Top tips to change your golf club grips
By: Mike Poe | Point of View
If you’re an avid golfer, you are probably aware that your golf club grips should be changed, but sometimes it’s easy to forget or you don’t want to go through the hassle. Whether you’re familiar with golf or a newbie, check out the below suggestions to benefit your golf game and performance.
How often you should change your golf club grips?
When determining if the time has come to replace your golf grip, there are several things to consider depending on how much you golf. Golf grips should be replaced when golfers notice tackiness and discomfort. If you are an avid golfer and you golf around 3-4 times a week, you might consider replacing your grip about every 6 months.
Most golfers will not need to change their grip this often, but they should change the grip at least once a year or approximately every 40 rounds regardless of conditions. The rubber on the grip will lose the elasticity and the moisture will be gone from the leather as time goes by.
Additionally, if your grip feels too firm or too slick, this will be an indication of you needing a new one, especially if you have exposed your grip to heat and humidity.
Different types of golf club grips
For ultimate performance on the golf course, ideally, golfers should have a grip that doesn’t allow them to over grip their club. While gripping your club, if you can dig your fingers into the palms on the bottom of your hand, this means the grip is too small. A grip that is too small will be worse than having a grip that is too large and you should adjust accordingly.
You can figure out a general idea of what size grip you are going to need by measuring the distance from where your wrist flexes to the top of your middle finger. There are four basic grip size choices: standard (measures 7-8.75 inches from wrist to top of the middle finger), junior (measures less than 7 inches from wrist to top of the middle finger), midsize (measures 8.25-9.25 inches from wrist to top of the middle finger), and jumbo/oversize (measures 9.25 inches from wrist to top of the middle finger). If you want to increase your grip size to fit your hand better, you can also add layers of tape.
Gripping golf club grips tool recommendations
Not all golf grips come with tools to help you set them up, and you might have to get them yourself. First you are going to need a new grip and a sharp knife to help you get rid of your previous grip. The rest of the materials you will need are double sided tape, a cloth, a receptacle as long as the grip, a vice with a shaft protector, and mineral spirit.
It is important to care for your golf grips just as well as you would for your club or the balls you are using. We recommend using a little water, soap and a nail brush to clean your grips first, before assuming they need a regrip. The golf grip is your connection to the club, and you should always make sure it is adjusted to your comfort.
Editor’s note: With more than 20 years of experience in the golf industry, Mike Poe is the general manager at Quintero Golf Club. Located near Lake Pleasant in Peoria, Quintero Golf Club has been ranked the Best Public Golf Course by both Golf Digest and Golf Weekly Magazine.
