What’s up with the extra tape?
Some golfers use additional layers of tape under their golf grips to modify the grip's thickness or feel. There are different ways of doing this, and it’s important to understand the relationship between feel and performance, particularly with this subject. Today with some help from our sponsor SuperStroke we’ll dive in to dispel some of the myths around building up with extra grip tape, and give a few tips as to why it might be something to try for your game.
Personal Preference
Understanding that your personal preferences in selecting the grip tape set-up that you use for your clubs is as important as any performance characteristic that may or may not come as a result of the set-up is a critical piece of rationale that will help you understand better how to experiment with your grip tape on your own.
Reasons To Use Extra Tape:
1.) Grip Size Adjustment
Golfers have different hand sizes and preferences when it comes to grip thickness. By adding extra layers of tape, golfers can customize the grip's size to better suit their hands. Most of the time, this comes into play with golfer’s who may be between grip sizes. For example, somebody who thinks the S-Tech Standard is too small but the S-Tech Midsize is too big, may benefit from adding a couple additional layers of tape under their grips.
2.) Swing Adjustment
The thickness of the grip can influence the golfer's swing dynamics. Adding or removing tape layers can slightly alter the feel of the club, which may impact the golfer's swing tempo, release, or overall shot pattern. Some players experiment with different grip thicknesses to fine-tune their swing mechanics and achieve their desired ball flight.
3.) Feel and Feedback
The number of tape layers can affect the feel and feedback transmitted through the grip. More layers of tape can mildly dampen vibrations and provide a softer feel, while a single layer of tape may offer a more direct connection to the club head. Golfers who prefer a specific level of feedback or desire a certain sensation during impact may choose to modify the grip thickness accordingly.
If you're considering adding extra tape layers to your grips, we’d suggest starting with a single wedge and seeing how the experiment progresses. Learn how to save you grips as well, which you can read about here, so you aren’t having to cut off grips and buy fresh ones every time you want to experiment a little bit with your equipment!
Thanks to our sponsors at SuperStroke USA for providing us with the grips you saw in today’s demonstrations. For more information about the entire lineup of SuperStroke products visit their website at superstrokeusa.com
