Re-Gripping My Putter at Dick's

[iacas]

As much as I love my red Cameron cord grip on my Studio Select, the things wear out quickly. I've scrubbed mine and washed it and done all I can, but it's slick and a bit firmer than I'd like, so I decided to go to Dick's to get a replacement.

I knew the selection would be poor, but they had exactly the grip I wanted as a second-best option: a red Golf Pride Tour Tradition . Pretty standard pistol grip and virtually the same as the ones Scotty uses anyway. Just not the corded ones like I like...

So I have the guy go install the grip. As he's finishing up, I see the butt end is wrong: he's installing a red Tour Classic . I point this out to him and he takes it off. Then he checks the stock and says "we don't have any red Tour Traditions (TT) - we only have black. All the red ones are Tour Classics (TC).

So then he says "So what do you want to do? Now your putter doesn't have a grip."

Gee, thanks. Perhaps you should have checked that you were installing the right grip before you took mine off buddy.

So he tells me that their samples are the opposite colors to what they have in stock - something he discovered after I pointed out his error and he checked his stock - and then asks me if I'd like a black one.

I say "I don't want a black grip, but I can't use the putter like that, so I guess, sure, go ahead." Frankly, I'd have rather kept my old grip than use a black one, but that wasn't an option - it was sliced through and sitting in the trash can.

So I figure at least the guy won't charge me for the installation. Wrong: we get to the register and it's $5.99 for the grip and $2.99 for the installation. Yes, I should have known better than to go into Dick's to have a grip installed on my putter. I honestly thought they couldn't possibly screw that up... Well, $9 lesson learned.

So that's that.

I have a tournament next Thursday, and I'm hoping to get some red Cameron cord grips by then. They're virtually impossible to find from a retailer - I don't even think you can find 'em - but if I can't find them today I'll call Titleist and get 'em that way. And then I'll have my very capable friend install the grip for me.

[twinke masta]

that's just ridiculous...I am not sure what to say.

[Franco!]

Titleist is such a cool company.
Anything you see from them (pretty much) you can call them and buy.

I always get a little nervous when I go to Dick's for anything golf related, not to be elitist, but it's just like buying something from a little shack.

[iacas]

I always get a little nervous when I go to Dick's for anything golf related, not to be elitist, but it's just like buying something from a little shack.

I tend to agree, but like I said, I just figured "how could they screw up a putter grip installation?"

I learned how.

[Clubchucker]

That is a shame...but hate to say it, not surprising. I've never felt comfortable with the "expertise" of Dick's golf departments. I will sometimes go there to buy balls or tees, but that's it (because it's 2 miles from my house). Anything other than that...it's online or maybe Golf Galaxy.

I re-grip all my own clubs EXCEPT the putter. For that I do take it to Golf Galaxy. I'll remember this story when my Scotty's grip starts looking bad.

Good luck in your quest and in the tournament.

[Shindig]

You didn't want the Ping grip on the Scotty Cameron putter?
They might have had that in stock.

[iacas]

I re-grip all my own clubs EXCEPT the putter.

I used to. And for the occasional one here or there I will still. But my guy does 'em for $2 apiece, so for all the effort it saves me, that's well worth it.

I'll remember this story when my Scotty's grip starts looking bad.

The sad thing is I doubt the guy really learned his lesson. I didn't even say a word about it, but the more I think about it the more it kind of bugs me. Which isn't to say I even care enough to send an email - I don't care even that much - but gee whiz, dude, check the darn grip to make sure it's the same as the sample one before you put it on. Blarg!

You didn't want the Ping grip on the Scotty Cameron putter?

They didn't. I think they had about six in stock: the two I mentioned and then four oversized or outright fat grips. Pffft.

What I wouldn't give for a reputable golf-only store around here... We used to have a Pro Golf, but they're gone now. And they weren't all that reputable.

[tjy355]

A Golf Pride grip on a Scotty? I can see the mojo leaking out the door from here.

[apex53]

That just sucks... I'll shop at DSG for other athletic gear but not for golf... Fortunate here in the DFW area we have several small golf shops that do great work and I always take my clubs there for reshafting, loft, lie, etc... If it's just regripping I'll do it myself... I can't believe the dude charged you... At least a "hey man, I screwed up, no charge for this one" would have soothed the wounds a little bit

[CG031]

It seems like you had some bad luck with somewhat of a moron not particularly caring about the customer installing your grip.

I've been getting club work done at Dick's for about two years now, and each time it's been successful. I've gotten an inch taken off my driver, and hybrid with new grips...I've also gotten a putter regripped, and several other clubs.

But, I know the guy who does it there now, and he's a real good guy, good player (+4 handicap, actually play with him now and then) and knows what he's doing so I trust him...

Any of the other guys there I have a hard time trusting they will do a good job...

I've always wanted a Baby-T grip on my Scotty, but they don't have them at Dick's. When it becomes time to regrip, I'm going to have to find one.

[iacas]

A Golf Pride grip on a Scotty?

Who do you think makes the grips that come on his putters, stock?

And anyway, I've put my backup into play for now (it has a tiny nick on the toe, but is otherwise identical - it had been my Z-Factor putter with the metal plates stuck on the toe and heel), and I should have some red Cameron cord grips coming my way very soon.

It seems like you had some bad luck with somewhat of a moron not particularly caring about the customer installing your grip.

Yeah, their PGA pro and the head of their golf department.

I've always wanted a Baby-T grip on my Scotty, but they don't have them at Dick's. When it becomes time to regrip, I'm going to have to find one.

Not hard:

http://www.scottycameron.com/webstor...ts/accessories

[ballhog]

I just order my grips online and take them to dicks or wherever and it usually works out

[Iowa Hawkeye]

I seem to remember a certain Admin telling me that the few bucks was worth avoiding the hassle of regripping a putter yourself.......

[Drennen13]

Well it sounds to me like the guy isnt perfect. Maybe he had a long and stressful day with all those grips he had to put on lol. You shoulda picked it out yourself though and just put it on your self. Other then that. People make mistakes. live and learn.

[CG031]

I seem to remember a certain Admin telling me that the few bucks was worth avoiding the hassle of regripping a putter yourself.......

LOL. Well, to be honest, I think it's a heck of a lot easier to just bring it in (if you're just doing one club) and have them re-grip it. Saves you the effort of doing it yourself, and if you don't have the supplies, the cost for them too...

You do always run yourself the risk of getting a mistake like this though...which can be a true annoyance, especially at a place like Dick's where it seems like a lot of people don't know what they're doing. Oh, and thanks Iacas for the link to those grips. I would like to get one of those, but don't really feel like dropping 21 dollars on a grip, haha . Didn't realize they were so expensive!

[deronsizemore]

As much as I love my red Cameron cord grip on my Studio Select, the things wear out quickly. I've scrubbed mine and washed it and done all I can, but it's slick and a bit firmer than I'd like, so I decided to go to Dick's to get a replacement.

Man, that sucks. Dick's is the worst I think. I go in there sometimes while I'm waiting on my wife to shop at another store and it's just comical to hear some of the conversations going on between the sales staff and the customers looking to purchase something. Why not just buy the grip and install it yourself?

[leezer99]

Hope the color of the grip doesn't throw off your game!

[iacas]

I seem to remember a certain Admin telling me that the few bucks was worth avoiding the hassle of regripping a putter yourself.......

It is. See below.

The problem wasn't that someone else regripped it. The problem is the guy didn't notice he had the wrong grip before he sliced mine off. If he had the right grip, I'd have been happy with his installation. He put the wrong grip on just fine.

Why not just buy the grip and install it yourself?

Because for $3 it's worth it. If it takes me 10 minutes to do it, that's only $18/hour. I can earn more than that doing actual work, plus I won't have to deal with the mess and cleanup - setting up a tray, finding the tape, etc.

I regrip the occasional club, but for a specialty club like a putter where the grip has to be perfectly straight, or for entire regrippings, it's easier to pay $2 to $3/club to have someone else do it.

Hope the color of the grip doesn't throw off your game!

I've already switched to the backup putter. It's identical, still has the red cord grip, and when my replacement red Cameron cord grips arrive next Monday, I'll have my friend Bert install one on my gamer (it lacks a small nick on the face towards the toe that the backup has - the backup has been my Z-Factor putter for a year or two now). He won't screw it up.