Most golfers understand the importance of golf club and putter grips – the lone point of contact between the hands and the club. But a lot of players, even avid types, aren’t sure when it’s time for a golf grip replacement.

Replacing golf club grips is key to keeping your game strong. But how often should you be regripping your putter or club grips? Should you replace putter grips based on the calendar (for example, every year)? Or is frequency of play a better gauge (say, every 40 rounds)?

Are there specific golf clubs, like the driver, you should regrip more often than others? And what about climate – can the weather affect your golf club grips’ lifespan?

We field these questions regularly here at SuperStroke, so we put together this handy FAQ to provide the need-to-know info.

Golf Club Grip Replacement FAQs

There are so many facts to know about replacing golf club grips. If you’ve ever had a question about when, how or why to replace your putter grip or club grip, you’re sure to find the answer below.

1. Why is golf club regripping necessary?

That’s easy: golf club regripping is necessary because worn out golf grips can hurt your game.

Over time (and rounds, plus practice sessions), heat, dirt and oily residue on wet or sweaty hands combine to degrade the grip. You’ll feel less traction between your hands and the club, which will cause you to grip it more tightly to keep it from slipping. This creates tension in the hands, wrists and forearms – and tension is a guaranteed swing-wrecker.

2. How often should I regrip my golf clubs?

To answer this question, you also need to ask how long do golf grips last, and that can depend on the club that grip is on.

As a general rule for when to replace golf grips, think every 12 – 18 months or every 30 – 40 rounds. Also, consider a normal practice session the equivalent of one round, or at least 9 holes.

You may need to regrip golf clubs more often if you live and play in a particularly hot, humid environment (the U.S. southeast, for instance). Also, storing your golf clubs in a hot place, like your car’s trunk or a poorly ventilated garage, can hasten their demise.

3. Can cleaning my golf grips help them last longer?

You bet it can. And if you clean them often, you’ll enjoy better performance between regrips.

It’s a simple process that’s well worth your time. Clean each grip with warm water and dish soap, scrubbing with a non-abrasive surface like a wash cloth or soft brush. Rinse, then dry with a bath or kitchen towel.

You’ll be amazed how much tackier a golf club grip feels after a nice cleaning.

4. What are the signs that a grip needs replacing?

If a grip is hard, shiny and cracking, it’s well past time to replace it.

Short of that, check for surface tackiness against your bare hand. If you can slide your hand easily up and down the grip while holding it with light to moderate pressure, it may be time to regrip.

If you’re not sure, try cleaning the grip first. That may help you squeeze a few more rounds from it.

5. Which golf grips should I replace most often?

Sometimes, you don’t need to replace all 14 grips at once.

Naturally, the grips that wear out fastest are the ones you use most. The putter gets the most action of any golf club in the bag – most golfers average 30 – 40 putts per round, plus practice sessions. You might even work on your putting at home, which causes even more wear and tear. In this case, knowing how to regrip a putter will save you time and effort if you need to do putter grip replacements often.

The driver, which you might hit as many as 14 times per round, can degrade pretty quickly, too. Next check your wedges, then the rest of your set in order of most-used to least.

6. Where can I regrip golf clubs?

Your local golf course or club’s pro shop likely offers regripping services, as do most brick-and-mortar golf retail shops and clubfitters. But the most cost effective option is always going to be replacing golf club grips yourself.

7. Can I change my golf club and putter grips myself?

You sure can change your golf club grips yourself. You will need a couple items to get it done, starting with SuperStroke’s Re-Grip Kit.

Now you’re probably wondering how to install a SuperStroke putter grip. The good news is we have plenty of guides and instructions for regripping golf clubs yourself that will help you become a pro at putter regripping in no time.

8. Can you reuse putter grips?

Once a club grip or putter grip is worn out, it’s best to throw it in the trash and not use it again. If you wouldn’t want to use a worn out grip on one golf club, you probably wouldn’t want to use it on another either.

9. Can you remove a putter grip without damage?

If you know how to change a putter grip correctly, there should be no damage to the grip you’re removing. It could take a bit of practice to do it correctly, so as you’re learning how to regrip a putter, take your time and be careful.

10. How much does it cost to regrip a putter?

Golf grip replacement at a golf club or pro shop can be expensive, especially when you consider buying the new grips, paying for the replacement and potentially doing more than one club.

If you take the time to learn how to regrip a putter or club grip yourself, you’ll end up saving a large chunk of change.

How to Choose a Putter Grip

One of the best parts about a putter regrip is selecting a brand new putter grip to use. The very first factor you want to consider when selecting a putter grip is your putting grip style. This can tell you a great deal about the type of grip you should be using to get the best performance.

To find out your putting grip style, you can get evaluated or familiarize yourself with the various putting grip styles and see which your style most closely matches. You could even turn to the professionals and see what putter grips they use for their putting grip style.

Once you have insight into your putting grip style, use the SuperStroke Grip Selector to find out the best SuperStroke putter grip for you and your game.

Besides your putting grip style, you might also want to consider factors like putter counterweighting, grip size or even think about the putter you use.

When it comes to choosing the right putter and learning to do your own putter grip replacement, SuperStroke is here to help. SuperStroke makes putter grips and club grips for every type of player, putting style and preference. Give yourself the chance to play at your best when you install SuperStroke grips on your golf clubs.