Re gripping my own club

I attempted to re grip my own driver, followed the instructions to a tee but when I got to slipping the grip over the shaft, it seemed like I couldn't get the grip to slide down the shaft. The instructions said you could use window cleaner or zippo lighter fluid as a lubricator that wouldnt destroy the two way tape (scotch two way tape) but seems like the grip just wont slide down. I'm using a medium Winn grip and trying to slide it down a Nike Ignite shaft. Any suggestions?

Not only do you have to lube the tape, but also the inside of the grip. Plug the hole at the top of the grip, pour about 2 tsps of solvent in the mouth of the grip, cover that with your thiumb, and give it a good shake, ensuring that you have covered the entire inside of the grip. I suggest mineral spirits (odourless if possible) as the best grip solvent.

Here are a couple of thoughts that might help.

First, be careful when using paint solvents and lighter fluid. In my opinion, a couple of bucks spent for grip solvent is money well spent. You can order it online from Golfworks or Golfsmith. The stuff lasts forever, you are less likely to get irritated skin, the smell is more tolerable, and you won't burn down your house while replacing a $5 grip. OK, enough preaching.

Second, plug the end of the grip with a golf tee, pour some solvent in the end and swish around as instructed in the earlier post. Pour the contents of the grip over the tape on the end of the shaft making sure to fully lubricate the tape. Remove the tee from the end of the grip and work the grip onto the end of the shaft and then into its final position.

Third, I have repeatedly had problems with Winn grips. Don't get me wrong, I hear that they are great, but they are not easy for me to install and I've been doing my own clubs for 20 years. For some reason, they want to buckle when you try to slide them up the shaft. I use Golfpride grips myself and have never had this problem. I asked the fellows at Golf Smith if there was a way to overcome this problem and their advice was to be VERY generous with the solvent. You might want to try that.

In my opinion, it's important that you learn how to install your own grips. They wear out quickly and regripping can get to be expensive if you're paying someone else to do the work. You will learn to adjust grip size to fit your own hands and you will be able to experiment with different sizes and styles easily.

I hope this helps.

Jim

Grip solvent is exactly the same as Mineral Spirits. The difference is about $5/litre. If you check out the Golfworks site you will notice that their grip solvent cann not be shipped by air. The reason is that it is combustable.

I have been gripping clubs for a few years as a side business, so I have seen a LOT of grips in the last two years. Personally I find that sticking a tee in the end hole is tedious and more time consuming than just simply placing your finger/thumb over the hole.

Of course, using an air comressor is the simplest, but if you don't have one, spending $100 just to do grips once a year is not very finacially sensible.

I have never had any experiences with Winn. I find their products overpriced and Lamkin or Golf Pride always have comparable products. I do prefer Lamkin over Golf Pride , only because if I am in a real bind, there is a supplier not far away that I can run over and grab what I need quickly. Usually I order over from Golfsmith because of their pricing.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

Seeing the trouble I have starting a Winn grip (I play Excel XF's) when using air, I can only imagine the headache you get from trying to go fast with slimy tape and solvent.

Shame on you, Gord. All those grips, and no compressor!

I have a compressor, a very good one. I honestly like the 'old fashioned way'. I'm not in a hurry, I have a very good set up in my garage for club building and it takes me very little time to grip a club. I use a paint tray to catch the excess solvent and a syringe to take it out of the tray and put back into the grip. Quite effective and efficient, as far as tape and solvent goes. The only thing I may do differently is put a small drain on the bottom corner of the tray and hook up a small piece of gas line with a valve so that I can simply turn the valve on/off to fill the grip instead of fumbling with a syringe.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

I haven't had time until today, but I checked the label of the grip solvent I bought from Golf Works. It says that it is both nonflamable and non-toxic. As such it clearly is not the same as mineral spirits. I believe that the air cariers do not welcome it because it is labeled a "solvent". I stand by my earlier post.

okay, just checking. I had noticed that it wasn't available by air and that's usually the reason (explosive). Thanks for clarifying. As far as flamability, I'm not too worried because I rarely use my blow torch to remove grips. lol

Hmmm, maybe that's what I've been doing wrong...