Oregon Drift

Stop to think for a moment, when was the last time you had new grips put on your clubs? Have the grips ever been changed?

How about the last time you cleaned your clubs? When you did clean them, did you clean the grips as well as the club heads? 

If you can’t remember or if it has been more than a couple years since your last grip change you are probably past due. Being able to control your golf ball starts with being able to control your clubs and you can’t control your clubs without being able to grip the club properly.

So how often should you replace the grips on your clubs? Well there is no specific answer to that question. It really depends on how much golf you play, how much you practice, where you store them, and how often you clean them.

According to Golf Pride, (the number one manufacturer for rubber golf grips) someone who plays once a week on average should have their grips changed once a year. Keep in mind that they are a grip manufacturer and want you to replace your grips regularly and more often. 

Many avid players in our region actually change their grips twice a year to accommodate the different climates we play in, a softer tacky grip for the spring and summer, and a “cord” style grip for extra grip for wet weather play. This might seem quite frequent or expensive to some of you, however there are a few things that you can do to lengthen the life of your grips.

First, after every few rounds, use a mild dish soap and water solution to clean your grips. A nylon bristle brush can help remove built up dirt and oils and be sure to towel them dry after cleaning. A mild spray-on cleaner can help too. Spray on, brush, and towel dry. Don’t use your favorite bath towel, as you may be surprised by how much stuff comes out of the grips! This doesn’t take long and will help keep your grips tacky longer.

Second, store your clubs inside your house! If you leave your clubs in the trunk of your car, the rubber is exposed to greater variances in temperature. These variances, especially the heat, can cause the rubber to harden, when this happens they will start to feel slick, not to mention they won’t absorb the shock that they used to. Storing your clubs in the garage is not as ideal as in the house, considering your home’s temperature is fairly constant.

Finally, consider the separation of clubs in your golf bag.  If you carry a full set of clubs, you may want a bag that has more division.  If a new bag sounds expensive, consider that if you can double the life of your grips, you could potentially cover the cost of the new bag. Consider some of the newer bags with 14 way full length dividers, these can really help in extending grip life as well as frustration in pulling clubs in and out of your bag.

So when should you change your grips? Look for splits or cuts in the rubber — if they are split, get them replaced. A good indicator is if the grips start to look shiny. If they do they are starting to harden. You may start to notice impressions from your fingers in the rubber. If you see these you are well past due as well as illegal for tournament play. Simpler yet, if after cleaning they still feel slick, get them changed.

So, take a good look at your clubs. Who knows, you might even fall in love with your old clubs again with a new set of grips.