Grip sizes

Thanks for all your help in my previous posts about changing grips and cutting the shafts. Now I am into the stage of putting on the grip. (I havent bought an air compressor yet so I just cut out the old grips....)
However, I am getting a little bit lost as to which grip and how many layers of tape i should put on. I am changing my iron set grip and the previous one were standard Titleist Golf Pride M580R (.58 of an inch right?). The funny thing is, I measured the shaft and am pretty sure that it is 0.6 of an inch a the butt end. So I went an bought these Golf Pride Tour Velvets M60R (I have just figured out that R stands for Round). So I put one on my PW to try it out, with two layers of double sided tape (I think they are called Buffalo tape or something) since I want it to be a little bit fatter. To my surprise, the thickness turned out to be exactly the same.

Before I proceed and do my other irons, I really want to make sure that the thickness will be right and consistent across all my irons. So I have these questions:

1) What is the actual diameter of my shaft (Standard DG-S300)? I have noticed that the shaft thickness stays the same towards the butt.

2) Based on that, which grips should I be using? I have already bought a bunch of M60R so I do hope that i can still use them.

3) How many layers of tape should I use? My hand measurements are 8inch(20cm) from middle finger to wrist and my middle finger is about 3inch and 1/2 (8.5cm).

4) Should I be using double sided tape? They were recommended to me by the golf shop that I bought a grip replacement kit from (that liquid to spray inside the grip to make it temporarily slippery). I do want to be just change the grip using air compressor in the future....

Thats all the questions I have for now...Again, thanks in advance for all your great help.

Matt

Hi Matt,

All your discoveries are bang on.

As you've seen - a .580 grip on a .600 butt makes for a 1/64 oversize grip (the .600 butt stretches out the grip core). Two layers of buildup tape (plus one layer of 2 sided tape) with a .600 grip and a .600 butt also makes for a 1/64 oversize grip.

This is the same thing that happens with multiple layers of buildup tape and core sizes that match butt sizes. I don't know the thickness of double sided tape, but for buildup layers, you only need to use masking tape.

http://www.tourgolfproducts.com/WORKSHOPS/AW_2.asp

That's a beauty chart showing how many layers of buildup tape are needed to make certain grip sizes.

The other option for oversize grips is to buy oversize models (often marked 'mid'). These grips have standard cores (ie .600), but the grip is thicker, simulating buildup tape.

Now, to answer your questions:

1) .600 at the butt.
2) .600 grips with one layer of 2 sided tape makes for a standard size grip.
3) Honestly, this is all feel. I myself prefer smaller (standard) grips (even though static charts put me in a +1/32" grip)
4) By all means, YES, use double sided tape. You need to know if it's water or solvent activated. You'll have to be generous with the solvent to remove the grips with air (but it's still quite do-able).

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Thanks for the very information replies! I am really learning a lot from asking questions and reading previous posts here about club making as I never really got into it. Back in Australia, I had friends who worked at the proshop so I never bother. But now I am in Japan, the golf shop charge a considerable amount for doing something so simple. e.g. a grip change woudl be about $15 with the standard tour velvets. Getting shaft cut would mean an extra $15 for each club as well. So all in all, I would have had to pay around $200 to get the whole set cut and regripped. I should consider opening up a golf shop here to do all these stuff at a much cheaper rate....

As for fattening the grip, I want the grip to be slightly fatter as I have noticed that I am able to relax my hands more. I will take a look at that website to see how many layers of tape I should use.

Again, thanks.

LowPost: You say to use masking tape. Do you mean ordinary house-hold tan masking tape? Won't the grips slip around with that underneath the grip?

Are you saying the masking tape is simply to make the effective diameter of the shaft thicker?

You're not using any adhesive at all to make the grip stay on the shaft? Sort of like old-fashioned bicycle handle-bar grips?

I am sure Lowpost will tell you, that regular old masking tape is used for buildup, because it is cheaper then double sided tape. You just use the DS tape as the last wrap, before you put a grip on.

@ pinyo: Yep - use the website if you're going to do it yourself. Otherwise, use the website to tell the clubmaker how big you want your grips.

At $15/club for regripping, you must be getting some premium grip installed! I know local clubguys who do it for $10/club - CAD (Canadian dollars).

Looking back through an old post - I've heard of guys going with 6 layers of tape without a problem (air compressor).

@ James: GoNavy hit it pretty much on the head - the masking tape is just for building up the grip. In the grip-and-solvent method, you use a final layer of 2 sided tape.

Personally, I only use masking tape - and air to install my grips. They pop off and on real easy. I'm researching going to a final layer of 2 sided tape, as I've heard others report that grips are twisting.

@ GoNavy: Thanks! I couldn't have put it better myself.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Im using .58 grips on .60 shafts, but I have a .610 shaft, would a .60 grip with one layer of buildup tape be the equivalent??

I don't think you need any buildup tape - it will automatically come out to 1/64th oversize (.600 with .600 and two layers of buildup tape will give you 1/64th oversize - .015", so you're already there).