[Star Grips - 2024 Forum Review]

The Review March 2024

Star Grips – Official MGS Forum Review by Alf. S

Intro-

I’m a 63-year-old retiree based out of the West Lothian Golf Club in the central belt of Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Below is the short 18th looking over the Firth of Forth into Fife

I’ve always loved golf from my early days watching The Open, The Masters and The Ryder Cup on TV to playing the game. From historical documentaries, my memory has been re-written to what my first memory of watching golf was but Tom Weiskopf at Troon in 1973 does stand out. I also remember being really annoyed that Americans' won all the time especially Tom Watson.

I kidded myself and anyone I played with that from my teenage years until I got my first official handicap in my 40s that I could play off 18. But now after 20 years of competitive golf and some hard work I achieved a handicap of 5. I’m not a natural player but find a way to get it done.

I play on average 3-4 rounds a week; weekly competition, Senior League, bounce game with friends and I’ll try and get a couple of rounds by myself when the course is quiet.

What I’ll be looking at

• For me the feel of the grip is the most important, I like a nice soft feel to the grip.
• On the course I like to look good, and I like my clubs and my bag to look good, the aesthetics of the grips is important, I have chosen 4 green grips these will be for my woods and hybrids which are Callaway Epics with green heads and head covers and 9 red for my irons that will match more to my bag colours
• I’ll also be looking at the durability of the grips and looking to use air for the first time to re-grip but will also grip a couple with the more traditional tape and solvent.
• If they align easily

This test has come at exactly the right time for me, I usually regrip my clubs at the start of a new season and sometimes my wedges twice. I am always looking to try out new grips and what they will give me.

At the moment I’m mainly using Lamkin Crossline on my Irons, Crossline 1150 on my Wedges and Winn Dritac on my Woods and Hybrids. My expectations are that the Sidewinder 360 grips will stay on my clubs for the season and be my new Gamer.

First Impressions (9 out of 10)

The grips arrived packaged securely.

Star Grips sent me an extra green grip and a selection of the other colours they support. In the box were:

1. Nine red grips
2. Five green grips
3. One of each; orange, pink, blue, white, grey and black
4. Installation Gun

As the product name states the grips are 360° which means that there is no logo or alignment pattern on the grip.

The 360° grips were originally developed to support adjustable hosels on woods and hybrids, with no alignment markings when the hosel was adjusted the grip still looks the same to the player. The only orientation indicator is on the butt and some subtle alignment nicks. The 2nd picture below also shows the grip identification as mid-size with the M and D either side of the alignment nick.

The butt design is moulded to make the air gun snuggly marry into the grip

The grips are slightly tacky and are sturdy to touch. The colours are vibrant and eye catching especially the orange and pink.

My current grips are Lamkin Crossline standard size and I notice immediately that the Star Grip mid-size were significantly heavier; 49 grams compare to 68 grams. Comparing it to the Lamkin Mid-Size spec the grips are around 8 grams heavier. If you are swing weight sensitive then be careful. The grip weights also vary across the colours and specifications are shown below

I am very proficient at using tape and solvent to regrip my clubs but with Star Grips pushing tapeless re-gripping and some pressure from my peer group at the club I decide to get myself a compressor and use the installation gun provided.

I decide to try one of the spare grips on my MD5 60° wedge which is not in my bag at the moment. On the Star Grip website, it shows a guy taking 15 seconds to remove and regrip using the tapeless method, for a first timer like me this is wildly optimistic. For a first go I decided to take any existing tape completely off, I then cleaned the shaft with solvent and mounted it in the vice. The gun easily mounted on to the compressor pipe with the quick release fittings making a good seal. I just used the standard 6 bar setting and was ready to go. Some videos recommend dipping the neck of the grip in solvent, which I did. I also measured and marked the shaft to where the grip should slide to. With the club held in a vice I gingerly slid the grip on, then more aggressively. I did find it a bit of a fight for the last inch but made it successfully, Then out for a quick swing and feel, success. The grip was secure, feel was good and after a bit of apprehension on swing weight that too felt fine. For my first attempt it took approximately five minutes to regrip the club.

Final Review

Aesthetics (10 out of 10)

If you ignore the eye-catching colours and start with the standard black grip the Star Grips Sidewinder 360° looks are very similar to what I would class as their major competitors: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 and the Lamkin Crossline 360. Star Grips have gone for a more understated look on the grip with no additional highlighted text or highlights within the grip pattern itself and a non-obtrusive logo on the grip butt. The other differentiation not surprisingly is in the grip pattern which is made up of a small “S”. Where Star Grips does stand out is when you look at the range of colours. The colours and classic look of the grips should cover the full gamut of golfers from traditional to the more flamboyant. The range goes from:

• Classic
  • Black, Grey and White
• Colourful
  • Blue, Red and Green
• Bold, Eye-catching Neon
  • Orange and Pink

The Fit and Feel (19 out of 20)

As I did the full regrip my methodology changed, mainly due to trying to get the last 1/2 inch of grip on the shaft. I decide to use one layer masking tape on the shafts and evolved from dipping the throat of the grip in solvent to coating the masking tape to eventually filling the grip with solvent to wet the inside.

 

Recently I had been looking at fitting data and had my hand measured, traditionally I was standard grip with two layers of tape, the fitting data showed I was more a mid-size. For the test I went from mid-size and was moving from std size Lamkin Crossline and Winn Dri-Tac to the mid-size Star Grips. If the swing weight data is to be believed (i.e. five grams in the butt of the club results in one swing weight) the difference should be at worse 3 swing weights. I personally couldn’t tell if there was much difference in the swing weight. I have a very strong left-hand grip and the wider grip did seem to feel more comfortable in my hand and I was doing less re-gripping at address. The grips feel soft in your hand but not spongy which I like.

On The Course (18 out of 20)

I’ve now used the grips for over a month, and I would estimate 12 rounds in various conditions and on the simulator at the course. I feel confident gripping the club and hitting my variety of shots. When initially delivered the grips were tacky to touch after a few rounds the tackiness is reduced but still noticeable after twelve rounds.

Although I use Arccos it is difficult at this time of the season due to moving out of Winter conditions both for my fitness and weather to make any claims on performance benefits on moving to the Star Grips but anecdotally on my rounds over the last few weeks with Star Grips fitted have been more consistent, specifically my chipping and pitching performance have been +1 Strokes Gain (vs 8 Hcp) over the last 10 rounds. In the week of this post I have played 6 rounds, 5 of which have been at or beaten my handicap,  a coincidence? I don't think so! 

The other areas I tested were using the grip in wet conditions. I had a couple of rounds where it was either drizzling or showers and the grips and my bag had water ingress. On the first round, Initially just drying the grips was sufficient to maintain a good friction between hand and grip. But as the round progressed and the conditions deteriorated and the towel became damp and hence the grips were damp it became problematic with the club slipping. On the second round I had my FJ RainGrip Gloves, using these I had no problem with slipping. This performance I think is quite normal and it is what I would generally see with my old grips. Perhaps the corded MCC might perform better but in my experience they eventually suffer the same slippage.

As shown, I gripped my wedges in the neon orange and pink grips which certainly get noticed. Playing in the Boomer generation the comments were pretty derogatory but being from the same generation I just ignore them.

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (19 out of 20)

From my review it is all good, from the variety of grip, through the install and onto playing.

The grips and air gun fitting were directly shipped to me with no problems. I watched the fitting video and also some other YouTube videos on using “Tapeless” re-gripping and had no need for support. But with the distributor being in Sweden getting local support in the UK maybe an issue. I noticed on the website that availability of some of the colours and the under-size grips were limited.

I use Arccos sensors, these screw into the butt of the grip and give a tight fit but with the rubber being a bit more malleable I did notice that during the round I had to tighten sensors that were askew.

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

For me it is play, I’ve found it hard to find anything negative to say about the grips. In the UK they are very competitively priced at £7 a grip for the non-neon colours and £9 for the neon. This is lower than either of the similar Lamkin or Golf Pride offerings.

They have given me reliable performance, so far low maintenance, tapeless install is straight forward.

Conclusion

Star Grips Sidewinder 360° single compound grips are a serious competitor to the market leaders in the golf grip market. The Sidewinder 360° is an eye-catching grip that is easy to install, feel is great, and quality is exceptional. The subtle markings make it a real 360° with only the most vigilant of golfers able to ascertain any alignment markings. It is hard to fault these grips and no matter what level of golfer, if you are on the market for rubber blend compound grip then it is worth looking at Star Grips.

Final Score (95 out of 100)

 

 

 

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

4 hours ago, ILMgolfnut said:

Getting to Campbeltown was an adventure. So was getting from Ardrossan to EDI, for the same reason: Weird GPS from Arnold Clark. Heading south, it sent me down a C road which was closed for construction,  but by the time I realized it, it was 25 miles back to an alternate route. I wound up over at Oban, which is right on the A816 south to Kintyre, but GPS STILL wanted me to go back down that closed road. What should have been a 3.5 hour drive wound up taking 6 hours. Then after I got off the ferry at Ardrossan, I was trying to get to the M8, when GPS suddenly commanded me to take an immediate left. Unfortunately, I complied The road it put me on was a single-lane cattle path, completely mud after Storm Ciaran, which near its end was blocked by a cattle gate. If I had gotten stuck in the mud, or if that gate had been locked, I would have been screwed. Fortunately, neither one happened, I got back on an actual road and finally got to Edinburgh.

 

GPS?? I think Google Maps is now better. The road from Glasgow to Campbeltown should be down the A83 (aka Rest and Be Thankful") but I know they have had loads of landslide and are planning to build a tunnel to avoid road closures, Even with it open it is still a long road. 

As for Ardrossan to Edinburgh, just wow. Why it would take you there, it is 10 minutes from the M77 then 25 minutes to the M8. I grew up just North of Ardrossan and played quite a few course down that way.

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

24 minutes ago, Preeway said:

I might have to give that a try!

 

I'm told it is the best of the 3 course there. Better than the PGA which was used for the Ryder Cup 2014.

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

2 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

I was there last year and played, in order, Eden Course, Old Course, Cruden Bay, Dornoch, Brora, Fortrose, Machrihanish and Shiskine in 15 days.

That's quite a bit of travelling, especially on the country roads down to Campbelltown, did you go there via Shiskine. Last time at Shiskine, we liked it so much we kept going and played it twice (24 holes) 

Know the Inverness area well, we have friends who have a cottage in Nairn and have played a few of the courses around there. I'm sure you'll have a great time

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

5 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Remember guys and gals.

If you are participating in the solo scramble, then do not use a course handicap. You will put "0" in that box. 

 

Oops too late for me! I'm sure @GolfSpy_BEN will sort my score out. Me bad!

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

Just now, ILMgolfnut said:

Is this the course you posted the pic above? Very nice. I like quirky courses with par 64, or par 42 like Shiskine. Just realized that four months from today I'll be landing at Inverness for my 9 days in the Highlands.

The photo is the 3rd green.

We have a Winter and a Summer layout for the course, mainly due to 6 of the low lying holes getting too soft. At the moment we are playing Winter. A lot of par 3s but they are all card wreckers. 

In the summer it goes up to a par 71 and 6200 yds. 

I would offer you a round when you were over but Inverness is 3 hours away, what courses are you playing?

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

Date	03/05/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club (kinglass)
Gross Score	63
Course Handicap	0
Gross Strokes over/under par	-1
Net Score to Par	-1
Net Score	63
Net Birdies or better	8
Longest Drive	290
TYPE OF ROUND	SOLO SCRAMBLE

Well I found my forte. If only I could putt. GIR is a bit distorted since 3 of the 4 misses were on the fringe and within 20' and the fairway misses were all shots where I had just run off the short grass.

[MGS VCT - SOLO SCRAMBLE CHALLENGE]

If only I had read this before my round yesterday. Did play a couple of Mulligans on the way round to a 76  but no Scramble.  Weather quite settled this week and trying to get out later today. 

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 48 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	03/02/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club (kinglass)
Gross Score	76
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	12
Net Score to Par	4
Net Score	68
Net Birdies or better	2
Longest Drive	218
SIM Round?

Last round of the week.

Seems to be a common pattern emerging and I think it could be fitness. Start well, hit the 6th hole which is a real tough walk up hill, then go on the bogey trail for the next few holes and struggle to get my game back on the back 9. Today 1 over after 5, then 5 over at the turn to 12 over finish.

 

 

[Heel Hang Putters]

I'm struggling to find the spec but the hang is dependent on the neck

[Heel Hang Putters]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

 

What are you considering "heel hang"?   most putters are face balanced or have toe hang (toe drops toward the ground when balanced).  Heel hang is when the heel drops toward the ground.     The Sik Pro-C has about 45* toe hang.  

Heel Hang => If you balance the shaft on your finger the toe rises higher than the toe.

This is the spec, although I haven't tried it in the flesh

I'm away to check directly with SIK

[Heel Hang Putters]

I'm in the market for a heel hang putter anybody use one and would you recommend it.

I'm using a MacGregor MacTec that has the classic Odyssey No 7 head shape and find it a bit heavy. 

The SIK Pro C looks like the favorite at the moment

 

[The Good Morning Thread]

Talk about morning coffee and routine. I was up until 2 months ago a heavy coffee drinker with 12 to 14 teaspoons of instant coffee a day.

• Wake up and give my wife her breakfast in bed, 1st large mug of coffee (2 spoons of coffee)
• 10am next coffee  maybe decaf
• Sometimes another before lunch
• Another after lunch
• Another mid afternoon
• Then another after dinner.

Over the last year I had 2 gallstones removed and had gastric issues since July. I had stop taking dairy to try and get to the bottom of some of my issues. in January I was flying  early to Tenerife and left the house at 5am after my usual coffee. I started getting gastric chest pains mid-flight, deduced it had to be the coffee. Haven't touched it since and feel 100% better. 

I'm missing coffee but have replaced it with tea. Ted Lasso would be proud!

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 48 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	02/28/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	70
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	6
Net Score to Par	-2
Net Score	62
Net Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	285
SIM Round?

Another half decent round, 3rd since Saturday. Conditions not so good, stiff 20mph breeze and rain in the air. Struggled over the last few holes and body feeling it now but another positive. 

Think I'll watch the Football and treat myself to a good Malt.

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 48 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	02/26/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	76
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	12
Net Score to Par	4
Net Score	68
Net Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	269
SIM Round?

Going along nicely until the turn then the wheels fell off, 22 putts on the back 9, couple of penalties from wayward shots. But the sun was shining and no wind, what else can you ask for in February in Scotland.

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 47 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	02/24/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	69
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	5
Net Score to Par	-3
Net Score	61
Net Birdies or better	7
Longest Drive	267
SIM Round?

2nd round of the week, really good conditions.

Put my Arccos sensor back in my clubs because since my lay off I have no idea how far I'm hitting my irons.

Had 3 penalties in the round. 4th stupid decision going for the green on the par 5 and put the ball in a ditch. 7th over clubed and put my tee shot over the green in a bush, then 8th was a bit punitive: missed the green on the left and the ball ran down the hill  20 yds into gorse. But all in all happy

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 47 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	02/19/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	76
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	12
Net Score to Par	4
Net Score	68
Net Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	270
SIM Round?

2 rounds in 3 days for me Wow!

Score doesn't really reflect how well I thought I was playing. Pitching and chipping are usually a strong part of my game but today on a wet parkland course it let me down. On 14 (par 4) 70 yds short in 2 made triple. 15th similar story for a double. Also had 4 x 3 putts. But on the positive side it is another 18 holes on my comeback to fitness.

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 46 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	02/17/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	74
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	10
Net Score to Par	2
Net Score	66
Net Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	260
SIM Round?

Eventually managed 18 holes 74 nett 66. For a guy post July that was playing 4 rounds a week this is only my 6th full round since July and my last 4 rounds have been  2, 9, 14 and 13 holes. Happy with just making it round, couple of sloppy doubles and never holed a putt but physically made it round and felt good.  

[Back Golfing Well Sort off (Tenerife Golf Del Sur)]

6 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

Great to hear from you again!  It looks like you are swinging the club well and the course looks awesome!

Thanks, Hopefully not long until I'm back out doing 18. The hole this was filmed at was only playing 95yds. 1st day I put it right over the flag with a 52' wedge. In the wind it was a full 9i. 

 

[Back Golfing Well Sort off (Tenerife Golf Del Sur)]

For those of you that know me I have been struggling to play for the last 6 months due to being hospitalised a couple of times. Starting coincidentally as I sat in bed watching Brian Harman start his final round at The Open, falling asleep then waking up with my wife, neighbour, 2 paramedics and a bathroom full of vomit! Anyway flew out from the UK 2 weeks ago to Tenerife with 75'F and sun, great 2 weeks only played 3 rounds but feel I'm capable of getting back to it.   

With my fitness level being an issue decide to play only twilight golf giving you about 3 hours to get round. I usually walk with an electric trolley and  Amarilla Golf has no boundary fences so at the 13th and 16th you can just end there and go to my favourite bar and restaurant "The 19th Hole" which sits at the conjunction of the of these holes.

1st Round at Amarilla Golf finished +9 thru 13. I doubled the first which I always find a difficult hole, especially when it is windy and it was blowing about 35mph. You drive into a tight area which has a branca on the left with penalty area, waste land on the right side and pinching in the further  you go. Needless to say I ended up running out of fairway and into the waste area. By the time we got to the 11th I was getting pretty tired and my back was tight and sore, this wasn't helped by the guys in front holding us up all the way from the 8th. Came away quite happy, driving the ball quite well, distance no too bad and chipping and putting OK.

 2nd Round at Golf Del Sur was just a bit of a joke, the wind was gale force, less said the better. But again my ball striking was good but into the wind getting blown off your feet not so good.

3rd was back at Amarilla, with fitness now an issue and stiff back, buggy was in play  again very windy, got a bit frustrated when I turned up at my appointed tee time to see two gents teeing off the red tees in front (no starter) and hacking up the fairway at 50 yard duffs, double bogied the 1st again. On the 2nd waited for the guys in front to hack their way down and they disappeared over the hill, I stripped one right down the middle, fairway cambers to the right so expected to find my ball about 270yds down the fairway on the right. Came over the brow to see one of the guys hitting from where I expected to find my ball, not significant in itself , but after searching for 5 minutes and them finishing, they shouted my ball was by the green (330yd drive????). But it wasn't my ball, I can only assume they played the wrong ball. Anyway managed 14 holes this time and gave up with the sun setting and a queue of players waiting to play the short 15th.

Finally had a game of Pitch and Putt with my wife (not a golfer), she used my clubs. She went round in 39 blows for 8 holes which I thought was pretty good (9th was a bit of a mare), she actually wanted to play another 9.  

I've got a couple of videos and wil try and post them for those who are interested.

8th at Amarilla

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 38 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Still no score to post but managed to walk round 18 holes yesterday! Had 29 stableford points which equates to +14. Had 3 holes on front 8 which were no returns due to a lost ball, the first one at the 4th which was straight up the middle, lost sight of it and it must of plugged never to be found.  Very windy 45-50mph, 48'F with drizzle turning to sleet in places, the course is standing up well, unlike me. 

 

Merry Christmas Everyone

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 38 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

10 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

@Alf. S, get well soon!  I'll try send some of our Key West's weather over so you get a chance or two to get out before the new year!  

Nice picture.  Having spent too much time recovering from an illness, injury or other physical aliment, it's great to have someone there supporting you all the way!  Happy Holidays to both of you!

Another storm coming in today 80mph winds so I need the Key West weather. But I've got Tenerife in the Canaries to look forward to in 3 weeks, clubs booked, checked in yesterday raring to go.

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 38 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

I'm really struggling to post any scores at the moment. In and out of Hospital most of November, UK being battered by storms and course closed and when I do get out I struggle to complete. Saturday only managed 13, yesterday only 7. Saw this by Max Homa

So thought I would post a picture of my MVP from yesterday .

[Mizuno Golf Shoes]

Any got any experience with Mizuno golf shoes? Saw a pair of boa spikeless for sale at $50 and bought them, won't use them until on vacation in Jan. Seemingly they are entering the market the Pro was selling Gore-Tex version for under $100.

[SEASON 2 - WEEK 28 MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER WEEKLY VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR (VCT)]

Date	10/14/2023
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club (kinglass)
Gross Score	71
Course Handicap	8
Gross Strokes over/under par	7
Net Score to Par	-1
Net Score	63
Net Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	273