Is It Time for a New Grip?

When you compare the grips of a single figure golfer or a professional to those of a weekend golfer you will find a startling difference.

The weekend golfer’s grips will more than likely be splitting or hard and shiny, while the better golfer understands the need to have good, clean well maintained golf grips.

I mean after all the grip is the only contact we have with the golf club, so we want them to be in the best possible condition.

Please note that depending on a couple of factors the life of a grip is around 12 to 24 months.

If we take a look at how conditions can affect a grip you may want to change the way in which you store your clubs when you are not playing.

Humidity – The more humid the storage area for your clubs the quicker the grips will degrade. If you store your clubs in a cold, damp garage please consider moving them to the under stairs cupboard or back of the wardrobe, you could increase the life of your grips by around 9 months.

Grease – If you play in hot and humid conditions the amount you sweat will play a massive role in the life span of your grips. I would highly recommend cleaning your grips with some warm soapy water at least every 6 weeks to remove any grease and grime. This could help add 6 months to the life of your grips.

Dramatic temperature changes – Say you live in an area where the days are hot and the nights are cold. Keeping your clubs in the boot of the car or the shed at the bottom of the garden will lead to a degeneration and cracking of grips. Much like humidity, move your clubs into a more temperate climate.

Just by changing the place which you store your beloved golf clubs can help to increase the life of grips.

If however your grips are looking tired, shiny, cracked or hard then there is little more to do than CHANGE YOUR GRIPS.

Changing your grips does not have to be a pocket draining experience, you can select the lower end grips which will have slightly less feel and will last slightly less time than their more expensive counterparts, but they will still be a far better choice than the grips that are currently on your clubs.

For those that are maturing, it may be worth seeing whether a thicker grip would be more comfortable for you, a thicker grip could help with relieving the discomfort of playing with arthritis, so have a try and ask the advice of your local professional.