How to Maintain Leather Golf Club Grips

Golf is a sport of inches. An inch means the difference between a birdie and par or par and a bogey. Many people focus their improvement efforts on their golf balls or swing. An often overlooked, yet vital aspect of the game, is the golf club grip. A well-maintained leather golf club grip can make the difference between a happy ending and a nightmare. Maintaining your leather golf club grips is not a difficult task, but it does take perseverance.

Things You'll Need

• Leather soap or conditioner
• Olive oil
• High-quality leather golfing gloves

Instructions

1. Examine your grips thoroughly. Manufacturers make mistakes, so whether your clubs are brand new or used, check them over with a fine-toothed comb. Look for micro-tears, abrasions and cracks.

2. Wear only high-quality leather golf gloves. Your grips last much longer if you hold them with another leather item rather than with your bare hands. Friction causes heat and heat causes materials to break down over time. Leather gloves reduce the friction in contact with your grips.

3. Clean your grips after every use. Use a high-quality leather cleaner or saddle soap on your grips. Follow the manufacturer's recommended products. They know what works best on their equipment.

4. Coat your grips with olive oil after every other use. Olive oil maintains the suppleness of the leather, while also giving your grips a tackier feel in your hands, thus preventing slips.

5. Store your clubs out of direct sunlight, heat and carbon dioxide. These elements break down the leather grips very rapidly. Store your clubs in a cool, dry area.