How to Regrip a Golf Club Driver

A worn-out grip on your driver isn't just uncomfortable, it's costing you confidence and distance. Replacing it is one of the quickest and most satisfying upgrades you can make to your most important club. This guide will walk you through everything you need, from gathering the right tools to the step-by-step process of installing a new grip perfectly, so you can feel a direct and secure connection to the clubface on your very next tee shot.

Why Should You Regrip Your Driver?

Think of your driver's grip like the tires on your car. When they’re new and tacky, you have complete control. But as they wear down, becoming hard and slick, you start to lose traction and feel a disconnect. It’s the same with a golf club. Your grip is your only point of contact with the club, and when it’s fresh, it does more than just feel good.

A new, tacky grip allows you to hold the club with lighter pressure. When a grip is slick, you subconsciously squeeze it harder to prevent it from slipping in your hands, especially at the top of the swing and through impact. This extra tension creeps up through your hands, into your forearms, and shoulders, restricting your ability to make a free-flowing, powerful swing. A relaxed hold, facilitated by a tacky grip, promotes a smoother tempo and allows you to transfer energy more efficiently, which is the foundation of hitting long, straight drives.

Here are a few tell-tale signs that your driver is ready for a new grip:

• Shiny or Smooth Spots: Look for glossy areas, especially where your thumbs and the heel of your hands rest. This indicates the original texture is gone.
• Cracking or Fraying: If the rubber is brittle, cracking, or starting to peel apart, its lifespan is over.
• Loss of Tackiness: A good grip has a slightly sticky feel. If yours feels more like hard plastic, it’s time for a change.
• Visible Wear and Color Fading: You’ll often see indentations or worn-down areas from repeated hand placement. The color might be faded and inconsistent compared to a new grip.

As a general guideline, golfers who play frequently should consider regripping their clubs once a year. If you only play occasionally but practice a lot, your driver grip will wear out much faster than your other clubs. Giving it some attention is a simple path to renewed confidence off the tee.

Gathering Your Tools and Materials

Having everything you need ready before you begin makes the process smooth and stress-free. There's nothing worse than getting halfway through, covered in solvent, and realizing you're missing something. Here is a simple checklist of what you'll want to have on hand.

What You'll Need:

• Your New Driver Grip: Grips come in various sizes (junior, standard, midsize, jumbo) and materials (rubber, cord, synthetic). If your current grip felt good, sticking with the same size is a safe bet. If your hands often felt cramped or you tend to hook the ball, a larger grip might be a great experiment. It's an opportunity to truly customize the feel of your driver.
• A Bench Vise: This is a massive help. Trying to regrip a club without one is possible but far more difficult. It acts as a third hand, holding the club steady so you can use both hands for the detailed work.
• A Rubber Shaft Clamp: This is not optional if you use a vise. A rubber clamp or vise protector is essential for securing your driver without scratching or, even worse, cracking its graphite shaft. Never clamp a graphite shaft directly in a metal vise.
• A Hook Blade or Utility Knife: A hook blade is the safest tool for slicing through the old grip without risking a deep scratch on the shaft underneath. A standard utility knife works too, but you need to be much more careful with the pressure you apply.
• Double-Sided Grip Tape: You'll need a strip of this specialized, 2-inch wide tape. It’s designed specifically for this job. You can buy it in individual strips or on a large roll.
• Grip Solvent: This liquid activates the adhesive on the tape, creating a super-slick surface that allows you to slide the new grip on. Mineral spirits from a hardware store can also be used as a substitute, but be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.
• Rags or a Tray: You’ll have some solvent spillage. Having a lint-free rag, some paper towels, or a small paint tray underneath your work area makes cleanup much easier.

The Step-by-Step Regripping Process

With your tools laid out, you're ready to get started. Take your time with each step, especially the first time. The entire process should only take about 10-15 minutes, and once you do it once, you'll see just how simple it is.

Step 1: Secure the Club in the Vise

Open the jaws of your vise wide enough to fit the driver's shaft with the rubber clamp around it. Place the clamp around the shaft about 5-6 inches below where the old grip ends. Don't place it up close to the grip. Gently tighten the vise until the club is held firmly but not so tightly that you’re crushing the shaft. The goal is just to prevent it from rotating. The club should be positioned horizontally, with the clubface pointing directly up at the ceiling. A square clubface is foundational to a good setup, and that starts here.

Step 2: Remove the Old Grip

Take your hook blade or utility knife. Hook the blade under the very bottom edge of the grip (the opening furthest from the clubhead) and, while always cutting away from your body, pull the blade up in a single, smooth motion toward the butt end of the club. The old rubber should split open easily. Once you have a clean slice, peel the old grip off the shaft like a banana peel and discard it.

Step 3: Scrape Off the Old Tape

This is probably the most tedious part of the job, but it’s important for a clean installation. The old tape will be stuck to the shaft. Peel and scrape it all off. Some of it may come off in large strips, other parts will be stubborn. You can use your fingernails, the dull side of your knife blade (carefully!), or a plastic scraper. For very stubborn adhesive, you can apply a bit of your grip solvent on a rag to help dissolve the old glue. Some people use a heat gun on low, but be very cautious not to overheat a graphite shaft. The goal is a perfectly clean, smooth shaft surface.

Step 4: Apply the New Double-Sided Tape

Take a strip of your double-sided grip tape and measure it against the shaft. It should be about half an inch shorter than the new grip itself. Peel the backing off one side and apply it to the shaft, running it lengthwise from the butt end down. Smooth out any bubbles. There will be about a 1/2-inch of tape extending past the butt end of the shaft. Peel the waxy backing off the tape, then twist the overhanging section and tuck it into the hole at the end of the shaft. this prevents solvent from getting down inside the shaft.

Step 5: Prepare and Apply the Solvent

Get your new grip ready. Place a finger over the small vent hole at the closed end, and pour a generous amount of grip solvent inside. Cover the open end with your other hand and shake it vigorously for a few seconds to coat the entire inner surface. Now, position the open end of the grip directly over the taped part of the shaft and pour the excess solvent from inside the grip out over the entire length of the tape. This double-application of solvent is what makes things work - it lubricates both the inside of the grip and the outside of the tape.

Step 6: Slide on the New Grip

This part happens fast, so be ready to move with purpose. Align the opening of the grip with the butt end of the shaft. In one smooth, determined motion, push the grip all the way onto the shaft until the butt end is pushed up tight against the end of the shaft. Don't be timid, a little bit of force is needed. You’ll feel it seat itself fully.

Step 7: Final Adjustments and Curing

Immediately after the grip is on, you have about 30 seconds to a minute to make final alignment adjustments before the solvent starts to evaporate and the tape gets tacky. Look down from above and make sure the alignment markings on the grip are perfectly aligned with the center of the clubface (which should still be pointing at the ceiling). Make any final twists to get it perfect. Once you’re happy with the alignment, remove the club from the vise. Now for the hard part: walk away. The club needs to sit for at least a few hours - ideally overnight - to allow the solvent to fully evaporate and the adhesive to cure. Do not try to swing it an hour later, or the grip will twist.

Final Thoughts

Replacing your driver's grip is a straightforward DIY project that delivers an immediate and noticeable improvement in feel and control. By following these steps, you can equip your most important club with a fresh connection that inspires confidence and promotes a more relaxed, powerful swing.

Bringing this level of personalized attention to your equipment is a fantastic way to develop a deeper connection to your game. That same confidence can be extended to your on-course decisions too. Knowing your gear is perfect is one thing, knowing you’re making the right strategic choice for every shot is another. For that, our Caddie AI app acts as your on-demand course expert, analyzing tricky lies, providing smart strategies for every hole, and answering any golf question you have, whenever you have it. It’s about removing the guesswork, whether from your gear or your strategy, so you can play with complete commitment.