We had a new grip stand installed yesterday courtesy of Golf Pride which looks great in my opinion. This should jog your memory next time you are in the shop to get one of us to check your grips over to make sure you are set for the new season.

How often should I get my clubs re-gripped? 

The grip is one of the most important components in golf and the only part of the club that you actually touch.

Grips are made of materials that age and wear as a function of time and use. O-zone, heat, dirt and oils from your hands all age your grips and cause them to naturally degrade. The traction that a fresh grip provides allows you to hold the club lightly without the subconscious fear of losing the club during your swing. This relaxed state promotes proper swing mechanics and wrist action, while a worn grip causes you to grasp the club tighter, causing arm and wrist tension that inhibits proper swing mechanics and leads to a loss of power and control. 

A fresh set of grips is an inexpensive and fast way to bring a noticeable change to your game.


Can fresh grips really improve my game?

By themselves, fresh grips can only allow you to approach your potential as a golfer. They can't overcome a bad swing, or poor alignment, or any of the other faults that bedevil even the best golfers. But a national survey of golfers showed that 66% of those who had clubs re-gripped showed an average drop of three to four strokes per round!


Why do I need to regrip my clubs? 

As a rule of thumb, you should re-grip once every year, or every 40 rounds depending on which one comes first. Regardless of how often you play, ozone, heat, dirt and oils are constantly at work breaking down the materials that make up your grips. Granted, frequent play and personal preference may dictate re-gripping sooner, but with normal use there's enough degradation of the material after a year to warrant fresh grips. Keep in mind that grips lose a significant amount of their original feel long before they become hard and slick. Because it happens slowly over time, most golfers fail to notice it. That's important to remember because just a tiny, imperceptible slip at contact will be magnified to many yards by the time the ball reaches its target. Many people find that getting in the routine of re-gripping every Spring as the golf season "officially" begins is the easiest way to remember.

If you are interested in seeing if your grips need a fresh change, come and have a chat with a member of the pro shop team and we can help fit you for the perfect grip for YOUR game.


 

It was tight at the top on Saturday with countback employed to separate the top two in the Stableford played on the West. It was Gary Bowers who took the top spot from runner-up Richard Jones both having shot 40pts. Gary made a birdie down the last that that gave him 20pts on the back nine compared to Richard's 19pts, so it was a very close run thing. Chris Gaites took third place with 38pts and Malcolm Stonehill was 4th with 36pts.


 

The European Tour travels to the Middle East this week for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. It's the first of three straight tournaments in the Gulf States with the Qatar Masters and Dubai Desert Classic to follow. 

Although McIlroy and Spieth headline in Abu Dhabi this week, an extremely strong field has assembled to challenge the European and World Number 1's. Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer will fly the flag for Europe, while Rickie Fowler of the USA is also on the start sheet. 

Rory McIlroy makes his first European start in 2016 and Jordan Spieth comes into the tournament on the back of a dominant performance in the PGA Tour's Hyundai Tournament of Champions. 

In total there are eight Major champions in the field at Abu Dhabi Golf club, along with 87 former European Tour winners and five men who have reached Number 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking. 

First contested in 2006, this is an event that was dominated by two players in the tournament's early years - Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey. The Englishman won in 2007 and 2009 while the German has been the champion three times - 2008, 2010 and 2011. Last year Kaymer looked set to make it victory number four, carrying a sizeable lead into the final round. But he fell apart on the Sunday and closed with a 75. Frenchman Gary Stal took full advantage and claimed a one-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy. 

Designed by renowned desert course architect Peter Harradine, the course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club is long and challenging with plenty of water hazards to negotiate. Stretched now to 7,600 yards, it's a venue that suits the power hitters.


Player watch: 

There are obvious favourites this week as McIlroy and Spieth headline. Who might challenge them for the title? 

Martin Kaymer - He's a real Abu Dhabi specialist and will be keen to make amends for his collapse last year. He's won here three times and also has second and third place finishes to his name. 

Victor Dubuisson - The Frenchman was fourth in this event last year and he's on good form - tied fourth in the Nedbank last month and undefeated in the EurAsia Cup. 

Branden Grace - The South African's last four starts on the European Tour have been: 3rd, 8th, 4th and 4th. He's an extremely consistent player and has proved he has the game to challenge the very best.

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