ASK THE EXPERT
How often should I change grips?
We recommend that if you play at least once a week, get your grips changed once a year. The material will age as a function of use and time. Dirt, sweat, heat and ozone all work to ultimately break down the compound.
Should I wash my grips after use?
Give them a clean once a month, using simple dish soap and hot water. Scrub with a plain brush. Rinse and towel dry. Avoid cleaning chemicals as that can be harmful to the rubber material.
Where should I store my clubs?
Not in the boot of your car if you can help it, especially in the winter when the colder weather hardens up the compound and makes the rubber shiny. The best place to store them is in the house at room temperature.
Does the size make a difference?
If the grip is too big for you, there’s an adage that your hands will struggle to square the clubface at impact. If the grips are too small, there’s a danger that the hands will be too active and initiate an early release. As a general rule, the fingers on your left hand should just be touching the pad below your left thumb. If there is a big overlap where the fingers meet, we would probably add an extra layer of tape to stop the club twisting in the hands.
Should everyone be customfit for grips?
There are three components to a golf club. The head, the shaft and the grip. Neither one can work well without the other two. You can have the right lie angle and the best shaft flex, but if you’ve got the wrong grip on, it doesn’t matter how good they are. It’s a bit like spending £100,000 on a sports car and putting £50 tyres on it. You would go straight back to the garage, complaining about skidding into a ditch! It’s about being sensible and getting everything checked by your local pro as often as you can.