How to Apply Golf Grip Tape

Nothing beats the feel of a fresh set of grips. That perfect mix of tackiness and softness gives you a direct, confident connection to the club, freeing you up to make a solid swing without squeezing the life out of the handle. This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, how to professionally apply new grip tape and re-grip your clubs yourself. It's a satisfying process that saves you money and gives you complete control over your equipment.

Why Re-Grip Your Clubs? (And When You Should)

Your connection to the golf club begins and ends with your hands. Over time, grips harden, get slick from sweat and dirt, and lose their texture. When this happens, our subconscious instinct is to grip the club tighter to prevent it from twisting. This added tension is a major swing-killer, restricting your wrists, shoulders, and ability to generate effortless speed.

So, how do you know it's time for a change? Here are the signs:

• A Shiny, Smooth Surface: If your grips have a glossy sheen, especially where your thumbs rest, the rubber has hardened and lost its tackiness.
• Visible Wear and Cracks: Check for worn-out spots, cracking, or crumbling material. This is a clear indicator that the grip's integrity is gone.
• Reduced Feel: If the grips just feel hard and slick compared to when they were new, your hands will notice. You'll find yourself applying more pressure without even thinking about it.

As a general rule, a golfer who plays once a week should re-grip their clubs at least once a year. If you play or practice more frequently, you might need to do it twice a year. Ignoring your grips is like driving a car with bald tires - you're just not getting the performance you should.

Gathering Your Toolkit: What You’ll Need

Before you get started, having the right tools makes the job incredibly simple. Trying to cut corners with the wrong equipment will only lead to frustration. Here’s your shopping list:

• New Grips: The most important part! Choose the style, texture, and size that you prefer.
• Double-Sided Grip Tape: You can buy individual strips (one per club) or a larger roll. High-quality tape is a must.
• Grip Solvent: This non-toxic fluid activates the glue on the tape. In a pinch, mineral spirits will work, but specially formulated grip solvent is odorless and safer to use indoors.
• Bench Vise and Rubber Shaft Clamp: This is a non-negotiable duo. The vise holds the club firmly in place, and the rubber clamp protects your graphite or steel shafts from being damaged by the vise's pressure.
• Hooked Blade Utility Knife: A standard utility knife blade can easily scratch or even cut a graphite shaft. A hooked blade is designed specifically for safely cutting through rubber and tape without damaging what's underneath.
• Catch Pan:- Any old paint tray or plastic bin placed under the club in the vise will catch the excess solvent, keeping your workspace clean.
• Towel or Rag: For cleaning the shaft and wiping up solvent.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Applying Your New Grips

With your materials gathered, it’s time to get to work. Find a well-ventilated space, put on some music, and follow these steps. Pretty soon, this will feel like second nature.

Step 1: Secure the Club in the Vise

Place the rubber shaft clamp around the shaft, about six inches below where the old grip ends. Open your bench vise wide enough to fit the clamp, then position the club inside and gently tighten the vise until the club is held firm. Don't go overboard and overtighten, you just need it to be stable enough that it won't rotate while you work. Look down the shaft and make sure the clubface is perfectly square (perpendicular to the floor). This helps you align the new grip correctly later on.

Step 2: Carefully Remove the Old Grip

Take your hooked blade utility knife. Insert the hook at the base of the grip (the end closest to the clubhead) and point the blade away from your body. Pull the knife straight up and through the grip toward the butt end in one smooth, continuous motion. This motion slices through the grip and the tape underneath. Safety is number one here - always cut away from yourself.

Once you’ve made a complete cut, you should be able to peel the old grip right off the shaft. If it's old and stubborn, it might tear, but just peel away the pieces until it's all removed.

Step 3: Get Rid of the Old Tape

This is often the most time-consuming part of the job, but one of the most important for a professional-feeling result. All of the old grip tape must come off. Some new tape might peel off easily, while older, dried-out tape might need more persuasion.

Start by peeling a corner and see if it comes off in a clean strip. If not, use a plastic scraper or even the back of your knife blade (carefully!) to help lift it. A bit of your grip solvent on a rag can help break down the old adhesive. For exceptionally stubborn tape, you can use a heat gun on its lowest setting, waving it back and forth over the tape for a few seconds to soften the glue. Once it's all scraped off, give the shaft a final wipe-down with solvent to remove any last bits of residue. You want a perfectly clean, smooth surface.

Step 4: Apply the New Grip Tape

Now for the fun part. If you’re using pre-cut strips, peel off the bottom liner to expose one side of the sticky tape. Line the strip up with the butt end of the shaft, leaving about a half-inch of tape hanging over the end. Press it onto the top of the shaft and wrap it smoothly down the length. Make sure it goes on straight and doesn't have any major wrinkles or bubbles.

Once the tape is on the shaft, peel off the top wax-paper liner. This reveals the highly-tacky outer surface. Take that half-inch of tape overhanging the butt end, twist it tightly, and tuck it down inside the opening of the shaft. This creates a smooth cap that prevents solvent from getting inside your steel or graphite shaft.

A Coach's Tip: Customizing Grip Size

Do your grips ever feel just a touch too small? Adding layers of grip tape is the secret to customizing your grip size. The standard rule is: one extra full layer of tape builds the grip up by 1/64 of an inch. If you want a "Midsize" grip, you’d typically add about two to three extra layers of tape under a standard grip. Just repeat the tape application process for each layer, wrapping one on top of the other, making sure each layer is smooth. This small tweak can make a huge difference in comfort and control.

Step 5: Activate the Tape with Solvent

Place your catch pan underneath the club. Grab your new grip and, using your finger, cover the tiny escape hole at the bottom of the grip cap. Generously pour grip solvent into the new grip until it’s about one-third full. Now, cover the large opening with your other thumb and shake it vigorously for a few seconds to coat the entire inside of the grip with solvent.

Remove your finger from the escape hole and pour the solvent from inside the grip all over the fresh double-sided tape on the shaft. Make sure you fully coat every inch of the tape from top to bottom. Don’t be shy with the solvent - it's the lubricant that allows the grip to slide on. Excess solvent is your friend here.

Step 6: Slide the New Grip On

Speed and commitment are the two things you need now. The solvent gives you a short window to work before the tape starts to set.

Pinch the opening of the new grip just a little to help it slip over the butt end of the shaft. Once it's on, use one firm, confident push to slide the grip all the way down the shaft. Push with the palm of your bottom hand while your top hand guides the grip opening. Keep pushing until you feel the end of the grip cap bump up snugly against the very end of the golf shaft.

Step 7: Line It Up and Let It Dry

With the grip now fully seated, you have about 30-60 seconds to make final alignment adjustments. If you set the clubface to be square in the vise earlier, this is a breeze. Look down at the alignment markings on the top of the grip and twist it left or right until it looks perfectly square. Once you’re happy with the alignment, wipe the club down with a rag to remove any excess solvent.

The grip needs time to dry and bond with the shaft. It's best to let it sit for at least 3-4 hours, but leaving it to dry overnight is the surest way to guarantee it's ready for the first tee.

Final Thoughts

Re-gripping your clubs is far more than just maintenance, it’s a way to personalize your gear and build a deeper appreciation for the tools of the game. Following these steps consistently will give you a professional finish every time, boosting your confidence before you even step up to the ball.

This level of attention to the details of your equipment can have the same impact as having a smarter strategy on the course. We designed Caddie AI to deliver that kind of tour-level insight right to your phone, helping you make better decisions, "see" the smart play on every hole, and feel more confident over every shot.