Re‐Grip Golf Clubs

If you are an avid golfer, you are soon enough going to notice some wear and tear on your clubs—especially on the grip. If your grip is becoming loose or frayed, you can re-grip golf clubs at home with basic household items and supplies.

Steps

Preparation

  1. Clean your golf club around the grip area.
  2. Set up a vice to hold your club throughout the process. This is not technically necessary, but it makes maneuvering the unwieldy club much easier.
    • Place rubber pads on the inside of your vice to give your club a little give when you are working. It is easy to accidentally bend your club if you have it locked firmly in a vice.
  3. Place your club horizontally in the vice somewhere in the middle and lock it in. Make sure you have enough room to work around the grip of the club.
  4. Spread some cloth or paper under the the club to keep your floor clean. You will be using liquid solvent, so be careful how you drip.

Removing the Old Grip

  1. Use a utility knife to make a clean cut lengthwise all the way through the grip, just touching the tape underneath.Be careful not to cut deep into the actual shaft.
  2. Pry open the grip where you made the cut and peel back the old grip using a screwdriver or your fingers. It should just peel back easily.
  3. Dribble some grip solvent into the cut area before peeling if you have to. You can also use lighter fluid or something similar, but specialized solvent is best. You want to get the solvent underneath the grip, between the shaft and the grip.
  4. Remove the tape on the shaft. You can use a straight razor here or just try to peel it off. Clean the shaft where the old grip and tape used to be.

Applying the New Grip

  1. Tape the same area with double-sided tape. Peel off the backing of the second side. You can use professional golf grip tape, or tape you can pick up at any hardware store. Tape as far down the shaft as the new grip will extend.
  2. Apply grip solvent liberally all over the new tape. Try to cover the entire surface area.
  3. Take your new grip and pour grip solvent into it. Stick a golf tee into the hole at the end of the grip to keep the fluid in.
  4. Slide the new grip onto the shaft. It will slip on easily because of the solvent. Pull out the golf tee that is in the end of the grip and force the grip all the way on. Do all this over a bucket or something to avoid a mess.
  5. Align the grip how you want it before the glue on the inside of the grip has a chance to set. Make sure you line up any graphics or logos to keep the grip from getting twisted.
  6. Leave the grip to dry for a full day.



Tips

  • Not comfortable with all the cutting and gluing? Your local golfsmith can put your mind at ease, in most cases for a very small fee (plus the cost of your preferred grips of course), and can usually turn around a set of clubs in a day or two.
  • Use gloves that protect your hands.
  • Remember that clubs should generally be re-gripped at least once a year/season, regardless of your level of play. Grips that slip or turn around the shaft can impact your golf swing in a negative way.
  • Always clean up spillage when you are done.

Warnings

  • Do not cut the golf grip towards yourself with the utility knife. Always cut away from yourself.
  • Do not let anyone smoke near your work area ever.
  • Do this in a well-ventilated area.

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