| Why regrip? Think about it: Your grips are the only | | | | under the butt end. I use an aluminum paint tray for |
| connection between you and your golf clubs. A worn | | | | paint rollers.8) Pour some mineral spirits into the grip |
| out, slippery grip forces you to hold the club tighter, | | | | while holding your finger over the hole at the bottom. |
| which in turn leads to flaws in your swing | | | | Slosh the spirits around inside the grip. Make sure it is |
| mechanics.Fortunately, changing your golf grips is easy. | | | | good and wet.9) Hold the grip over the taped end of |
| My son regripped his own set when he was eight | | | | the club and release your finger, letting the spirits run |
| years old. If an eight year old can do it, so can any | | | | over the tape. Then, pour more of the spirits over the |
| reasonably intelligent adult.What You Need | | | | tape. Make sure that all of the tape is wet and that it is |
| A utility knife (preferably with a hooked blade) | | | | slick. This is critical. If the tape isn't good and slippery, |
| Mineral spirits (get the odorless kind) | | | | you won't be able to get the grip on -- it'll get stuck and |
| A vice (mine clamps on a table) | | | | you'll have to cut it off and start over.10) Push the grip |
| Double sided grip tape (from Golfsmith or Golfworks) | | | | onto the shaft. Hold the butt end of the grip in one |
| A soft rubber clamp (from Golfsmith or Golfworks) | | | | hand, and the shaft in the other. Start the grip on the |
| Slip on grips of your choice (again, from Golfsmith or | | | | end of the shaft, and then push hard. Do it quickly. |
| GolfworksStep By Step Instructions (read all first)1) Put | | | | Push the grip until it covers all of the tape. Once the |
| the club in the rubber clamp, and the rubber clamp in | | | | butt end is all of the way on, push on the middle to |
| the vice. Tighten until it won't slip if you tug on it. If you | | | | lower part of the grip to extend it to its full length.11) |
| have graphite shafts, be careful not to tighten too | | | | Most grips have a couple of little marks at the top and |
| much. It's not as big an issue with steel shafts - I can't | | | | bottom ends to help with alignment. Make sure that |
| imagine anyone crushing those.2) Cut off the old grips | | | | these align with each other. Otherwise, the grip might |
| with a utility knife. Slip the hook of the utility knife under | | | | be slightly twised, which may affect your swing.12) |
| the edge of the grip and pull upward. Split the grip to | | | | You can put the logo up (I do), or down (as most pros |
| the end. Then, peel it off.3) Strip off the old tape with a | | | | do). Just make sure that the marks line up parallel to |
| straight edge knife. Use a hair dryer to melt the glue if | | | | the shaft.13) You can change the diameter of the grip |
| the tape is stubborn. If you have graphite shafts, be | | | | (slightly) with a couple of tricks. If you prefer a slightly |
| careful not to damage the fibers.4) Figure how far | | | | fatter grip, put a heavy layer of tape on the shaft. The |
| down the shaft the lower end of the grip will fall. You | | | | extra tape will make the grip seem fatter. If you prefer |
| want the tape to come within a quarter inch of that | | | | a slightly thinner grip (I do), then when you are marking |
| mark. I usually mark that point with a small dot with a | | | | the low point of the grip (step 4), make the mark a |
| sharpie magic marker.5) Apply the tape. There are | | | | quarter inch lower than usual. When you stretch the |
| two ways to do this: You can start at the mark you | | | | grip out to reach the lower tape mark, it will become |
| made and run it in a spiral pattern up the shaft. Or, you | | | | thinner.John Retzer has worked as a professional |
| can run it lengthwise up one side of the butt and down | | | | journalist, photographer, editor, public relations |
| the other. Peel the backing off the tape so the sticky | | | | professional and golf coach. He currently teaches |
| side is revealed.6) Put another small strip over the hole | | | | economics, political science and history. |
| on the butt.7) Put something to catch the mineral spirits | | | | |