Do You Monster-Size Your Grips?
Learn how to build up a golf grip with masking tape
Golf Club Regripping Tips To Help You Save Time and Money
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” is a phrase that if a tour player wins with a certain piece of equipment (or even a concept) that there will be increases sales on the following Monday. This is especially true for majors like the Master’s recently played. To find out what each player used, there are websites that report updates of “What’s in the Winners Golf Bag” (or WITB for short) for the winners. Sometimes these can be very detailed.
For instance, the 2014 Green Jacket winner used a Grafalloy Bi-Matrix Rocket Pink X-Flex shaft in his 44.5” driver that was tip trimmed an additional 1/2 inch with a swingweight of D4. If that shaft just wanted stiff enough to begin with, the extra material trimmed off the tip must have dialed it right in to the flex he needed.
Creating a custom grip size
Another unusual feature was Bubba’s grip size. He has a +1/32” grip installed onto his clubs, but then he has some unlucky soul apply 10 layers of build-up tape underneath the grip along with an additional 2 wraps under the lower hand to reduce the taper. Now how would you like to do that for each club in the bag?
In another situation, PGA Tour player Tony Finau uses a midsize Lamkin UTx grip, but with an additional 13 wraps under the bottom hand and 12 under the top. Again, this is to reduce the taper so the grip has a more consistent width throughout.
I can tell you in these two cases there is some serious fitting going on and something you would never find in an off-the-shelf golf club. I am sure there are some of you might ask “Wouldn’t it be easier just to use a jumbo grip instead?” Well these particular grips do not come in that size, so one has to be created. Now the other people reading this are asking, “How the hell do they get the grip on with all that tape underneath?” Well, there is a trick to that and not all grips like a traditional cord grip or synthetic golf grips made of polyurethane wrapped over a rubber or EVA underlisting (like those from Winn) can be installed with that much build-up tape.
Here are some tips for building up a golf grip:
1. Pre-cut all your build up tape ahead of time
2. Stagger each layer of masking or build up tape around the shaft so you don’t end up with a ridge or seam that can be felt underneath the grip
3. Don’t have the masking or build-up tape overlap the end of the shaft, start at the edge
4. Apply your double-sided grip tape over the tape and allow some to wrap over the butt end
5. Apply a lot of grip solvent and work very quickly!
6. Allow the grips to dry
7. Cut any excess tape that might be below the grip for a professional finish
Determine what to charge to build up a golf grip
Make sure if you are offering a regripping service in your clubmaking shop, decide what to charge. Not only do you have extra time involved, but also the extra materials. If you were to do all clubs in a set sans the putter, you would go through 40 yards of tape in these extreme examples.
You never know who might walk into your clubmaking shop, even a two-time Master’s champion or a twotime Ryder Cup member. Be prepared for unusual circumstances like these and know that it is possible to do.
