Regripping at home

I know that this topic has been previously covered, but I hope to receive a current, updated view as of Spring 2013.

I play about 40 rounds a year, plus practice 2-3 times a week.

I'm thinking about purchasing regripping gear either from Golfsmith or Golfworks and am looking for opinions. I've done all of the online research and my questions are:

1. Is this worthwhile or is it simpler and more practical to just have them regripped once a year at my club?

2. If I do decide to purchase the gear, have people had recent experiences with one or another system such that one is to be preferred over the other?

Thanks to all for your input.

I regrip my own clubs, I know I will do it correctly. Plus, it is normally cheaper to purchase the grips and put them on yourself. That being said I work at a golf course so I use the regripping equipment there. I prefer using masking tape and rubber cement because it is easier to blow the grip off later if I want to put it on another club.

You can buy the equipment pretty cheap if you just go with masking tape and rubber cement. Using the method using rubber cement, all you need to purchase is a bench mounted vise and a rubber shaft vise clamp. Both can be had for less than $150. If you go with double sided tape and solvent you might want a drip tray.

I play and practice a bit more than you and I find I only have to change grips once a year. At that rate its unlikely you will recoup the cost if the regripping equipment with what you save by doing it yourself, but its fun tinkering around with your clubs, especially on rainy days.

most people already have a vise and a utility knife - if you don't own them, you probably aren't handy and should have your daughter do it for you

rubber grip thingy - $1, maybe $2

grip tape - $6 (enough for 2 or 3 sets, even if you add layers)

solvent - $5 (enough for a couple sets, more if you catch the drips and replace in the bottle.  Smells like Goo Gone

hook blades for a utility knife - set of 5 - $3

scraper tool (I have no idea, getting old tape off is pretty easy with heat, the last set it just peeled off directly)

so maybe $15 bucks max to get started

shops charge anywhere from $2 to $5 from what I can tell.  You have to buy the grips whether they are installed at the shop or at home.

So regripping a set of 13 pays for itself the very first time and then some.  It's stupid easy to do, also fast.

PURE grips are the way to go...

I bought the Golfsmith regripping kit that has solvent, tape, knife, etc. and it works great.  Supplies are enough to do a lot of clubs.  I've regripped twice now and still seem to have most of the supplies left.  The kit isn't showing up on their web site anymore for some reason but I expect it's still in the stores.  Here's the link to what I got:

http://www.amazon.com/Golfsmith-Regripping-Supply-Kit/dp/B0012FHHGM

to regrip all you REALLY need is tape, utility knife, solvent, and the grips.

it doesn't require as much force as you would think to slide a grip on as long as you apply the solvent properly(read:liberally) and use a catch tray to catch the overflow.  I like to work the grips in my hand before putting them on...squeezing up and down the length of them, rolling them around a little, stretching the mouth a little bit...just makes them a little more workable, IMO.

I was nervous about it, too but the most tedious part for me was building up the tape.  Too bad they don't make golf pride cord grips in midsize :(

oh forgot how I put them on with no vise....get a towel and put the head of the club in the towel(just in case it may get scratched and either push the grip down directly towards the floor or find a spot where the wall and floor meet and use that.  After its "on" don't forget to tap the butt end pretty solidly on a hard surface a few times to make sure its all the way seated.

Everyone nailed it, it's easy and cheap.  And if you are like me and don't care about reminders etc, you don't even need a vice or any other alignment aide.  Just slide them on and tap the butt

Pure Grips - no solvent or vice required, just an air compressor.  I never wanted to deal with the mess of solvent and tape required for traditional grips, but have re-gripped all my clubs with Pure.  Not only does it save me money doing it myself and is more convenient, I like the grips better.  Pure Pro and Pure DTX are better than anything I've tried from Golf Pride or Winn, especially if your hands sweat a lot.

RM,

Check the GolfWorks web site. They sent me an e-mail last week advertising some close-out regripping hardware.

Another fan of pure grips here! Add one more plus ... Their tool and installation procedure works on other grips as well (if you really have something against pures for some reason). Golf pride niions for example. After my review of the niions last week I swapped them back off for my pures and it took me - I s**t you not - 15 minutes total start to finish. And by finish, I mean dry and in the bag and ready to play .... Not wet, messy and lying out somewhere drying off. ;)

If you join the Golfsmith rewards, you get free installation with the purchase of grips. Just had some done. It costs $29 to join, but it has already paid for itself in other savings.

Great point on being able to install other grips made out of all rubber with the Pure tool and a compressor.  The other positive with the Pure grips and maybe other rubber grips is you can remove them and re-install them without having to cut them off.  I don't know if there's a limit to how many times you can do it, but I can verify you can do at least one install / uninstall / reinstall cycle without any slipping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

... I swapped them back off for my pures and it took me - I s**t you not - 15 minutes total start to finish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

For me, it's 45 minutes ...

That's about 35 minutes too much time. :)

Showoff! In my "defense" I wasn't actually timing myself (could've been 10 minutes, also could've been closer to 20 ... regardless I went out in the garage to do it while the in laws were over and I was back inside with them before anybody had noticed I was gone) AND this was only my second uninstall/install yet.