10- Grip Installation - The final Step

Start your grip installation by clamping your club into your vice.  Make sure you are using rubber clamp pads, and DON'T use too much clamping force.  Clamp just tight enough so that you can't move the shaft in the vice.

I also like to make sure the grooves on the golf clubhead are perfectly vertical while it is in the vice.  This makes aligning the grip much easier later. 

Make a mark on your shaft at a length about an inch shorter than your grip.  For example, if your grip is 10.5 inches long, measure down 9.5 inches from the butt end of the shaft and make a mark.  You can do this by holding the grip next to the shaft and guessing where your mark needs to be.  This part of the grip installation does not need to be that accurate.

Now, cut off a piece of double-sided grip tape about the same length as your grip, or slightly longer.  Place the tape lengthwise from your mark onto the shaft.  You want it to hang off the end about an inch or so.

Wrap the tape around the shaft.  It may overlap on the bottom a little bit but that's okay.  Try not to have any big wrinkles in the tape, though. 

Twist the tape that is hanging off the end of the shaft, and then push it into the end of the shaft.  This will prevent anything such as rain from getting into the shaft through the hole in the grip cap. 

Make sure you have some sort of catch pan underneath the section of shaft where the grip will be.

This is the point in which you may want to put on some latex gloves and safety glasses.  You will be working with grip solvent or mineral spirits which can be rough on your skin and you definitely do not want to get any in your eyes!

Hold on to the grip with one hand, covering the hole in the grip cap with a finger.  Pour some solvent into the grip, filling it about half full.  Cover the end that you just poured solvent into with your thumb and sort of shake the grip a little.  You are just trying to get the inside of the grip completely coated with solvent.

Now, pour the solvent from the grip onto the tape on the shaft covering all of the tape thoroughly.  Use some more from your solvent bottle if you need to.

Look for any alignment marks on the grip and hold the grip with them up.  Begin to slide the grip onto the shaft.  You may have to pinch the opening a little in order to get it started onto the shaft.  Also, cover the grip cap hole with a finger as you push it on or else  solvent will spray out. 

Push the grip all of the way onto the shaft.  Make sure the butt of the shaft is bottoming out on the grip cap.  If you can squeeze the grip cap then you don't have it all the way on.

Once you have the grip on all the way, double check your alignment.  You still have time to move the grip around a little if you need to.  Once the solvent dries you will not be able to move the grip any longer.

Make sure your alignment is good and that the grip is not slightly twisted.  Your grip installation is now complete.  You can now wipe the grip off with a rag to soak up any solvent on it.  Set the club aside for about an hour before swinging it.

Congratulations!! You have just built YOUR own golf club!!!!

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