Hands up who’s just played their first round of the year. After what feels like a very long winter (don’t we always say that), there's a hint of spring in the air. Just a hint, but it’s coming.
Anyway, how did that first round for four months go? Let's talk golf grips: Any concerns over your grips? Any signs of wear? Are new grips required, perhaps?
WATCH: Joe from Kick Point: The Golf Gear Show offers a top hack for keeping grips in good condition over the winter (from 15:54)
Not everyone will know this, but grips can deteriorate even when they’re just say doing nothing in your garage, especially if it’s cold - which is exactly what they tend to be during the winter months.
So, if you shot a really high number on your first round back since late autumn, you might have a genuine excuse for some of those loose shots, other than a bit of rustiness of course.
Must we remind you of why it’s important for your grips to be in good order? Ok, very quickly: as the sole point of contact with your club, the grip provides the critical link between your body and the implement you are holding.
As Kick Point’s Joe Ferguson regularly tells players that he sees using neglected grips with very obvious signs of wear, playing with worn-out grips is similar to driving a car with bald tires - it severely compromises performance.
Before Joe offers one of his top tips for keeping your grips in tip-top condition over the winter, here’s a reminder of five signs you need new golf grips: loss of tackiness,; visible wear and tear; hardening of material; slippage during your swing; and increased grip pressure and hand fatigue.
Right, onto Joe’s hack, remembering that he is a PGA professional - so this is tried-and-tested practice.
If you’re going to put your clubs away for the winter, with no intention of touching them again until the sun starts shining, wrap your grips in clingfilm.
“It’s simple,” says Joe. “I do this. If you want them to stay in good nick, wrap clingfilm around the grips and keep them nice and airtight.
“Then, when you come to take them off after four or five months, they’ll be as fresh as a newborn baby.”
Having seen his garage, we can confirm that our gear guru does indeed use clingfilm. A lot of it.
Joe adds: “If you leave your grips in a cold garage, they tend to seize up, and they can start to shine and crack when they are exposed to cold temperatures over a long time.”
So, add clingfilm to your must have list of golf accessories.
If that sounds like too much hard work - or you’re likely to get tempted out over the winter and can’t be bothered with the constant cling-filming thing - be sure to leave your clubs somewhere where it’s around room temperature.
If you're a fair-weather golfer, we recommend a trip to Walmart.
