Grips are an oversight for some golfers and a breaking point for others. Most know the big names in golf when it comes to grips: Golf Pride, SuperStroke and Winn, for example. But how many know about a company that offers a three-year guarantee on their grips?
That company is Star Grips and we had our members put their grips to the test. Star Grips also has another key feature that sets them apart. Their grips are purpose-built to be blown on with an air compressor. While the conventional method of grip installation can still be used, the Star Grips are built with a special compound of rubber that is more receptive to being blown on and does not lose its shape or integrity during the process.
The Testing Opportunity
We selected four golfers to install, test and review a full set of Star grips. Testers had their choice of color and grip options and received the air installation gun to test.
As a community, we wanted to know how these grips performed, how they felt and how durable they were.
The Installation Method
As mentioned, Star Grips has a unique installation and removal process that requires use of an air compressor. This method has benefits and drawbacks but, at its core, it’s a faster and cleaner method to install grips without having to deal with solvent and sticky double-sided tape.
Let’s find out how our testers made out.
LeakyValve: “The immediate draw to these grips is their installation method. Being able to install and uninstall with ease allows golfers to change the shape and feel of the grip to their liking. I was able to make all the grips feel exactly how I wanted. Not only in terms of taper, but size as well.”
Alf S.: “I am very proficient at using tape and solvent to regrip my clubs but with Star Grips pushing tapeless regripping and some pressure from my peer group at the club, I decided to get myself a compressor and use the installation gun provided. 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, the 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 re-grip the club.”
Feel
The feel of grips will always be critically important. It is the core connection point between the golfer and the club. The size, grip (tackiness) and firmness can play a huge role in performance. Some golfers prefer firmer or softer grips, along with individual preferences for the various compounds they are made of.
Star Grips offers four variations in a wide selection of colors. Our testers mainly focused on the Classic Wrap and Sidewinder 360* as they are the most popular models with Star Grips.
EugeGall: “The feel once installed was as I expected, nice and soft, but not too soft. I could give them a good swing straight away and for those who may worry about how secure they are, there was no issue here. The Tour Star being reduced taper was similar in the hands to any other Plus4 grip on initial take, as was the built-up Green Sidewinder. The Orange Sidewinder I fitted as is with the taper on my wedges and surprisingly it didn’t feel odd, even to the point my lower hand seemed stronger with more feel.”
Breakfastball15: “One thing that I noticed right after installing was there was a lot of taper to these grips. A few layers of build-up tape on the bottom hand quickly fixed this issue. I will also add that these grips are very tacky but in a good way. These grips want to be held, with or without a glove. I didn’t hit a lot of shots without a glove out of habit, but I noticed no slipping or stinging at all, it almost felt like I was still wearing a glove.”
Performance
So far throughout the review process, the Star grips have been praised for a smooth installation process and good feel (even if some adaptations need to be made with more bottom hand wraps). However, the key is how they perform and, ultimately, how they affect performance on the golf course.
LeakyValve: “I didn’t have issues on the course but more so annoyances. Since these grips are so tacky and sticky they are very prone to collecting dust and dry grass and even little bits of lint in the bottom of your bag.”
Alf S.: “I had a couple of rounds where it was either drizzling or showers and the grips and my bag had water ingress. In the first round, Initially just drying the grips was sufficient to maintain 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.”
Taper Issue?
EugeGall: “I’ve had these on my clubs for about 6 weeks so close to 20 rounds and these Star Grips have not let me down. Yes, it’s only a grip, but they are the only thing you touch on a club and I’m super confident that my grip is secure. The only downside if I’m being harsh is I feel the reduced taper on the Tour Star is a little too much, quite fat for my smaller hands and yes that is more me than the grip, but I don’t notice this on the Sidewinders with 4 layers on the lower section. This I thought would be similar to my previous trials on the Tour Velvet before the Plus4 was available.
Testers praised the grips for their tackiness and grip, even if this did mean some extra cleaning as they could be prone to attracting dust. It was also a common theme among the testers to add additional wraps to the bottom hand in order to get the feeling to their preferred style or compensate for the natural taper of the Star Grips.
The testers completed a full gauntlet of rounds over the course of testing so how did they rate the grips when all was said and done? More importantly will they be making the Star Grips their go-to grip moving forward?
Final Reviews and Ratings
All the testers have made Star Grips their grip of choice moving forward. They cited the easy installation, grip and durability as keys to their decision.
Out of 100, the Star Grips received two 93s, 95 and 97. Color choices and the ability to easily change or add additional wraps was an additional plus for our testers.
Closing Quotes:
EugeGall: “If you are in the market for new grips and you want to brighten up your bag and don’t want to pay premium dollar; want a grip that’s super soft, but not squidgy plus super tacky and sick of the smell of solvent, move to the tapeless install of the Star Grip. The decision is a no-brainer and breathe fresh air into your grip of choice.”
Alf S.: “Star Grips Sidewinder 360° single compound grips are a serious competitor to the market leaders in the golf grip market. It is hard to fault these grips and no matter what level of golfer, if you are in the market for a rubber blend compound grip then it is worth looking at Star Grips.”
LeakyValve: “A multitude of colors. An install tool included with a full set purchase (subject to changes) and excellent customer service make Star Grips a definite choice to explore for your next set of grips. Buyer beware, the tackiness of these grips might not be for all, and they may be prone to picking up bits of dust and hair from your bag and trunk. A quick water wash will get them back to playing conditions in a snap!”
BreakfastBall15: “Outstanding feel and effortless install. I am very happy with these grips and they won’t be leaving my clubs any time soon.”
Full Reviews
Want to see our testers’ full reviews including more photos, videos of install and more? Check them out here!
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