Leather Grips? Who is using and what do you think

[NNJ111]

I think I’m just gonna have to get a standard and add 3 wraps and a midsize and see which I like more. Let us know how the midsize compares to your gp tv +4 when you get it!

[Minarets]

5 hours ago, NNJ111 said:

I think I’m just gonna have to get a standard and add 3 wraps and a midsize and see which I like more. Let us know how the midsize compares to your gp tv +4 when you get it!

I’m waiting for the blue and pink colors.  

[Double Dodger]

6 minutes ago, Minarets said:

I’m waiting for the blue and pink colors.  

 

You can start with your putter….

[Minarets]

Just now, Double Dodger said:

 

You can start with your putter….

Naw, l like my putter grip.  

[Bgreene18]

I put a GripMaster Roo on my driver last year as an experiment and love it.  Might just have to pull the trigger on a full set.  Love the feel and I actually like the rib, reminds me of some of the old school grips.

[kthomas]

Best Grips microperfs.

 

I have them on a few clubs, and would love to convert all my clubs over to them.

[Double Dodger]

2 hours ago, Minarets said:

Naw, l like my putter grip.  

So sarcasm doesn’t recognize sarcasm. Message boards. Meh….

[Minarets]

Think I’m ready to bite the bullet.  Gotta think strategic on which clubs I don’t plan to replace soon.  Think I’ll buy for all but the wedges.   I don’t use them for full swings much.  

[gibbiesmalls]

I love the feel of leather golf grips.... in particular the Gripmaster Kangaroo leather grips.... but two things prevent me from going to them full time...

 

1. Going through equipment as much as I do (aka club-hoing), makes it cost prohibitive  and....

2. I've installed two new sets of the Kangaroo grips and installed them myself with air, and I find them to be inconsistent from grip to grip. The tackiness from grip to grip varies I've found, the firmness from grip to grip varies, and so does the thickness.  I don't know if because they're leather, or the process they go through to infuse the Protack makes the manufacturing tolerances a little wider or what.  The biggest different from grip to grip was the tackiness.  

 

And although I could never say that one grip in and of itself felt bad, I just didn't like my grips feeling different from club to club.  I thought my first set was just a bad batch or something, but the second set was identical.

 

[dekez]

7 hours ago, gibbiesmalls said:

I love the feel of leather golf grips.... in particular the Gripmaster Kangaroo leather grips.... but two things prevent me from going to them full time...

 

1. Going through equipment as much as I do (aka club-hoing), makes it cost prohibitive  and....

2. I've installed two new sets of the Kangaroo grips and installed them myself with air, and I find them to be inconsistent from grip to grip. The tackiness from grip to grip varies I've found, the firmness from grip to grip varies, and so does the thickness.  I don't know if because they're leather, or the process they go through to infuse the Protack makes the manufacturing tolerances a little wider or what.  The biggest different from grip to grip was the tackiness.  

 

And although I could never say that one grip in and of itself felt bad, I just didn't like my grips feeling different from club to club.  I thought my first set was just a bad batch or something, but the second set was identical.

 

 

Installation with air should take care of the first issue, but I'm curious about the 2nd.  Did you purchase them through a source like Golfworks or rather on the Bay?  The latter is obviously prone to fakes.

[gibbiesmalls]

2 hours ago, dekez said:

 

Installation with air should take care of the first issue, but I'm curious about the 2nd.  Did you purchase them through a source like Golfworks or rather on the Bay?  The latter is obviously prone to fakes.

Bough them directly from regal brands (I believe that's the name of their main distributor/owner).

 

 

[Minarets]

I have no one that I know of( called plenty) that installs grips with air around here.  That worries me.  Don’t want to pay big bucks for grips to have them ruined.  

[maamold]

2 hours ago, Minarets said:

I have no one that I know of( called plenty) that installs grips with air around here.  That worries me.  Don’t want to pay big bucks for grips to have them ruined.  

All you need is cheap bench vice, an air-tank/compressor. Air hose with a nozzle that will fit into the end of the grip. Masking tape and Contact cement (I don't use WD-40, contact cement is a fine lubricant). First couple of grips were a bit awkward as I the hang of it and used too much tape which made it harder to slide on, now it takes 1min per grip. 

 

[NRJyzr]

Adding yet another update....

 

Picked up a handful of GripMaster Kidd leather grips.  I have one on my Wilson 58* wedge, like it more than I did at first, to the point I decided to try a full set with the Kidds.  

 

They'll either go on my current set of Golden Rams, or the endless reshaft project with my RIP Tour 115 shafts that are lying in wait....

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by NRJyzr

[MIKEDB26]

I've had the same Roo grips on my irons since mid 2017.  Used tape to install those, but on clubs that are adjustable, I used an air compressor.  Recently away from the game due to a pinched nerve in my neck, I removed the iron grips to add a layer of tape.  Used the compressor to remove the grips with the tape underlayment.  Set them out in the sun for an hour or so, heated them up nicely, and with my compressor set at about 40psi, they came off rather nicely.  Had to get the tape out of some of the grips, needle nose pliers work well, then reinstalled with 3.5 layers of tape.  The grips are standard size, they say 2 layers max, but with having them for so long, they had plenty of give to get them back on.  The grips I have on the adjustable clubs are midsized, so I didn't use tape, just "blew" them on.  As long as you keep them clean, hot water and a plastic bristled brush, no soap, they should last a very long time.  Very happy with leather, especially here on the east coast of central Florida, with the humidity and spotty rain showers.  In the cooler months the grips do feel a bit hard or slick, but to remedy that I either use a separate wet towel, for a quick wipe, or blow warn air on them for a bit of condensation, and they are good to go.  Would definitely recommend, and the cost is a shocker initially, but going on 5+ years with them and playing 100+ rounds a year, no doubt it's worth the investment.  Hope this helps with any questions, or those that are on the fence about trying leather.  I use The Roo grips, but have tried a couple of The Kidd.

[Ri_Redneck]

On 7/10/2021 at 8:49 AM, gibbiesmalls said:

Bough them directly from regal brands (I believe that's the name of their main distributor/owner).

 

 

Regal Brands USED to be the US distributor of TGM grips up until 2019 I think. The only two currently listed on the TGM website for the US are Golfworks and Golf Shafts America. I suspect Regal is simply emptying their old inventory. Which could be the problem. If these grips sit in a warehouse for a year or so, the tack on the surface will decrease. They have to be rubbed well with a wet towel or even wrapped in it and allowed to sit for a day or two to reactivate it.

 

As for the size thing, I haven't run into that much. I check mine with calipers after installation and adjust the taping if needed. Easy to do with air installs.

 

BT

[Ri_Redneck]

I wanted to let everyone know about something I'm about to try. The b u t t caps on my leather grips tend to wear down due to removal and insertion into my bags. I have ordered some 1.5" shrinkwrap and plan to install about 1" on the grip end to see if that helps with this issue. I will post the results.

 

BT

[gibbiesmalls]

11 minutes ago, Ri_Redneck said:

Regal Brands USED to be the US distributor of TGM grips up until 2019 I think. The only two currently listed on the TGM website for the US are Golfworks and Golf Shafts America. I suspect Regal is simply emptying their old inventory. Which could be the problem. If these grips sit in a warehouse for a year or so, the tack on the surface will decrease. They have to be rubbed well with a wet towel or even wrapped in it and allowed to sit for a day or two to reactivate it.

 

As for the size thing, I haven't run into that much. I check mine with calipers after installation and adjust the taping if needed. Easy to do with air installs.

 

BT

 

This was years ago now, so regal was still very much in business in the US. In fact, I think they were local to me (socal) if I recall. 

 

I can't say I tried to wrap in wet towels for days, but I tried just about everything I could think of to get them to feel consistent under my hands, and I couldn't.  I tried cleaning them (with water, warm and cold), I tried reinstalling them (with air only). I tried them on different irons (thinking maybe it's the shaft diameters). When none of that worked, I even tried cleaning them with a damp towel and dish soap hoping it was just hand oils from handling them, etc. Since I first responded to this thread, I even reinstalled them again thinking maybe I was being too picky or imagined, etc... but nope, unfortunately they were the same.

 

 

 

 

[RobotDoctor]

Golf today was damp due to moisture on the ground, humidity in the normally dry Colorado air and light drizzle through out the round.  My BestGrips Microperf grips got damp but remained tacky and never once slipped during a swing.  These grips are really outstanding!

[Ri_Redneck]

On 8/3/2021 at 1:29 PM, Ri_Redneck said:

I wanted to let everyone know about something I'm about to try. The b u t t caps on my leather grips tend to wear down due to removal and insertion into my bags. I have ordered some 1.5" shrinkwrap and plan to install about 1" on the grip end to see if that helps with this issue. I will post the results.

 

BT

 

This is a 3+ yr old TGM Classic Wrap (Driver) that has worn through pretty bad.

 

 

I tried 1" of the shrink wrap and that was too much, so I dropped it down to a little over 1/2" and it looks pretty good.

 

 

Grip needs cleaning, but the shrink wrap definitely can lengthen the life of the grips due to b u t t cap wear.

 

BT

[JungleJimbo]

29 minutes ago, Ri_Redneck said:

 

This is a 3+ yr old TGM Classic Wrap (Driver) that has worn through pretty bad.

 

 

I tried 1" of the shrink wrap and that was too much, so I dropped it down to a little over 1/2" and it looks pretty good.

 

 

Grip needs cleaning, but the shrink wrap definitely can lengthen the life of the grips due to b u t t cap wear.

 

BT

@Ri_RedneckCould you please share a Link, to where you bought this shrink wrap? I googled but i only get Links to “cling film” type of shrink wrap.

 

would Electrical Tape = similar to the shrink wrap you used?

 

https://www.amazon.com/black-shrink-wrap/s?k=black+shrink+wrap

 

https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Tape/b?ie=UTF8&node=256161011

 

 

[968cab]

Try googling “heat-shrink tubing”…I think you’ll find what you need.  Electrical tape becomes a mess in the heat of summer, I’d avoid it. 

[Ri_Redneck]

On 8/4/2021 at 8:02 PM, JungleJimbo said:

@Ri_RedneckCould you please share a Link, to where you bought this shrink wrap? I googled but i only get Links to “cling film” type of shrink wrap.

 

would Electrical Tape = similar to the shrink wrap you used?

 

https://www.amazon.com/black-shrink-wrap/s?k=black+shrink+wrap

 

https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Tape/b?ie=UTF8&node=256161011

 

 

Yeah, search for shrink tubing instead. This is what I ordered - Link. It's thick and tough and will probably last plenty long. It also has glue inside which seals water tight. It DOES come off easily because I used a bit too much the first time and had to remove it. Simply cut it with a pair of scissors and peeled it off. After seeing the thickness of this though, I think I may try to find something thinner such as this 2:1 electrical shrink tubing.

 

Also, 1.5" is larger than it needs to be, I just ordered 10' of this to try and will post if it is thinner and easier to apply. The b u t t of the grips measures right at 1", so it should slide right on. I also use a hot air gun to shrink it instead of a torch. It shrinks it more evenly.

 

BT

Edited August 6, 2021 by Ri_Redneck

[marktheblake]

I bought about 30 gripmasters, about 10 years ago which were at least 5 years old before that.  Some UK company bought 20k of them for a new driver they invented and went broke, the grips were liquidated online for about 5 bucks each.   Wish I had of bought 300 instead.  Not a single grip has ever lost its tack even after all this time.  So don’t worry about old stock.

 

i too have used heat shrink wrap to repair my caps.   Simple and quick.  But if playing golf in SE Asia it’s way more fun to allow them to fold up.  The lady caddies are in hysterics amongst themselves  as they fold it back down.

 

i have been trying to figure out how to restore tackiness. Every article online regarding tacky leather is about how to remove tack.  But I think there is something that can be learned from that.  This article is particularly interesting and I am pretty sure it includes a precise description of how/why protack works.    still don’t know what it is though.  Shame bestgrips no longer sell it

 

https://www.equisearch.com/articles/eqtack870

Quote

When water penetrates leather, it forms temporary bonds with the oils that lubricate the interior fibers, then floats those vital oils to the surface as it evaporates

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by marktheblake

[Ri_Redneck]

Well, the new shrink wrap looks WAY better than the first one.

 

 

 

Here is the link for this shrink wrap at Amazon. I bought the 1" which is difficult to get over the b u t t, so it would be best to go with the 1.25" if you plan to get some.

 

BT

[EVandy]

Has anyone had luck adding some tac to a non-tac best grip? Any solution to make them a little more sticky?

[johnnyjumpjump]

I'm using Grip Master Roo's.  They came as a surprise on my KBS S-Taper 120 iron pulls.  Wow, what a pleasant surprise!

Best grips I have ever used - with or without a glove.  Tacky, firm but not hard, indestructable.

[EHSGolf1]

On 8/29/2021 at 2:27 PM, Ri_Redneck said:

Well, the new shrink wrap looks WAY better than the first one.

 

 

 

Here is the link for this shrink wrap at Amazon. I bought the 1" which is difficult to get over the b u t t, so it would be best to go with the 1.25" if you plan to get some.

 

BT

Thank you for this info!! I just ventured into the leather grips, and I was having issues with my arccos popping off while swinging. The shrink wrap solved that problem, while also protecting the end cap and making it look better in general. 
 

[sm_watts]

Reviving an old thread... somewhere in here, someone rated the Best Grips putter grips in order from most tacky to least, but I can't find it.  Can anyone with a broad experience of BG grips help me with this?  I received a new TP Mills putter with a BG grip, but I really don't know what model it is (it's black and small).  I would like to try something else in their line that is more midsize and somewhat tacky.  Any suggestions?

[kthomas]

4 hours ago, sm_watts said:

Reviving an old thread... somewhere in here, someone rated the Best Grips putter grips in order from most tacky to least, but I can't find it.  Can anyone with a broad experience of BG grips help me with this?  I received a new TP Mills putter with a BG grip, but I really don't know what model it is (it's black and small).  I would like to try something else in their line that is more midsize and somewhat tacky.  Any suggestions?

 

I have the microperf on my putter and my wife has their GT-L grip.

 

The microperf is definitely more tacky and grippy than the GT-L, if that's what you are looking for.