Star Grips - 2024 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

4 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

It is so bright!  Haha. I don't try plenty, but I try a bunch.  Grips were ready to swap out and I hate the mess of normal grips.  These were easy and with a 3 year warranty. Hard to pass up. 

I am doing my best not to sway any opinions, but I am really impressed by these. 

[Josh Parker]

1 minute ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I am doing my best not to sway any opinions, but I am really impressed by these. 

I have 2 rounds with them and have liked them alot. 

[jbern]

@EugeGall & @LeakyValve - great unboxing posts and details so far! Very cool that it came with a personalized letter and I love that they come with the pistol air gun installation tool! Keep up the great work everyone!

[LeakyValve]

Did some brief testing today on getting grips on and off. And played around with some painters tape. Interesting results. 
 

spent a few hours last night getting all my old grips off. Cut off everything and my thumbs are a bit raw from peeling tape off. Really excited to get the grips on and ready for testing

[Shrek74]

Are any of the testers doing to be doing a less taper installation - more tape built up for the lower hand? That's how I'd want them so curious to see if anyone is going to do that and their results.

[LeakyValve]

@Shrek74 yes!!!

[GolfSpy_APH]

7 minutes ago, Shrek74 said:

Are any of the testers doing to be doing a less taper installation - more tape built up for the lower hand? That's how I'd want them so curious to see if anyone is going to do that and their results.

I did this with mine and it was stupid easy. Truly almost too easy. Was thrilled with how they are so far. 

[johngschulz]

36 minutes ago, Shrek74 said:

Are any of the testers doing to be doing a less taper installation - more tape built up for the lower hand? That's how I'd want them so curious to see if anyone is going to do that and their results.

I did this with my Pure grips as well and it turned out great for me too. Put LT on the old Hogan irons I cleaned up. I’ll be doing the same on my gamers when I get to re-gripping them with the neon blue DTX version I’ve been waiting to use!

[LeakyValve]

@GolfSpy_APH did you just use 2inch painters tape?

[EugeGall]

The Fitting/Install

So I dug out the old compressor and just to show when I last used air to fit grips it still had the Aussie plug fitted - I moved back to the UK 2012.

Anyway it fired up a breeze. Now in my previous post(s) I did say I was going to blow the old grips off, well to cut a long story short I didn't. Couldn't find the pipe, and to be honest I'm glad I didn't try as even cutting them off was a bit of a pain as they were stuck on there like a leach sucking away for blood. Heat gun blast to each club and the tape removed easily. Ok I'll add, I chickened out to blow them off!!

For the Driver/Woods the Blue Tour Star went on with 1 layer of tape (to be honest I'm not sure why I did this). These grips already have reduced taper.

For the Irons the Green Sidewinder I used build up tape to mimic the MCC Plus4 - starting at the lower end of the grip I put on a 2" piece, followed by a 3" piece, followed by a 4" piece and finally a full length piece all layered. This builds up the lower section of the grip.

For the Wedges the Orange Sidewinder went straight on with no tape.

Including the tape build up this all took about 30-40 minutes. With the air it was a "breeze" to do. Why did I ever go back to tape and solvent. I'm already saying this method is staying.

 I have to say they look 'sic' as my daughters would say.

Close up of the Tour Star vs Sidewinder shows the build up tape does look similar in size between the two.

 

This is more noticeable when I compare the 2 Sidewinder grips. The green (reduced taper) felt normal as that's what I'm used to, although the standard setup of the orange grip didn't feel too alien. The proof will be in the pudding when I test in game/practice mode.

 

You can easily see the taper. Also for those who asked the Shot Scope tags all fitted as expected.

If anyone is in doubt (and yes swinging the clubs in anger will be the acid test) I pulled, I pushed and I twisted these grips and nothing could move them. One thing I really liked when on the clubs with a few practice swings (no glove) the tacky properties jumped out - I reckon I could have let go and they would still be stuck to my fingers. Very soft in the hands I must add, with a good tactile feedback.

Range session hopefully later this evening to see how they perform - "I have to work late today" might just have to be the call to her that must be obeyed.

Oh almost forgot the Green/Orange Sidewinders do look "very" cool on the clubs. These things are bright, especially the orange, they almost glow in the dark. 

Keep you all posted.

[BallsLeon]

15 minutes ago, EugeGall said:

[...]

If anyone is in doubt (and yes swinging the clubs in anger will be the acid test) I pulled, I pushed and I twisted these grips and nothing could move them. One thing I really liked when on the clubs with a few practice swings (no glove) the tacky properties jumped out - I reckon I could have let go and they would still be stuck to my fingers. Very soft in the hands I must add, with a good tactile feedback.

[...]

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! These sound very promising for the non-glove wearers out there.

[BreakfastBall15]

Just got confirmation mine have been delivered! Now patiently waiting till I get off work...

[LeakyValve]

@EugeGall did your tape go all the way down to the end of the grip? 
 

I found when I tried some test wraps I left the tape a half inch short from being full length and could twist it a bit. Could have been from a multitude of the things.

I'm going to get 2 inch blue painters tape for the full install 

[EugeGall]

14 minutes ago, LeakyValve said:

@EugeGall did your tape go all the way down to the end of the grip? 
 

I found when I tried some test wraps I left the tape a half inch short from being full length and could twist it a bit. Could have been from a multitude of the things.

I'm going to get 2 inch blue painters tape for the full install 

@LeakyValve Using 2" wide tape starting at the bottom open end of the grip I put on 1x 2" painters tape, next over the top of this I added 1x 3" painters tape, next over the top of this I added 1x 4" painters tape. Lastly over this I add 1x full length painters tape. The first 3 layers are to build up the reduced taper gradually with the last piece to cover it all the way to the butt end. No slippage or twisting noticeable. This is how I always used build up tape just for a lower half install.

It could be if you put the tape on all at the same length you get a slight ridge where it ends and meets the shaft so possibly there could be a bit of the inside of the grip not in contact with anything, plus you would feel the ridge if too pronounced (too many layers).

Hope this helps.

Edited March 18 by EugeGall

[LeakyValve]

@EugeGall I probably had a ridge somewhere down the shaft. I’ll make sure to be careful with the wraps 

[Prodigal Duffer]

@EugeGall what size did you order? For those clubs that you used tape to layer, do you do so with the same size on your gamer grips?

[EugeGall]

8 minutes ago, Prodigal Duffer said:

@EugeGall what size did you order? For those clubs that you used tape to layer, do you do so with the same size on your gamer grips?

@Prodigal Duffer All grips ordered were standard and the same size as my gamers. Only difference all my gamers were Plus4 to start with. 

[BreakfastBall15]

Have mine in hand and I’ll have my first impressions up later but y’all weren’t kidding about the orange… does not disappoint. Honestly shocked Rickie Fowler wasn’t using these when he was dressing like a human highlighter

[GolfSpy_APH]

18 hours ago, LeakyValve said:

@GolfSpy_APH did you just use 2inch painters tape?

I just used masking taping. Plain and simple!

[Rob Person]

I'd love to see how building up a grip lower to reverse the taper is done. Also what its benefits/drawbacks are. Is it Harder to install?

[EugeGall]

13 minutes ago, Rob Person said:

I'd love to see how building up a grip lower to reverse the taper is done. Also what its benefits/drawbacks are. Is it Harder to install?

Build as per my previous post - for me it makes my lower hand less active more neutral between both. Just as easy to install.

[BreakfastBall15]

First impression is up! I'm really trying to look past the fact the air gun wasn't in the shipment but it's a huge reasoning for the low first impression score compared to the others. I felt that taking off anymore than 3 points for it was too much but any less wasn't enough. Had that been included, the score would have easily been a 9/10

[jbern]

21 hours ago, LeakyValve said:

@GolfSpy_APH did you just use 2inch painters tape?

The thought is that painters tape is not quite as sicky as regular masking tape (so it doesn't pull paint off the wall). I used painters tape on several clubs last year because I ran out of masking tape and I can't tell a difference. So, IMO, use masking tape if you have it, but painters tape will work.

[BreakfastBall15]

56 minutes ago, Rob Person said:

I'd love to see how building up a grip lower to reverse the taper is done. Also what its benefits/drawbacks are. Is it Harder to install?

I am going to be doing a similar process to @EugeGall. I am going to do some without buildup tape and some with to test feel and adjust as needed. Does not seem like it would be any harder to install that way

[jbern]

1 hour ago, Rob Person said:

I'd love to see how building up a grip lower to reverse the taper is done. Also what its benefits/drawbacks are. Is it Harder to install?

When I've built up the lower end up the grip to reduce taper, I basically add two layers of tape to just the bottom half of the grip area and then a piece of tape along the whole grip area (double sided if using solvent or masking tape if using air). You can use more or less tape depending on your preference. 

I don't think I would recommend trying to add enough tape to "reverse" the taper of the grip, but I've never tried it.

[LeakyValve]

@BreakfastBall15 I legit had to do a double/triple take of your Syracuse picture because I didn’t see the grips along side the blue ones. That’s a wicked match!!

[LeakyValve]

@jbern just so I’ve go this right. 2 smaller pieces on the bottom part of the shaft, then one long one to seal it all up??  
 

it’s interesting seeing all the different ways people use tape to build. 

[LeakyValve]

Quick update for install. I’ll be doing it tomorrow with kiddo out of the house. Going to go through a full grip removal and install without the use of tape. As well as show the process for taping and installing and twist testing. If there’s anything else anyone wants to see done let me know!

[BreakfastBall15]

1 minute ago, LeakyValve said:

@BreakfastBall15 I legit had to do a double/triple take of your Syracuse picture because I didn’t see the grips along side the blue ones. That’s a wicked match!!

I am VERY please with the orange. I will say they they are wayyyy brighter than the shirt, they just don't photograph well enough for the pictures to do them justice. In hindsight I probably should have used a navy or gray shirt, but I'm also not mad about it.

[jbern]

7 minutes ago, LeakyValve said:

@jbern just so I’ve go this right. 2 smaller pieces on the bottom part of the shaft, then one long one to seal it all up??  
 

it’s interesting seeing all the different ways people use tape to build. 

Yes, I use 2 pieces (you can use however many you prefer) about 5" long and then one piece the length of the grip. If doing a solvent install, you want the double sided piece to be on the top, so that's why I do the long piece last. If doing an air install, I don't think it would really matter, so it's just habit.