How to Install Winn Golf Grips

Swapping out your worn-down, slick golf grips for a fresh set of Winn grips is one of the most effective and satisfying ways to upgrade the feel of your clubs and bolster your confidence over the ball. It's a game-changer that puts you directly back in control. This guide provides a complete, step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process, covering everything from removing the old grip to perfectly aligning your new one for a professional-quality finish.

Comfort, Feel, and Confidence: The Winn Grip Advantage

Before we get our hands dirty, let's talk for a moment about why you've made a great choice with Winn grips. As a golf coach, I've seen firsthand how an uncomfortable or unreliable grip can destroy a player's confidence. You can have a perfect swing, but if you don't feel securely connected to the club, you'll subconsciously make tense, tentative movements instead of a free, powerful release.

This is where Winn shines. Unlike traditional rubber grips, most Winn grips are made from a unique polymer material. This offers several distinct advantages:

• Unmatched Comfort: The polymer is significantly softer and more cushioned than rubber. This shock-absorbing quality is a massive benefit for golfers who experience hand fatigue or pain from arthritis, reducing impact vibrations on every shot.
• Superior Tackiness: Winn grips are famous for their tacky, non-slip feel. This is fantastic in all weather conditions, especially in humid or wet climates, allowing you to maintain a lighter, more relaxed grip pressure without fear of the club twisting in your hands. Less tension equals a smoother, faster swing.
• Enhanced Feel: Despite their softness, these grips transmit a surprising amount of feedback, so you can still feel where the clubface is throughout your swing and know precisely where you made contact on the ball.

By chooseing Winn, you’re investing in comfort and confidence. Now, let’s get those new grips on your clubs.

Gathering Your Tools and Supplies

Having the right tools for the job makes all the difference. It turns a potentially frustrating task into a smooth and simple process. Before you start, gather the following items. You can find most of these in a regripping kit online or at a local golf shop.

Essential Toolkit:

• New Winn Grips: Make sure you have one grip for each club you plan to regrip.
• Double-Sided Grip Tape: I recommend a 2-inch wide roll, as it's easier to apply than narrow strips.
• Grip Solvent or Mineral Spirits: This acts as a lubricant and activates the adhesive on the tape. Odorless mineral spirits from a hardware store work just as well as name-brand solvents.
• A Hook Blade or Utility Knife: A hook blade is the safest and most efficient tool for cutting off old grips, as it protects the shaft from getting scratched. A sharp utility knife will also work if you're careful.
• A Bench-Mounted Vise: While you can technically do this without one, a vise makes the job exponentially easier and more precise. It's a worthy investment if you plan on regripping clubs regularly.
• A Rubber Vise Clamp/Shaft Protector: This is a non-negotiable accessory if you're using a vise. It fits around the golf shaft and allows you to clamp it securely without scratching or cracking it, especially important for graphite shafts.
• Rags or Paper Towels: You'll need these for cleaning up old tape residue and wiping away excess solvent.

Your Step-by-Step Winn Grip Installation Guide

With your supplies laid out and your workspace ready, it's time to begin. Take your time with each step, especially on your first club. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to fly through the rest of the set.

Step 1: Secure Your Club in the Vise

Your first move is to secure the club properly. Open the rubber vise clamp and place it around the shaft, about six inches down from the bottom of the grip. Do not clamp the clubhead itself. Place the shaft (with the clamp around it) into the jaws of the vise.

Before you tighten it, position the club so the leading edge of the clubface is perfectly square (perpendicular to the floor). This gives you a clear visual reference when you install the new grip, making alignment much easier later on. Once it's square, tighten the vise just enough to hold the club steady. Overtightening can damage graphite shafts, so be firm but sensible.

Step 2: Carefully Remove the Old Grip

Safety is the priority here. Take your hook blade and place the hook at the bottom edge (the thinnest part) of the old grip. Hook it under the grip and, always cutting away from your body, pull the blade steadily up the grip towards the butt end of the shaft. The grip hsould slice open easily. Once cut, you can peel the old grip off the shaft like a banana peel. Be extra methodical and gentle if you’re using a standard utility knife on a graphite shaft to avoid any gouges.

Step 3: Scrape Off the Old Tape and Residue

This is often the most time-consuming part of the process, but it's vital for a secure installation. After peeling off the old grip, you’ll be left with old, dried-up tape. Use a plastic scraper, the back of your utility knife blade (to avoid scratching), or your fingernails to peel and scrape off as much tape as you can.

For stubborn residue, dab a bit of your grip solvent or mineral spirits onto a rag and rub the shaft. This will dissolve the old adhesive. You can also use a heat gun on its lowest setting, waving it over the tape for a few seconds to soften the glue. Your goal is a perfectly clean, smooth shaft surface.

Step 4: Apply the New Double-Sided Tape

Take your roll of double-sided tape and measure it against the length of your new Winn grip. It should cover the area from the butt end of the shaft down to where the new grip will end. Peel the backing off one side and apply the tape lengthwise along the top of the shaft. Start about a quarter of an inch from the very top (butt) edge of the shaft, leaving a little bit of the shaft exposed.

Let about a half-inch of the tape hang over the end of the shaft. Smooth the tape down onto the shaft firmly, pressing it down all around to avoid any bumps or air bubbles. Once it's secure, take the overhanging piece of tape, twist it closed, and tuck it neatly into the hole at the butt end of the shaft. This creates a seal that prevents solvent from draining down inside.

Step 5: Load Up the Solvent

This is where things get moving. Peel the waxy paper backing off the double-sided tape that is now on the shaft. Place a drip pan or an old towel under the club to catch any spills.

Now, grab your new Winn grip. Place your finger or thumb securely over the small vent hole at the bottom. Pour a generous amount of grip solvent into the mouth of thegrip - don't be shy here, it’s better to have too much than too little. Cover the open mouth of the grip with your other hand and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds. You want to coat the entire inside surface of the grip.

Immediately pour the excess solvent that was in the grip out over the entire length of the double-sided tape you applied to the shaft. This dual application of solvent lubricates both surfaces and activates the adhesive.

Step 6: Slide the New Winn Grip On

You need to move efficiently now while the solvent is still working. Hold the grip with the logo facing up. Align the opening of the grip with the butt end of the ahaft and start pushing it on with a firm, continuous motion. Use your dominant hand to push from the butt end of the grip while using your other hand to guide it at the mouth.

It will feel very slick at first. Push the grip all the way on until the end of the grip is snug and flush against the butt of the shaft. Do not stop halfway, a solid, single fluid push is best.

Step 7: Final Adjustments & Alignment

You have a brief window of a minute or so while the tape is still wet to make final adjustments. Eyeball your work by looking down from the top of the grip. Use the Winn logo and any other patterns on the grip as your guide. Rotate the grip slightly until it looks perfectly square in relation to the clubface, which you wisely squared up in the vise earlier. If your grip has a reminder rib, you’ll want to feel that it is perfectly aligned down the back side of the shaft.

Step 8: Let It Dry and Set

Once you’re happy with the alignment, lean the club against a wall and let it be. Wipe off any excess solvent from the grip and shaft with a clean rag. While some say they're ready to use in an hour or two, I strongly recommend letting the clubs dry for at least 12 hours, and ideally 24, before hitting any golf balls. This waiting period allows the solvent to fully evaporate and the adhesive to cure completely, ensuring the grip won’t twist or slip during your swing.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed your first Winn grip! Repeat the process for the rest of your clubs, and your set will feel better than new.

Final Thoughts

Regripping your clubs with new Winn grips is a tremendously satisfying DIY project that has an immediate and noticeable impact on the comfort, feel, and performance of your entire golf game. With these instructions and a little bit of patience, you can pull off a professional-quality installation right in your own garage.

Just as having the right grip connects you securely to your club, having the right information is essential for connecting with the course. If you have questions about how equipment choices - like going to a midsized grip - might impact your shot shape or you need strategic advice when stuck on a tricky par-5, I built Caddie AI to serve as your personal golf expert, available 24/7 right in your pocket. It’s designed to provide instant answers and clear guidance, so you can spend less time guessing and more time playing with confidence.