A shabby, worn-out grip is more than just an eyesore, it’s a silent killer for your golf game. If your hands are slipping or you’re squeezing the club for dear life, you're losing control and consistency before your swing even starts. This guide will walk you through all your options for getting fresh grips on your clubs, from the do-it-yourself-at-home method to finding the right professional for the job.
Why New Grips Are a Game-Changer
Your grip is your one and only physical connection to the golf club. When that connection is weak, everything else falls apart. Over time, the rubber on your grips naturally degrades from exposure to sweat, dirt, oils from your hands, and UV rays from the sun. They become hard, slick, and lose their tackiness.
What happens when you have a slippery grip? You subconsciously grip the club tighter to prevent it from twisting in your hands. This extra tension is a major swing-wrecker. It radiates up your arms, into your shoulders, and restricts your torso turn. It destroys your feel for the clubhead and makes it nearly impossible to release the club properly through impact, often leading to a slice or a weak shot to the right (for a right-handed golfer).
Think of it like driving a car with bald tires in the rain. You can’t make a sharp turn or accelerate with confidence. Fresh grips give you that traction back. You can hold the club with a lighter, more relaxed pressure, which promotes a fluid, powerful swing and gives you much better control over the clubface.
Path 1: The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Route
For the hands-on golfer who enjoys a little project, regripping your own clubs is incredibly satisfying and a great way to save a few bucks. It might seem intimidating at first, but with the right tools and a little patience, it’s a straightforward process that anyone can learn.
What You'll Need
You can buy these items individually or get a complete regripping kit from most golf retailers. Here’s your shopping list:
- New Grips: The most important part! One for each club you plan to regrip.
- Utility Knife with a Hook Blade: A hook blade is much safer than a straight blade because it cuts the grip away from the shaft, preventing you from scratching the steel or graphite.
- Double-Sided Grip Tape: You'll need a roll of 2-inch tape or pre-cut strips.
- Grip Solvent or Mineral Spirits: This a non-toxic liquid used to activate the tape’s adhesive. Don't skimp here, plenty of solvent is the secret to success.
- Bench Vise: A vise is highly recommended to hold the club securely while you work.
- Rubber Vise Clamp: This simple rubber insert protects your graphite or steel shaft from being crushed by the vise. Never clamp a club directly in a metal vise.
- A Rag and a Drip Pan: Things can get a little messy with the solvent, so having a rag and something to catch the excess is a good idea.
Step-by-Step Guide to Regripping Your Clubs
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, set up your little workshop and follow these steps. For your first club, take your time. After one or two, you’ll be a pro.
- Secure the Club: Place the shaft into the rubber vise clamp and tighten it in your bench vise. Position the club so the clubface is square (pointing straight up) and you have plenty of room to work.
- Remove the Old Grip: Take your hook blade, place the hook under the bottom lip of the old grip, and carefully pull it upwards towards the top of the club. The grip should split open easily. Peel it off and discard.
- Scrape Off the Old Tape: This is often the most time-consuming part. Use a plastic scraper or even your thumbnail to peel and scrape off every last bit of the old grip tape. You want a completely clean, smooth shaft. A little heat from a heat gun or hairdryer can sometimes help loosen stubborn tape.
- Apply New Tape: Apply a strip of double-sided tape lengthwise down the shaft, leaving about a half-inch of tape extending past the butt end of the shaft. Peel off the backing and wrap the tape smoothly around the shaft. Twist the excess half-inch of tape and tuck it into the hole at the end of the shaft. This creates a seal that prevents solvent from getting inside.
- Apply the Solvent: Place your drip pan under the clubhead. Cover the small vent hole at the top of the new grip with your finger. Pour a generous amount of solvent into the new grip. Pinch the open end of the grip closed and shake it vigorously for a few seconds to coat the entire inside surface.
- Install the New Grip: Generously pour the solvent from inside the new grip all over the taped section of the shaft. Now, working quickly, align the opening of the grip with the butt end of the shaft and push it on in one smooth, continuous motion. This requires a firm push.
- Align and Set: Before the solvent dries, you have a brief window to make adjustments. Quickly check the alignment marks on the grip (if it has them) and make sure they are perfectly centered on the top of the shaft. You can also eyeball it to make sure it looks square to the clubface.
- Let It Cure: Give the grip a final wipe-down with your rag to clean off any excess solvent. Let the club sit for at least a few hours (overnight is best) before you swing it, allowing the tape’s adhesive to fully cure and bond the grip to the shaft.
Path 2: Professional Installation
If DIY isn't your a fan, or you'd just rather save the time and ensure the job is done perfectly, taking your clubs to a professional is the way to go. It typically costs a few dollars per club for the labor, in addition to the cost of the grips themselves. You have a few great options here.
Big-Box Golf Retailers
Places like PGA TOUR Superstore and Dick's Sporting Goods / Golf Galaxy are popular for a reason. They offer a massive selection of grips from every major brand and can often do the installation while you wait or within the same day.
- Pros: Convenience, huge selection, quick turnaround.
- Cons: Can feel a bit less personal. The person helping you might be a general salesperson rather than a dedicated club-building expert.
Your Local Golf Course or Pro Shop
Don't overlook the pro shop at your home course or a local public facility. The PGA Professional or assistant pro on staff is often experienced in basic club repair and regripping.
- Pros: You get expert advice from someone who may know you and your game. It’s a great way to build a relationship with a local golf pro.
- Cons: Their grip selection might be limited to a few popular models, and you may need to leave your clubs with them for a day or two.
Independent Club Fitters and Builders
For the golfer who wants a truly dialed-in setup, an independent club fitter is the pinnacle. These are specialists whose entire business is building and repairing golf clubs. They live and breathe this stuff.
- Pros: Unparalleled expertise. They can help you find the absolute perfect grip size, material, and firmness for your swing and even do custom builds like adding extra wraps of tape for a truly unique feel.
- Cons: They can be harder to find and may cost slightly more, but the level of service is unmatched.
How to Pick the Right Golf Grip
Getting your clubs regripped is the perfect opportunity to make sure you’re using the right grip for your game. Don't just blindly replace what you had before. An expert can help guide you, but here are the three main factors to consider:
1. Grip Size
This is arguably the most important element. Grips come in several standard sizes: Junior, Undersize, Standard, Midsize, and Jumbo. Using a grip that's too small can cause your hands to become overly active in the swing, often leading to a hook. A grip that's too big can restrict your hands, making it difficult to fully release the club and often causing a slice or a block.
A Quick Test: Hold your club normally with your top hand (left hand for a righty). If your middle and ring fingers are digging uncomfortably into your palm, your grip is likely too small. If there’s a noticeable gap between your fingertips and your palm, your grip may be too large. Ideally, your fingertips should just be lightly touching your palm.
2. Material and Texture
Grips come in a huge variety of materials, each offering a different feel and performance profile.
- Rubber: The classic, all-around choice. Soft, comfortable, and affordable. Great for most golfers in most conditions.
- Cord: These grips have a cord fabric woven into the rubber, which wicks away moisture and provides a very firm, abrasive texture. It’s an a favorite for players in humid or wet climates who need maximum traction.
- Synthetic/Polymer: Materials like those used in Winn grips are very soft, tacky, and great at absorbing vibration. They're extremely comfortable but can lose tackiness when wet and may wear out a bit more quickly.
- Hybrid: A growing category that offers the best of both worlds, often with a cord material on the top half for your gloved hand and a softer rubber on the bottom for your feel hand.
3. Firmness
Grips range from very soft to extra-firm. Softer grips absorb more vibration at impact, which many players find more comfortable. Firmer grips provide more direct feedback to your hands but can feel harsh on mishits. Generally, players with faster swing speeds and who like to feel in complete control of the club head prefer firmer grips, while players seeking comfort often lean toward softer options.
How Often Should You Regrip?
The standard recommendation is to regrip your clubs once a year or every 40 rounds, whichever comes first. This is a good baseline, but you should also watch for the telltale signs of a worn-out grip:
- Hard or Slick Spots: Especially where your thumbs sit.
- Shiny Patches: Healthy grips have a dull, matte finish. Shininess means the rubber has hardened.
- Cracking or Splitting: Any visible sign of deterioration is a red flag.
- Fading Color or Worn Logos: If it looks beaten up, its performance is likely compromised as well.
Final Thoughts
Replacing your grips is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to improve your connection to the club and give your whole set a fresh, confident feel. Whether you choose to tackle the project yourself or trust a professional to handle it, you're making a positive investment in your game.
While fresh grips give you a better physical connection to the club, playing your best golf also requires a sharp mental connection to course strategy. That’s where a tool like Caddie AI comes in handy. It doesn’t swing the club for you, but it acts as your personal coach and a world-class course strategist, available 24/7. When you’re stuck between clubs or facing a tough shot, it provides expert advice in seconds, helping you avoid mistakes and play with more confidence so you can just focus on making a great swing.