It’s Spring 2020 and there was no Masters, no golf on TV and a rather bleak looking schedule in the golf world for at least the next month. Many states have said no to golf during many of the stay at home advisories and shelter in places. Since many golf courses are closed, what do you do now? My recommendations, you should start by taking care of your clubs. Start with a simple re grip.
One of the more overlooked aspects of taking care of your golf clubs, regripping is a vital aspect of playing your best golf. Unbeknownst to a lot of golfers, your grips break down every single time you play and when your clubs it in storage between rounds. Using your clubs is not the only reason your grips break down. Humidity, dirt and the oils on your hands aid in breaking down grips. To be on your way to playing your best golf, most grip manufacturers and club fitters recommend changing your grips once a season or every other.
One trend in golf of recent has been the ability to regrip your own clubs and save a good amount of money in the process. If you are taking on this task yourself, be sure to follow these 4 tips to make sure you will be on your way to playing your best golf!
1. Choose the right grip - There is no one size fits all grip on the market as hand size and personal preference plays a large role in the grip selection process. I always recommend that choosing the right grip should be based on hand size and then feel preference. With so many options like chords, velvets, hybrids and so much variance in feel, always be sure to take a look at the number of options that feel right to you and your game.
2. Make sure to have the right supplies - If you think you’re able to just regrip a golf club correctly without the proper tools, you are much better off visiting your local pro shop. Ensure before you take your old grips off that you have a razorblade, adhesive tape, golf grip solution and a vice. Make sure to pad the vice with rubber as you do not want to crush the shaft of the golf club while regripping.
3. Know your desired result - If you are a player that likes multiple wraps, less taper under your bottom hand or a specific thickness of the grip, you need to have a plan for this going in. Local pro shops typically have clubs that have multiple wraps or different grip models to feel and check out before you drop $100-$130 on a set of new grips.
4. Make sure to follow the best instructions - The little things really matter when installing your new grips. Putting too much tape on the shaft will leave a wad of tape towards the butt section of the shaft and too much on the other ends leaves excess tape beyond the grip. Using the correct amount of tape, solvent and a vice goes a long way to ensure that the grip will stay in the spot you desire, especially now with alignment aids on grips. If you are not using a vice however, try and keep the club head straight between your feet if using that to secure the club.
Hopefully these tips help you pick the right grips for you and to install them properly. Always remember, a quality grip means you can let it rip!
