Any professional golfer will tell you that the grip is a key aspect of any good golf club. A good grip can mean the difference between a hole in one and a lackluster shot. New grips are always a delight to use but they don’t always stay new. After prolonged usage, they lose their tacky-ness and become virtually unusable.
For this exact reason, there are many methods to keep them tacky even after prolonged usage. These methods ensure that an old golf club can still retain its usability even after being used many times.
Why Does Your Golf Grip Get More Slippery Over Time?
There are a few common reasons for your golf grip to become slippery over time
Dirty Hands
One of the main reasons for golf grips becoming slippery over time is your dirty hands. Particles like dirt, grime, and oil can transfer from your hands to the grip very easily.
Sunscreen
Often you have sunscreen on your hands while golfing due to the intense sunlight. This sunscreen transfers from your hands to the grips and makes them more slippery without you even realizing it.
Grease
Many people eat greasy foods such as hotdogs before playing golf. Needless to say, this grease can easily get on your golf grips and drastically reduce their tackiness. Many people do not notice this phenomenon until it’s too late.
How Do I Make My Golf Grip Tacky?
A brand new club is as tacky as a simile. But restoring to the same demands effort. Some methods are more effective than others. We’ve shed some light on a few of them.
Cleaning Golf Grips
The most effective way to make any golf grips tacky is to clean it thoroughly. This can be easily accomplished if you follow a few steps properly.
Step-1: Soak Them
You’ll need a five-gallon bucket, some lukewarm water (although the temperature doesn’t matter too much), and some soap. Firstly you should fill the bucket up about halfway. Then add the soap and create a mixture. Now simply place your golf club’s grip end down on the bucket and let them soak for about five minutes.
Step-2: Scrub and Cleanse
Next, you’ll need a plastic scrub brush as steel ones can damage the grip. Just hold the club firmly with one hand and start rubbing with the other. Be sure to scrub all of the grips thoroughly. While you are scrubbing dirt and grime will come out so no need to worry about that. Wipe the other end of the club as well to remove dirt.
Step-3: Rinse
After you give your golf club grip some much-required scrubbing you need to rinse it off with some water. You can use a new bucket of water to wash it or you can use a hose as well. Both will bring about the same result.
Step-4: Let Dry
After giving them a good scrub and rinsing them thoroughly you need to let them dry. Drying them with a towel will get you the most optimal results. Don’t make the mistake of putting the grips in the golf bag to dry as that can be detrimental for them. After they are done drying they will be tackier and you’ll be good to go.
Sanding the Grips
Another tried and true method of restoring tackiness on your golf grips is sanding them. To properly sand your grips you must simply follow some easy steps.
Step-1: Rub with Sandpaper
First, you must use medium grit sandpaper and rub it thoroughly against your grip. You mustn’t use rough grit right off the bat as it may damage your grips. Test the grip with a medium grit and then move to rough grit if need be.
Step-2: Wipe with a Towel
Rub the grip in up and down motions with the sandpaper. Be sure not to go to town with the sandpaper as it can damage the golf grip. Just maintain a light grip and keep rubbing sufficiently. After you’ve done so just use a towel to remove any excess material from the grip and you’ll have a significantly tacky grip.
Restoring Tack on Leather Grips
Leather grips require a different approach to restore their tack. Castor oil is quite useful for leather grips. Just 2-3 drops will be enough. One can also achieve the same results with vegetable oil. There are some specialized tacky sprays in the market these days that can be used to restore the tackiness quite easily.
How to Prolong the Life of Your Golf Grips?
Although golf grips are not the most expensive part of the golf club, maintaining them can drastically increase their lifespan. There are several measures you can take to prolong the life of your golf grips.
One measure that is quite simple but still eludes many golfers is washing their hands after they apply sunscreen. They are so excited to grab the golf club and get and start playing that they don’t pay much attention to these things. Even wiping your hands is very effective as it cleans your hands of dirt as well as sunscreen.
Washing your golf grips periodically can also be useful. If you wash them from time to time then all the dirt and grime will be eliminated leaving you with a nice and tacky golf grip. Even sanding them is a good option as stated above.
Conclusion
A tacky golf grip is pivotal for a good game of golf. Not only does it provide a high level of precision but it also helps avoid unwanted accidents. But most golf grips lose their tacky-ness over time. But this can be prevented by taking the measures we’ve discussed so far.
Even if a golf grip is not that expensive (around 10 or 12 dollars) you can end up spending a lot if you don’t use them to their full potential. The best way to do so is to keep them tacky and extend their use as much as you can.
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