Stock grips or re-grip immediately?

[MiniBlueDragon]

Folks, when you buy new clubs do you give the stock grips a go or immediately re-grip with your preference of grips?

When I started using my old set of irons they caused sores and calluses on my left hand when playing without a glove but eventually got to the point where I could play gloveless with no problems. I attributed it to my hands getting tougher playing regularly but based on the single round I played a day or two ago with the new clubs and new grips shredding my hands I'm thinking it's a grip thing.

I'm not sure if I should stick with the stock grips, don the glove again for a while and wear them in to be comfortable or to just shell out now and re-grip with something better (liking the Golf Pride New Decade MultiCompound and the Tour Wrap 2G based on my soft girly I.T. hands)

Do you immediately re-grip new clubs? Do you do it yourself or get the local pro shop to do it? Can it be done at home to a decent standard without access to a vice?

[SVTGolfer]

Ive thought about this myself, but my thinking at the moment is "why fix what aint broke?" Plus I dont have a "preferred grip" yet. I do know people who re-grip immediately, but I think its just a comfort thing.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Yeah I hear you. It's also a bit of a pain having just paid out for irons to then pay out more for grips.

The argument I have in my head at the moment is that I play better golf without a glove (my mind for some reason says, "got glove, hit hard!" which results in a less in-to-out swing and a resulting slice) and the new grips on my irons require that I either soften them up somehow, I wear a glove with them or I re-grip with something softer.

[newtogolf]

If the grips are the right size I wouldn't change them.  I end up regripping because I need mid-size grips and the standard on most clubs are too small.

[Kieran123]

Depends on what grips they come with.

My Wilson Staffs came with the worst grips I have ever seen......changed them out straight away. I also need 2 wraps under my grips.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Just grabbed a quick photo of the grips. Hopefully it'll upload in a high enough definition:

[Shindig]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

Folks, when you buy new clubs do you give the stock grips a go or immediately re-grip with your preference of grips?

When I buy a new club, I order it with a particular grip.  Nowadays, I'll only buy off the shelf if they have it in every specification I want, including the grip (or if they're willing to change it so it fits, without charging more than the ordering would).

[rasky44]

I regrip mine immediately as I use midsize grips.  It is very easy to do yourself.  I don't have a vice and I do it all the time (both my clubs and those of friends).  Only "specialty" tool I have is an aluminum roasting pan (cheap throwaway) to catch the solvent.

[TourSpoon]

I throw on a .580 Tour Wrap with one wrap and call it a day. I am a gloveless wonder as well!

[lumpuckeroo]

I usually stick with the stock grips until they wear out or I'm not comfortable with them.  I prefer the Golf Pride New Decade, I too am a no glove golfer.  I replace my own grips, it's not hard and less expensive.  I can buy grips thru eBay for around $6 a grip, but if I buy from a store and have them put them on it is around $10 a grip.

[rebby]

When I order my clubs I just include my preferred grip as part of my order. Problem solved. :-)

[Gioguy21]

i'm lucky enough to have a friend who works at dicks...we have a deal...i pay for my grips, he uses the discount...if he buys grips i put em on for him free of charge...i vote for one of two choices: a) stick with the grip on the club if it is what you prefer or b) slap a new grip on there that you prefer. lol

[MiniBlueDragon]

I went to my local pro shop yesterday to find out about re-gripping and the store manager told me that the grips that came with the clubs are already on the soft end of the scale with grips. He said any grips that I put on the clubs will take time to wear-in so the best option is to stick to the stock ones for a few months and see if they soften up.

I guess in the absence of a method to soften them I'm back to being gloved again.

On the plus side I have a new respect for a store manager who passes-up £100 worth of business to let me know that it's a waste of my money.

[sean_miller]

I always try the stock grips on woods and wedges unless I've had previous negative experiences with them. PING grips used to be pretty awful but I can't say now. Wilson Staff are hit or miss. Callaway woods and hybrids have fantastic grips (imho). I still have the stock grips on my Clevelands (10 years old!). Stock Titleist grips seem pretty decent.

When clubs off ebay have been recently gripped, I keep them on because it's a good chance to demo a different brand or style. That's how I first tried GP Softie tour wrap full cords (best grip ever - and what a catchy name, eh?) and the new GP multi-compounds.

[Zeph]

Since I changed all my clubs to one type of grip, I change immediately when buying new clubs. Do all the work myself.

[nevets88]

If they're tacky, they're staying on. In my area, $5/club not including the cost of the grip so essentially a $65 surcharge. Solvent and tape costs what, $5 for a set regrip? Have saved hundreds of dollars over the years. Grip removal is a pain. When I run out of solvent and tape, I'm switching to the air compressor install method.

[glock35ipsc]

I prefer GP Tour Velvets on everything.  So if I get a new club that has anything different, I'll cut the old one off and blow on a new one.  Cut old one off, 2 wraps of blue painters tape, and blow new one on in a minute or so.  At $3.30 ea, I keep several extras in the cabinet.

[Double Bogey]

Tour Velvets for me too, when I ordered my clubs with them on it.  Per Golf Pride standards I need to regrip them, per my standards they are fine :)