Pro blows it trying to grip putter - whose risk of loss?

Re-bagged an old putter, regripped it, but a week or so later decided I needed some additional length. Take the putter in where I got the grip (public course where I've been a patron for 25+ years), I've worked with the tech there before, and he uses the grip removal tool so that the grip comes off easily. He glues on an extension and said to come back the next day to put the grip back on in order to let the epoxy cure. I come back next day, tech not there, so the head pro at the shop installs the grip. It was already taped and ready to slide the grip on. I go to the range for about an hour to let the grip to set, but when I go to the green to putt, I notice that the grip was either not put on all the way, or there was an air bubble that caused the grip to recede - the grip was not installed correctly and was not all the way on.

I take it in, the pro isn't there, but another guy in the shop says "no problem." But instead of using the tool to remove the grip with a little solvent, or blowing it off, he takes a knife and slices it off and puts a new one on. He tells me to take the packaging and the sliced grip to the register for an exchange. By this time, the pro who installed it is back and he's on the register. He hands me a bill for $25 for the grip. I thought he was kidding. He wasn't. He said they don't give grips away, and I asked why, then, would they destroy a customer's grip that was perfectly fine and could have and should have been salvaged and re-installed because the installation was improper.

In front of others, the pro says, "you need to leave - you're not welcome here - and xyz course doesn't need your business..." I thought, well, maybe next time I would need to take my repairs to a place where they have competent pros who know how to put a grip on properly. After so many years, having purchased everything from irons, woods, balls, shoes, carts, and every sort of accessory imaginable, and an excellent rapport I otherwise have with all of the shop employees, I was not amused.

The general question is: If a club repair place doesn't install a grip correctly, is it the customer's responsibility to pay for a replacement when, instead of removing and reinstalling the perfectly fine grip, they slice it off and put a new one on?

You don't pay for incompetence. They have to eat it. You're better off without those bums.

That pro is a jackwagon

> @cardoustie said:

> That pro is a jackwagon

Yeah...figured. I'm a nice guy, I recognize the difficulties of their job...during the holidays last year, I even gave the asst pro a bottle of wine, so it's not like I'm a difficult customer or anything, but even still, if I was a difficult customer, they blew the install and no way should charge me for a new grip that they cut off.

> @cardoustie said:

> That pro is a jackwagon

That is the jist of it. Sadly it's a hard/thankless job at a lot of public courses, especially in the bay area/northern California. Courses are closing at a pretty alarming rate

They took the job so they should finish it, properly. How much were you charged for the grip un-installation, shaft-extension, grip re-installation?

> @LeoLeo99 said:

> You don't pay for incompetence. They have to eat it. You're better off without those bums.

This. Even if you were a first time customer, they should not have treated you like that.

He's definitely a pro at something . . . but not at being a pro.

I recently had three different employees at a local shop put a grip on (over the course of two weeks) that got loose within the first couple swings each time. Everytime there was no question they were going to try to fix it for free. Luckily the 4th time they cut the grip off and put a new one on that didn't seem to have the problem.

If somebody acts like this, regardless of their capacity, there must be something wrong with them. I do wonder how they tell this story, though.

> @GoIrish17 said:

> If somebody acts like this, regardless of their capacity, there must be something wrong with them. I do wonder how they tell this story, though.

Yeah I always wonder how the other side sees things.

Where was this? Course initials are HO?

I feel like we're missing part of the story

> @GoIrish17 said:

> If somebody acts like this, regardless of their capacity, there must be something wrong with them. I do wonder how they tell this story, though.

Well - we can imagine. The common denominator for incidents not unlike this instance is the guy behind the counter.

> @alexdub said:

> I feel like we're missing part of the story

Which part? The pro who said they won’t replace a “used” grip? The one I got there a week ago that was easily removed but they chose to slice it off?

No - that’s the story. Been a patron and customer for a long time, I treat the people there very well - I have lots of friends in the “industry” and I’m not insensitive to the circumstances.

> @thed0n said:

> Where was this? Course initials are HO?

Hah! AH

> @Fade said:

> They took the job so they should finish it, properly. How much were you charged for the grip un-installation, shaft-extension, grip re-installation?

$15

> @Fade said:

> They took the job so they should finish it, properly. How much were you charged for the grip un-installation, shaft-extension, grip re-installation?

And that’s after $27 for the grip plus $5 to install initially. Then $15 for the extra work. And they wanted another $27.

As mentioned, the guy who cut it off was the one who said to take the packaging to do the exchange for inventory purposes...

Hey man, I wasn’t trying to point fingers or call dirty pool. I’m just honestly curious what would motivate someone to act totally irrationally (like this pro apparently acted - no argument on that). There’s either a totally logical reason for this person to act this way, or there isn’t... and I really don’t doubt it’s because he’s unhinged. I just always wonder if there isn’t some other reason that isn’t being conveniently left out. I mean, it’s not crazy talk to suggest that someone posting a negative experience here may wish to color opinion in their favor. I just wish, if it were a case of “crazy pro”, that we could get a look behind the curtain of their craziness, and get to read why they acted like a child.

His story is that I tried to rip off the store for a new grip because the one they sliced off wasn’t new. It was a week or so old. But no matter what, it was removed without damage, and could be again. The part he overlooks includes that the grip could have and should have been removed and salvaged and reinstalled rather than cut off, and that it was his faulty installation that was the problem.

Like I say - I thought he was kidding...

> @lanzador49 said:

> His story is that I tried to rip off the store for a new grip because the one they sliced off wasn’t new. It was a week or so old. But no matter what, it was removed without damage, and could be again. The part he overlooks includes that the grip could have and should have been removed and salvaged and reinstalled rather than cut off, and that it was his faulty installation that was the problem.

>

> Like I say - I thought he was kidding...

Man that is awkward since this seems like your go to course

And the guy even said you’re not welcome there anymore.

You looking for another course now? I don’t know what your options are but I’d have a hard time playing there if he’s the head pro

It’s a public course so his “edict” really has no weight; yet, it is awkward every time I see the guy. I haven’t been asked to leave but there is always an uncomfortable sneer and glare. That I am compelled to share the story shows that the situation is just not something that rolled off my back even though I have thick skin. It’s just the point of it all...

What if I brought in an expensive shaft to have an adapter put on and they hack it up, burn the tip, and ruin the shaft, for example? I would say that the shop that screwed it up should pay; by the logic of the pro at this place, it’s my risk of loss for trusting them to do the work and I’m the bad guy for thinking they should cover the damage.

Anyway - I just wanted to get some input to see if the standard would be that the customer would bear the risk of loss when the shop ruined the customer’s equipment...or whether the shop should stand behind their work.

Maybe I missed it but what grip is $27? If it was a Super Stroke, those are a pain in the ass to try and save. In some cases, like the counter balanced models, it is nearly impossible because the weight plug doesn’t allow using air removal. I’ve had luck using the V-channel tool from Golf Works but even that can damage the foam underlayment. Because of all of this, many places have a no saving grips policy.

> @dxdgenert said:

> Maybe I missed it but what grip is $27? If it was a Super Stroke, those are a pain in the **** to try and save. In some cases, like the counter balanced models, it is nearly impossible because the weight plug doesn’t allow using air removal. I’ve had luck using the V-channel tool from Golf Works but even that can damage the foam underlayment. Because of all of this, many places have a no saving grips policy.

Golf Pride SNSR. Maybe less online, but that's what they charge there. Same price at GolfWorks. Piece of cake to take off...no foam underlayment, made of a pretty soft and resilient rubber. Plus - whatever the policy may have been, the shop did remove it completely intact without any damage, then added the length. Then they reinstalled it improperly - should have aspirated the air pocket at the end. Instead of removing it with the tool (within an hour of installing it...), they didn't even try, and just sliced it off.

It's not as if they tried to get it off and it broke or busted or split...it was off, it was undamaged, and they didn't try to remove - they just cut it off after they installed it improperly. That's the problem...

(FWIW, I've safely removed superstrokes myself with a wire hanger and paint thinner...no big deal - I let the shop do all the work on this because the tech is pretty good at setting grips square and I didn't want to have to think about the grip on my putter and wondering if it's square or not and trusted them to do it.)

I’ve been there. Years ago before I did my own grips I took 3-pw to Golfsmith for new grips. All of my clubs had MCC+4’s on them - I asked them to save all the grips and put on Tour Velvets. I left for an hour and when I came back all they had was my regripped clubs. They had cut off $90 worth of grips. It took 30 minutes and 4 employees to get them to make it right. People have admitting mistakes, especially when admitting it will cost them money.

Some advice though - get a grip removal tool, a giant bottle of Odorless Mineral Spirits, a roll of grip tape, and save yourself a lot of time and money.

> @WidespreadPanic said:

> Some advice though - get a grip removal tool, a giant bottle of Odorless Mineral Spirits, a roll of grip tape, and save yourself a lot of time and money.

Lesson learned.

> @alexdub said:

> I feel like we're missing part of the story

I felt the same after reading this.

> @WidespreadPanic said:

> Some advice though - get a grip removal tool, a giant bottle of Odorless Mineral Spirits, a roll of grip tape, and save yourself a lot of time and money.

I would say skip the grip tape, get painters tape and a small air compressor instead =)

> @Krt22 said:

> > @WidespreadPanic said:

> > Some advice though - get a grip removal tool, a giant bottle of Odorless Mineral Spirits, a roll of grip tape, and save yourself a lot of time and money.

>

> I would say skip the grip tape, get painters tape and a small air compressor instead =)

Here we go: the ole grip tape vs air debate ?

I do both and don’t notice a difference either way.