specialized oversized grips, you could need up to 14 grips. Oversize putter grips, known for their specialty, may incur additional costs beyond the standard grip range.
When can I use my clubs after regripping?
Typically, you can safely use your clubs about 30 minutes after regripping, depending on the amount of grip solvent applied.
Using them too soon could cause the grip to slip or become misaligned, so sufficient drying time is advisable to ensure optimal performance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mastering how to regrip golf clubs enhances your equipment’s performance and empowers you with a valuable skill in golf maintenance. By meticulously following the step-by-step process outlined in this guide and acquiring the necessary tools, you can ensure that your grips are refreshed and customized to suit your playing style and preferences.
Whether you aim to save on costs, improve your grip for better control and comfort, or enjoy the satisfaction of DIY golf club care, regripping offers both practical benefits and a sense of accomplishment. So, dive into the process, embrace the learning curve, and discover the joy of maintaining your clubs with precision and care.
