My New Golf Grips Help Me Play Better

Recently, I got into the new golf club craze and at the same time I wanted to know more about golf grips.

I had been out of golf for about 12 years. I would play the occasional round with friends or relatives. So I had the same clubs I had purchase 15 years ago but I would play no more than 4 or 5 times a year.

Last year I got into a golf league as a sub and played about a dozen times. This year I came in again as a sub and played a little more. The guys were all telling me I should become more hip and get the new big head golf driver.

I didn't want to do it but soon two guys I either played with or against would let me use their big head driver hitting a ball or two during the round. Soon, I could see the merit of these drivers and decided to try and buy one.

I contacted a buddy of mine that builds clubs. He met me at the driving range and brought nine drivers he had built over the years. I found one I really liked and wanted it bad. I wanted him to build me a new one but he could not get the material exactly like the old one. So he sold it to me for twenty-five percent of the cost of a new one.

The golf grip was shot so he suggested I buy a new one and he would put it on. I have been researching the Internet to determine when a golf grip should be changed. For this club there was no doubt that the golf grip needed changing. There are a lot of differences about when a grip should be changed but the one I liked the best was this.

"If your grip feels dry and hard it is time to change the golf grip."

That makes more sense to me then those other arbitrary methods such as change the golf grips every year. Or change it when the grip begins to look worn or change it every time you put the clubs away for the season.

By waiting until you get that feeling in your hands you'll know it is time. Although I must admit, you may get acclimated to the feel of your grip while using it and not realize it needs to be changed.

The new grip I got was one of the most expensive you can get. I wanted it for this driver and I wasn't going to take a chance on a cheap one. I have had a three metal for a very long time and decided I would change the grip on that club while he did the driver.

So I bought two of those grips and had my friend put both on for me. Do you know how much that very expensive golf grip cost me? They were $9.00 apiece. So for $18.00 and tax I was able to refit my longest hitting clubs with brand new golf grips that will last longer than most and it is extra thick as I really liked the feel of the original grip that was worn.

Now I feel like I have two new clubs and I love hitting them with these new grips. Not only are they good feeling but I also hit them almost as long as touring professional golfers. I've hit many drives over 295 yards and I have hit my three metal 250 yards on many occasions. Normally, I don't try to hit them as fast as I can because most courses I play on don't need a big drive.

If I hit the drive 250 to 260 yards, that is just fine and I don't have to swing too fast. That will leave me with a seven, eight or nine iron shot to the green. And by cutting down on the swing I can generally put it in the middle of the fairway.

During one of the last rounds of the season a friend of mine wanted to try my driver. He liked the feel of the grip right away and when he hit the ball there was no feel of hitting the ball. Well he would not give me my club back even though our golf clubs are virtually the same except for the grip. He eventually did but promised he would get a new grip over the winter.

You should do the same. If your golf grips feel hard and rough, then change them. If you can afford to do it change them all but if money is tight then change the clubs you hit the most. Change the grips on the driver, putter, pitching wedge and maybe the eight or nine iron. You will love it. Do it now.