The problem with rubber golf grips is that they deteriorate slowly over time. You don't put your clubs away on a Sunday, then get them out again the following Saturday and notice the grips are slick all of a sudden. What happens is the grips slowly wear and the golfer subconsciously grips the club tighter to compensate. This leads to tension in the hands, which it turn leads to tension in the wrists, forearms and shoulders. This is not an ideal set-up for a smooth, controlled takeaway.
Any golfer who plays, on average, twice a week should be looking to renew their grips annually, depending on the type of grip they use. Some grips are more durable than others. Leaving the clubs in extreme temperature conditions - like in the boot of the car in the summer or winter - will also shorten the life of grips.
Re-gripping is not only overlooked by the club golfer, but also in many cases by the club professional. A lot of pros don't realise what a good form of income re-gripping is. In a lot of cases more profit can be made from re-gripping than selling the customer a new set of clubs. A basic, good quality grip such as the Tour Velvet or Crossline should realise around £30 profit per set - not bad for half an hour's work.
Materials used in re-gripping cost next to nothing if the solvent used is recycled, using a solvent catch pan, which is a simple device that extends the life of a bottle of solvent by at least 10 fold. Another saving that can be made is by changing to 2" tape rather than ¾". Most golf professionals learnt to re-grip by spiral wrapping ¾" miracle tape and they continue with this method out of habit, but consider this: a roll of ¾" x 36-yard tape uses 23" of tape per grip, while the 2" tape uses 10½" per grip. Although the 2" tape is dearer, it equates to a saving of 1½" per grip, or roughly £1.85 per roll - not a huge amount but every little helps in this economic climate.
What has really made a difference to the replacement market is the huge variety of grips now available, especially the introduction of multi-coloured grips. No longer are golfers confined to the choice of plain black grips with a limited choice of coloured paint fills. Now they can choose between all the colours of the rainbow, and this is before they consider the varieties of compounds available.
Choosing a grip should be about more than colour alone of course (although personally I do opt for Peterborough United blue!), and the golfer must take into account their own particular requirements.
The main factors when choosing a grip are as follows:
Moisture management
If the weather tends to be inclement or the golfer has hands that perspire, suitable grips would feature full cord or multi-compounds.
Responsiveness and texture
Grip material and construction are vital to the feel of the club and to the vibration felt at impact. Softer grips absorb more vibration while firmer grips give better shot feedback. Larger, softer grips are also a good option for those suffering from ailments such as rheumatism and arthritis. Tacky grips are normally smoother and softer, while less tacky grips usually have a rougher finish and are much firmer.
Grip size
Grip size can play a major part in ball striking and ball flight. A grip that is too large can restrict hand rotation, leading to a fade or slice, whereas a grip that is too small can lead to a draw or hook bias. There are two ways to fit the grip, either by simply holding a variety of different size grips, or by using a grip sizer. A selection of five sizes should be enough to cover most situations, but the more sample sizes a pro has, the more comprehensive a fitting will be.
Next month I will look at the installation of grips and the various methods of building them up.
