We constantly get the question, "How often should I replace my golf grips?" According to many of the grip manufacturers, you should replace your grips every 40 rounds or once a year, whichever comes first. There are many other indicators that may cause you to regrip sooner. These indicators include playing in hot, humid conditions most of the year, gripping the club too tightly or observing signs of wear on your grip.
I'm sure many of you already knew when to replace your grips, but did you know that manufacturers have recommended replacement frequency for almost all of your golf equipment? We did some market research on golf equipment and accessories and listed what we learned below.
Golf Shoes:
- If you clean the uppers & lowers on your golf shoes after every round you should be able to easily get 2-3 seasons out of them. If, however, you take them off and throw them in your trunk till the next round, you are shortening their life considerably.
- If you wear the new spikeless shoes with the rubber nubs, you can extend the life of them by not wearing them to and from the parking lot or to the store after your round.
- Most companies recommend always having two pairs of shoes in rotation cleaning them after each round and giving them time to dry out.
Soft Spikes:
- Change spikes after every 10-15 rounds, when they show signs of wear or cause your feet to slip when swinging or walking.
Golf Gloves:
- Gloves are probably the easiest piece of equipment to identify when it's time to get a new one. Wear, discoloration, sweat marks and holes are sure signs it's time for a new glove.
- One trick to test the life of your glove is to use the thumb test. Lay the gloves palm side up in you hand and rub your thumb down the palm area. If your thumb slides with no resistance it's time for a new glove. If your thumb grabs the leather and pulls it toward you, it still has some life in it.
- Like golf shoes, it's best to have 2 golf gloves in rotation at all times.
- If you are frugal, like us, repurpose your old gloves for the driving range and keep your new gloves for the course.
Sand Wedges:
- A study done by Titleist and Volkey wedges set out to identify when golfers should think about replacing their wedges. Using a robot, they hit wedges that had been played for 125 rounds, 75 rounds and no rounds, a fresh from the factory wedge. The study showed that after 75 rounds the rpms of the ball coming of the club dropped off by 900 from the new club, and after 125 rounds dropped by over 2,000. The conclusion was that after 75 rounds golfers will notice a difference in spin rates and roll out; therefore, after 75 rounds, you should consider a new wedge.
- Based on the above information a golfer that plays once per week should consider a new wedge every 18 months. The 1-2 times per month golfer should make a new purchase every 3 years. My wife can't argue with data; new wedges here I come!
Driver:
- While manufacturers would like you to replace your driver with their new model every year, there have been no "significant" changes in driver technology since 2008. Yes, companies have worked with adjustable head weights & hosels and aerodynamics. But, If you think a new driver is going to give you another 20 yards, you probably were not playing the right loft, lie and/or shaft flex. This speaks to the importance of being properly fitted.
- Unless you crack the face, crown or hosel, you probably are safe playing the same driver for 4-6 years or until a new advancement in drivers is approved by the USGA.
Golf Shafts:
- Golfers should not have to replace their clubs due to the condition of the shafts within their lifetime because the graphite or steel that are usually used to make modern clubs are super-strong materials resistant to damage and deterioration.
- As long as the graphite shaft is not cracked or peeling and the steel shafts are not kinked or badly pitted or rusted, your shafts will outlive you!
Golf Balls:
- We were going to cover golf balls in this post, but we've never owned one for more than 18 holes, so why bother.