# Changing tape layers whilst keeping grips



## Moff (Jun 30, 2011)

I recently got a custom fitted set of Mizuno irons which on the fitters reccomendation came with two layers of grip tape.
I'm really struggling with consistency & feel its down to the grips being a little two thick for my hand size. I'm looking to get the clubs "re-gripped" but keeping the existing grips as they are only 6 weeks old & having all tape removed & replaced with one layer only.

Is this possible without damaging the existing grips?


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## needmoreclub (Jun 30, 2011)

That's a good question Moff, and strange cos i got fitted for my JPX 800's and was also told that two layers of tape were required when i've always played standard, i'd love to get the grips off and put one layer on but keep the originals but i don't know if that's possible, i never thought that two layers would make that much difference but i'm toiling with the consistency as well, keep us posted if you change them and i'll do likewise.


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## Mungoscorner (Jun 30, 2011)

If the grips are relatively new you should be able to "blow" them off.Failing that you could get them off by forcing fluid down the grip,but its a very messy job.


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## fundy (Jun 30, 2011)

A decent pro should be able to syringe them off and if in decent condition re-use them, they do split or break sometimes when getting them off though


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## Leftie (Jun 30, 2011)

Hmmmm....

Bought new irons fairly recently, not yet achieved consistency, must be the grip thickness that's wrong.  

You can't get the fitters now days     

Come on guys, get real.  At a guess, each extra layer of tape widens the grip by what?  1/25", 1/50" ??  What's the variation in thickness of new/old gloves?  Is the suggested grip size based on a gloved or ungloved hand??  The thickness of the glove must be the equivalent of several layers of tape.

Somehow I think that you should consider that all may not be as you first thought.


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## bobmac (Jul 1, 2011)

I have to agree with leftie (damn)

If someone asks for 2 layers of tape, that's just one more than normal unless you ask for 2 extra layers of tape.
You could do it yourself if you have a grip syringe, but they cost around Â£65-Â£70


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## needmoreclub (Jul 1, 2011)

Leftie,
        I note your comments, if it doesnt matter how many layers of tape are on then why waste tape. Of course it matters man, you get a grip if you pardon the pun, the question from my point of view was, has the slight variation in  grip thickness changed how if feels in my hands, not can it cause me to be crap, maybe i didn't word my reply very well. I wouldn't have thought that one extra layer would have made any difference to the flex but i do know that the more layers the stiffer the shaft gets.Perhaps Bob the pro could answer that if he doesn't mind.


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## bobmac (Jul 1, 2011)

but i do know that the more layers the stiffer the shaft gets
		
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Are you saying that different layers of tape put under the grip affects the stiffness of the shaft?


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## needmoreclub (Jul 1, 2011)

Bob,i've heard this said amongst the 'elite' at our club but could never understand why putting extra layers on could affect the shaft stiffness, i always assumed it was decided by the size of your hands how many layers you'd need, the question i'd asked originally before lefties wisecrack was 'Can having an extra layer of tape on the grips make the club feel so different to standard grips and tape that it's causing me to swing or grip differently to my last set of standard irons. For your info Bob, Spec was half inch shorter than standard, two layers of tape, 2 degrees flat and 'soft step xp gold steel'.


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## Oddsocks (Jul 1, 2011)

needmoreclub, having met leftie i can assure you it wasnt a wisecrack, he's not that way inclined. I do think he was being genuine when he asked to you honestly believe thats the difference.

Regarding tape making your shafts stiffer, i cannot scientifically see how this would be possible.


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## jasondransfieldgolf (Jul 1, 2011)

I think someone is pulling your chain about extra layers making the shaft stiffer, what it does is make the grip thicker. Thicker grips may make you hand action(release) quieter, nothing to do with shaft flex though.


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## needmoreclub (Jul 1, 2011)

Oddsocks, As you can see i'm a newbie here so perhaps over reacted to lefties well intented comments, no offence meant, sorry leftie, just getting more and more frustrated with my game as it's fallen to bits since taking ownership of my 'custom fitted clubs',and looking for any help available, off for lessons next week, although i was playing ok with my 'standard bats' God i wish i hated golf.


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## needmoreclub (Jul 1, 2011)

Jason, thanks for putting that myth to bed, just goes to show that some of the so called 'elite guys' at our club may be cracking golfers but don't know much about equipment. Put's my desperate theory to bed about my 'two layers of tape grip' changing my swing. Oh well here's hoping the pro next week can put my mind at rest that the clubs are fine and it's me that needs work.


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## One Planer (Jul 1, 2011)

I think someone is pulling your chain about extra layers making the shaft stiffer, what it does is make the grip thicker. Thicker grips may make you hand action(release) quieter, nothing to do with shaft flex though.
		
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What about wrapping the whole shaft with grip tape?

Would that make the shft stiffer


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## jasondransfieldgolf (Jul 1, 2011)

Only if you wrote extra stiff on the tape!!!!


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## jasondransfieldgolf (Jul 1, 2011)

Gareth on a serious note, where do you play as I am attached to De Vere Wychwood Park which isn't far from you.


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## One Planer (Jul 1, 2011)

Gareth on a serious note, where do you play as I am attached to De Vere Wychwood Park which isn't far from you.
		
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I play at Blythe Bridge GC. Wychwood Park is a beautiful track. Only played it once, but was well impressed.


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## Leftie (Jul 1, 2011)

As you can see i'm a newbie here so perhaps over reacted to lefties well intented comments, no offence meant, sorry leftie, just getting more and more frustrated with my game as it's fallen to bits since taking ownership of my 'custom fitted clubs',and looking for any help available, off for lessons next week, although i was playing ok with my 'standard bats' God i wish i hated golf. 

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No offence taken mate.  

My points were well intended but with a little bit of "tongue in cheek".  Reading between the lines of many Forumers who have been custom fitted, it may take a little time before you start playing your "better" golf with your new bats.  Yes, you may notice a slight difference in the grip size with an extra layer of tape but even a new replacement grip on an old club would also feel different.

By the look of it, your custom fitted spec is considerably different to a standard spec and that will take a lot of getting used to.

New clubs always play better until paid for.


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## mini_me (Jul 2, 2011)

A mate at my golf club got fitted just as the season started and payed alot of money for them he played crap straight from the start of recievinghis"custom fitted"clubs he never got liked them from day 1 he went to see a more "local" pro and he fitted him and the clubs that he had were totally wrong for him he has now changed them at great expense and his handicap has come down by 2 strokes in a matter of weeks my advice would be to go to a different pro shop and see if it the club fitting that is correct for you or if you still got your old clubs try them out first I dont think that one extra layer of tape would make a massive difference.


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## Swinger (Jul 2, 2011)

If you put the extra tape over the grip then you wouldn't have to take the grips off.

If you find the swing weight of the club is out after fitting the tape then you can always add a bit of lead tape to the face of the club.


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## BogeyHole (Jul 2, 2011)

I thought Mizuno were a good company.

If you went back to them to get it fixed, wouldn't they do it FOC ?


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## needmoreclub (Jul 2, 2011)

Leftie/Mimi me, Cheers guys for your input, leftie, very good point about the spec being so different from standard, suppose i was blinded by the 'custom fit' and expected to pick them up and shoot the lights out. Mini, got a lesson on Tuesday to get the 'once over' from the pro and he's going to check my spec from the fitting. After all the feedback on here i'm pretty sure it's sod all to do with the clubs, just my ambition getting in the road of my ability. I'll keep you posted if anyone's interested enough.


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## needmoreclub (Jul 2, 2011)

Bogey,I've not really got any issues with Mizuno, Fitting was done locally by the pro i'm seeing on Tuesday, if there is any spec not the same as the fitting i'd expect it done FOC, anything else i'd expect to pay to get altered, can't complain about the fitting, in my limited knowledge he appeared to know what he was doing and used the computer print out to send th mizuno for the clubs to be made.


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## jasondransfieldgolf (Jul 2, 2011)

Sorry Gareth I haven't heard of Blythe Bridge. Yes Wychwood Park is very good and in great condition at the moment well worth going for a game.


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## 19thagain (Jul 5, 2011)

"just my ambition getting in the road of my ability".
		
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That is possibly as discriptive a statement as I have ever read!! 

I think maybe we all suffer from this as some time!


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## ScienceBoy (Jul 5, 2011)

but they cost around Â£65-Â£70
		
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Is that the cost of a Grip-Easy Bob?


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## viscount17 (Jul 5, 2011)

Spec was half inch shorter than standard, two layers of tape, 2 degrees flat and 'soft step xp gold steel'.
		
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If I remember correctly from my fitting 1/2 in. difference in shaft length is equivalent to 1 deg, and if I also have it the right way round that 1/2 in. shorter makes them 3 deg flat


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## needmoreclub (Jul 7, 2011)

Viscount17,
           You could be bang on regarding the lie, fitter said that Mizuno wouldn't attempt any more than 2 degrees flat as clubs are the cast model not the forged JPX pro model. Again showing my ignorance here (thought i knew a lot until i came on here LOL)the one degree you mention is that increasing the loft or delofting the iron, cheers in advance.


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## MarkA (Jul 8, 2011)

Ive had Mizunos fitted at Wrexham this year- Some JPX 800 Pros  - the spec surprised me the grip was thickers and the shafts stiffer- I didnt like them at first - but they are the longest straightest irons ive ever hit now ive got used to them and the mizuno forged feeling is wonderful.
Be aware that if you are new to the game and you havent got a repeatable swing it can be very difficult to fit, that said if the fit is wrong you should be looking to put it right.
My suggestion is get a lesson but not from the guy who fitted you, the pro will tell you if the clubs are wrong, its a good way of getting a seciond opinion.
Did they use the Mizuno DNA club at your fitting?


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## needmoreclub (Jul 8, 2011)

MarkA,
     Are you talking about the small digital thing that clips onto the shaft? If thats the DNA then yes. I've actually just had a lesson on Tuesday and like yourself it's getting better all the time, it appears that i was slightly hooding the club at address sometimes and setting up ok the rest of the time, pro seems to think that would explain the difference in distance i was getting (you live and learn i suppose, still having problems with the ball coming off the face real hot around the green but it's something i can work on, thanks for your input mate.


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## MarkA (Jul 9, 2011)

MarkA,
     Are you talking about the small digital thing that clips onto the shaft? If thats the DNA then yes. I've actually just had a lesson on Tuesday and like yourself it's getting better all the time, it appears that i was slightly hooding the club at address sometimes and setting up ok the rest of the time, pro seems to think that would explain the difference in distance i was getting (you live and learn i suppose, still having problems with the ball coming off the face real hot around the green but it's something i can work on, thanks for your input mate. 

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Most Mizuni fitters seem to know what they are doing and its a question of getting used to what is a correct fit.
It took me a couple of months, but you wouldnt get my Mizunos off me now! Stick with it


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## rickg (Jul 9, 2011)

If the grips are the Golf Pride Multi compound ones, then they are slightly thinner hence the need for 2 layers of tape when normally one would suffice.

I had exactly the same when I was fitted at the Mizuno National Fitting Centre and the Mizuno fitter explained why.


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