How much is grip installation at Dick's, GG, and GS?

[DataGolfer]

I need to go get new grips before the season starts, and I've narrowed it down to these three places.

 

I don't have the time or tools to do it myself, and I don't know of a good local shop to have it done.

 

Dick's and GG don't have prices online, and GS says $2.99, but perhaps that is different than with the purchase of a full set of grips?

[FourWiggle]

In my opinion it's too much!! I had a (one) club re gripped a couple of years ago on my way to a tournament because I was out of grips. One GolfPride VDR and installation with tax was $17.50. And I had already pulled my old grip and prepped the shaft. Extortion was the best adjective for that transaction. They should offer that for free, as a service, when you purchase the grip from them.

I have personally boycotted Dicks due the massive layoff of PGA professionals whom they used an affiliation with to garner equipment contracts and for experiences like the one stated above...

[Kelco]

I'm not sure why you think that putting grips on should be free. If these places are going to have someone spend the time to put your grip on, then they have to build that cost in somewhere. When you purchase the grip, you have just paid the mark-up on the grip, just like you pay the mark-up on any other retail product you buy. Now if you want to have someone put the grips on, well, that's a service that you have to pay for.

I would be curious how long it takes even the most experienced person to put on a set of grips. People seem to think that it's about 20 seconds because that's how long it takes to blow on a grip. But if you're actually doing this as a service, you have to
- take the club out of the bag
- put it in the vise (note you're about at the 20 second estimate already by this point)
- cut the grip off
- take the old tape off (unless it is in pristine condition)
- wipe down the shaft
- put the new tape on (add time here if there is any kind of build up expected, particularly if it is something special like building up the lower hand)
- blow the grip on and align it (or, even more time consuming, use mineral spirits and then clean up)
- check the grip and give it a quick wipe
- put the club back in the bag (yes, you have to include this time)

Now, sure, if you did this trying to break some kind of speed record, you could probably do this all in a couple of minutes. But seeing that this is a person just doing his/her daily job, this process probably takes about 4-5 minutes, assuming everything goes smoothly. 5 minutes x 10 irons = 50 minutes (65 minutes if you want your woods done too). So, let's say 45 minutes to an hour for a full set. How much do you think an hour of a professional's time is worth?

I realize that there are some shortcuts and that sometimes it is possible to blow the grips off. And some people don't even add tape. But a couple of years back, before I was doing this kind of stuff myself, I had a young guy replace three grips for me at a range. He worked pretty quickly, and it was still more than 10 minutes from beginning to end, and he didn't even do any taping.

Admittedly, if you did all the prep work as FourWiggle did, then, yes, the price should reflect that. But there ain't no room for "free" in business. If you expect it for "free," then expect that the price of the grip will have the installation service cost built into it. I would rather pay for the two separately, then I have the choice of having them install the grip, or installing it myself.

[DataGolfer]

[quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425626915' post='11088577']
I'm not sure why you think that putting grips on should be free. If these places are going to have someone spend the time to put your grip on, then they have to build that cost in somewhere. When you purchase the grip, you have just paid the mark-up on the grip, just like you pay the mark-up on any other retail product you buy. Now if you want to have someone put the grips on, well, that's a service that you have to pay for.

I would be curious how long it takes even the most experienced person to put on a set of grips. People seem to think that it's about 20 seconds because that's how long it takes to blow on a grip. But if you're actually doing this as a service, you have to
- take the club out of the bag
- put it in the vise (note you're about at the 20 second estimate already by this point)
- cut the grip off
- take the old tape off (unless it is in pristine condition)
- wipe down the shaft
- put the new tape on (add time here if there is any kind of build up expected, particularly if it is something special like building up the lower hand)
- blow the grip on and align it (or, even more time consuming, use mineral spirits and then clean up)
- check the grip and give it a quick wipe
- put the club back in the bag (yes, you have to include this time)

Now, sure, if you did this trying to break some kind of speed record, you could probably do this all in a couple of minutes. But seeing that this is a person just doing his/her daily job, this process probably takes about 4-5 minutes, assuming everything goes smoothly. 5 minutes x 10 irons = 50 minutes (65 minutes if you want your woods done too). So, let's say 45 minutes to an hour for a full set. How much do you think an hour of a professional's time is worth?

I realize that there are some shortcuts and that sometimes it is possible to blow the grips off. And some people don't even add tape. But a couple of years back, before I was doing this kind of stuff myself, I had a young guy replace three grips for me at a range. He worked pretty quickly, and it was still more than 10 minutes from beginning to end, and he didn't even do any taping.

Admittedly, if you did all the prep work as FourWiggle did, then, yes, the price should reflect that. But there ain't no room for "free" in business. If you expect it for "free," then expect that the price of the grip will have the installation service cost built into it. I would rather pay for the two separately, then I have the choice of having them install the grip, or installing it myself.
[/quote]

Never said anything about free, just not looking to spend $40 dollars on top of over $130 in grips

[Rhythm&TempoRenzo]

[quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425626915' post='11088577']
I'm not sure why you think that putting grips on should be free. If these places are going to have someone spend the time to put your grip on, then they have to build that cost in somewhere. When you purchase the grip, you have just paid the mark-up on the grip, just like you pay the mark-up on any other retail product you buy. Now if you want to have someone put the grips on, well, that's a service that you have to pay for.

I would be curious how long it takes even the most experienced person to put on a set of grips. People seem to think that it's about 20 seconds because that's how long it takes to blow on a grip. But if you're actually doing this as a service, you have to
- take the club out of the bag
- put it in the vise (note you're about at the 20 second estimate already by this point)
- cut the grip off
- take the old tape off (unless it is in pristine condition)
- wipe down the shaft
- put the new tape on (add time here if there is any kind of build up expected, particularly if it is something special like building up the lower hand)
- blow the grip on and align it (or, even more time consuming, use mineral spirits and then clean up)
- check the grip and give it a quick wipe
- put the club back in the bag (yes, you have to include this time)

Now, sure, if you did this trying to break some kind of speed record, you could probably do this all in a couple of minutes. But seeing that this is a person just doing his/her daily job, this process probably takes about 4-5 minutes, assuming everything goes smoothly. 5 minutes x 10 irons = 50 minutes (65 minutes if you want your woods done too). So, let's say 45 minutes to an hour for a full set. How much do you think an hour of a professional's time is worth?

I realize that there are some shortcuts and that sometimes it is possible to blow the grips off. And some people don't even add tape. But a couple of years back, before I was doing this kind of stuff myself, I had a young guy replace three grips for me at a range. He worked pretty quickly, and it was still more than 10 minutes from beginning to end, and he didn't even do any taping.

Admittedly, if you did all the prep work as FourWiggle did, then, yes, the price should reflect that. But there ain't no room for "free" in business. If you expect it for "free," then expect that the price of the grip will have the installation service cost built into it. I would rather pay for the two separately, then I have the choice of having them install the grip, or installing it myself.
[/quote]

I wholeheartedly agree. At least twice a year my local Pro Shop has a "Regrip Special" where if you buy the grip in-house, they'll install it for free (if its a standard install - nothing special) Due to multiple surgeries, injuries and arthritis, my grips require more than a few extra wraps of tape strategically placed to allow me the ability to hang on to the club. My local Pro Shop has all this info on file so that every grip I have done feels exactly like the rest of my set. Now even taking all of this into consideration, I've never been charged $17.00 for installation onto a prepped shaft (that might be a bit much - unless it was an overpriced $15.00 grip) but still - I'd rather pay a little more for good knowledgeable repeatable service and the security of knowing that the job was done right. Just my two cents...

[Hack1]

I just had a grip swap on my Scotty Cameron Pro Platinum Del Mar 3 @ Golf Smith.
So to remove old grip and install my Pistolero grip (I bought directly from Scotty) it was $.98.

I called ahead and inquired and they said $.98 a club. Their main site says $2.99 a club.



http://www.golfsmith.com/cm/display?page=cm_lp_cm_services

[erock9174]

Galaxy and Dicks charge $2.99 per grip unless they are running a special.
My grip of choice back in the day was a tour velvet. My bill always came to $8 and some change whenever if pick up a new club to try. . $5 for the grip and $2.99 install).

[avgjoe]

call them?

[Hot Rod 71]

Anyone who has experience with removing grips and old tape from 8 or more shafts in one sitting will tell you that $2-$3 per grip is reasonable.

I use a heat gun for old tape and most of the time it isn't too much trouble, and its more time consuming than anything. But sometimes its just a huge pain in the a$$.

[Graymulligan]

I cut my old grips off with a utility knife, add a new piece of tape over the old tape, put some solvent into the grip, swish it around and then pour it on the tape, and slide the grip on. It's literally about as complicated as putting legos together. I've done probbaly a couple hundred grips over the years, and it's never an issue.

[robrey85]

I go to Las Vegas Golf & Tennis and find it's cheaper than going to GG. GG is grip + labor = total cost. G&T is a grip = total cost. We just got a GS in LV so I don't know what they charge because I've only been there once. Never gone to Dicks for a grip change either.

[Hammy1808]

I guess I'll consider myself lucky that we have a local shop that will do the install at no charge if you're a rewards club member. Membership is free and you earn points to use on anything in store, so it only makes sense to sign up for this. On top of the free install if you're a member you get $1 off every grip....

[HawkeyeDan]

I think $1 per club is reasonable. $3 per club is not. Just my opinion. I would look into a smaller shop first, if for anything to support a local business instead of a chain. Just my opinion.

[govols]

[quote name='golfman1023' timestamp='1425629218' post='11088631'][quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425626915' post='11088577']
I'm not sure why you think that putting grips on should be free. If these places are going to have someone spend the time to put your grip on, then they have to build that cost in somewhere. When you purchase the grip, you have just paid the mark-up on the grip, just like you pay the mark-up on any other retail product you buy. Now if you want to have someone put the grips on, well, that's a service that you have to pay for.

I would be curious how long it takes even the most experienced person to put on a set of grips. People seem to think that it's about 20 seconds because that's how long it takes to blow on a grip. But if you're actually doing this as a service, you have to
- take the club out of the bag
- put it in the vise (note you're about at the 20 second estimate already by this point)
- cut the grip off
- take the old tape off (unless it is in pristine condition)
- wipe down the shaft
- put the new tape on (add time here if there is any kind of build up expected, particularly if it is something special like building up the lower hand)
- blow the grip on and align it (or, even more time consuming, use mineral spirits and then clean up)
- check the grip and give it a quick wipe
- put the club back in the bag (yes, you have to include this time)

Now, sure, if you did this trying to break some kind of speed record, you could probably do this all in a couple of minutes. But seeing that this is a person just doing his/her daily job, this process probably takes about 4-5 minutes, assuming everything goes smoothly. 5 minutes x 10 irons = 50 minutes (65 minutes if you want your woods done too). So, let's say 45 minutes to an hour for a full set. How much do you think an hour of a professional's time is worth?

I realize that there are some shortcuts and that sometimes it is possible to blow the grips off. And some people don't even add tape. But a couple of years back, before I was doing this kind of stuff myself, I had a young guy replace three grips for me at a range. He worked pretty quickly, and it was still more than 10 minutes from beginning to end, and he didn't even do any taping.

Admittedly, if you did all the prep work as FourWiggle did, then, yes, the price should reflect that. But there ain't no room for "free" in business. If you expect it for "free," then expect that the price of the grip will have the installation service cost built into it. I would rather pay for the two separately, then I have the choice of having them install the grip, or installing it myself.
[/quote]

Never said anything about free, just not looking to spend $40 dollars on top of over $130 in grips[/quote]

If I did others grips I'd charge more if I had to remove the old tape. That is a pain. I found others would take shortcuts when I would have my clubs regripped. Most would leave the old tape on and just put a fresh piece of tape over that or use thinner double sided tape and spiral it down the old tape. How are you gonna know any different until you take them off. I started doing it myself and although I messed up on one of the first ones its a breeze now and I know it's lined up the way I want and installed right instead of half a$$.

[WouldRatherBePlaying]

[quote name='golfman1023' timestamp='1425623849' post='11088505']
I need to go get new grips before the season starts, and I've narrowed it down to these three places.

I don't have the time or tools to do it myself, and I don't know of a good local shop to have it done.

Dick's and GG don't have prices online, and GS says $2.99, but perhaps that is different than with the purchase of a full set of grips?
[/quote]

The tools (rubber vice grip, solvent, hooked box cutter blade and tape) would cost you less than $20.
You can regrip an iron set in less than an hour (old tape removal being most of the labor).

I've had mixed success with the air compressor method and no longer go that route.

I can't see how a retailer could charge less than $2.00 per club for regripping unless the grip price is a lot higher than advertised by competitors.

[Dinosaur]

Unless you just like to tinker as a lot of people do, I look at this as akin to changing your own oil. Sure you can do it yourself, but is it really worth it?

[KARL M]

About 25 years ago there was a local proshop that sold custom made clubs, powerbilt. and Toski among others. The pro made pretty good $ just doing grips.

Labor charge was $1.50 per club. He could do a full set of 13 clubs in just under 20 minutes while carring on a conversation. Grip prices ranged from abour $1 for chamois style to $3 for corded grips. Between the profit on the grips and labor, he was making more than $60 per hour

He used a hook blade utility knife to cut the length of the old grip and then peeled off the old grip. A drawshave (woodworking tool) was used to remove old tape. He used double sided masking tape and mineral spirits for the new grips. This was when most shafts were steel. I wouldn't want to see a draw shave used on a graphite shaft. .

[Kelco]

Gavol, I agree entirely with what you are saying. The challenge when trying to price grip installation is that you don't know what you are getting into until you get the grip off. So, you pretty much have to do some mid-level pricing, knowing that you will do well on your time in those instances where the install is straightforward, and you will take it in the teeth when you remove the grip only to find a mess. The unfortunate side of this is that some people kind of get ripped off, while others get a great deal (kind of like insurance). The only other way to go about it might be to charge by the time it takes, but that could result in a jaw-dropping bill when you encounter that set of grips that was put on with Gorilla Glue.

I think that the difference for some of these larger places is that you can get the minimum wage kid you've hired to do the grips. His/her time isn't that valuable. That way you can use your gripping service as a way of just getting people through the door so you can talk to them about lies and lofts, customization, or a new set of clubs (hey, it's called sales). But if you're a clubfitter/maker, your time is worth a certain amount of money as a professional, and there is a certain amount of money you have to make per hour/day in order to keep your doors open. So, it doesn't matter if that hour is spent fitting/building clubs or putting on grips -- it's still time that needs to be accounted for on the books.

Personally, I sell grips, with the require mark-up, and tell people what it costs for me to put them on. But I also tell them that this is monkey work that they can do themselves with a few basic tools, a little bit of DIY-spirit, and a bit of time. If they want to take them away to do themselves, that's okay by me.

[WouldRatherBePlaying]

[quote name='Dinosaur' timestamp='1425662965' post='11090555']
Unless you just like to tinker as a lot of people do, I look at this as akin to changing your own oil. Sure you can do it yourself, but is it really worth it?
[/quote]

Some people like their volatiles 18 years old over ice with nice a cigar, some of us huff naphtha.

[Jamboy72]

Once again, further proof of why it is such a good idea to invest in the basic equipment to do this yourself...anything more than 1$ a grip, after paying $7 for a $3-$4 grip is just that shop taking your money

[Jamboy72]

[quote name='Dinosaur' timestamp='1425662965' post='11090555']
Unless you just like to tinker as a lot of people do, I look at this as akin to changing your own oil. Sure you can do it yourself, but is it really worth it?
[/quote]

I don't think so...maybe like changing your oil 20 years ago...used to be a fairly easy job...but the time, tools and ability to regrip clubs is more akin to making mac and cheese than changing oil...

[KARL M]

[quote name='Dinosaur' timestamp='1425662965' post='11090555']
Unless you just like to tinker as a lot of people do, I look at this as akin to changing your own oil. Sure you can do it yourself, but is it really worth it?
[/quote]

That depends on how much you trust the garage doing the oil change.
Did the service tech start working on your car after a liquid lunch ?
Did he notice that the old oil filter gasket didn't come off with the filter and is now betwen the new filters gasket and the block ?

A new Nisaan dealershp opened in my area when the prior one closed. They sent out a bunch of service coupons including one for a dicounted oil change, that I decided to use. Everything seemed fine untill I went to change the oil myself a few months later.

The skid plate below the oil filter was missing. I had always removed the filter from the side, by the wheelwell, without removing the plate. They might have taken the plate off and not put it back on when they were done. They could have taken it off and didn't tighten it back up well enough when they put it back on, and it then fell off while driving.

The vehicle takes exactly 5 quarts of oil. After filling the engine from a 5 quart container, I poured the old oil into the 5 qt container, it overlowed the container. I'm guessing they overfilled it by about a pint.

The Svc. Mgr. had no explation for what may have happened months prior. I haven't been back to the dealer since.

[Kelco]

Jamboy, it's all about what you like to do and how you view your time. For some people, tinkering on their car or working on their clubs is relaxing -- it's a hobby. For them, an hour spent doing these DIY jobs isn't a problem because it's not about money. For others, they don't really enjoy doing this stuff, they're just trying to save some money. In that case, you have to ask what your time is worth.

Some years ago I had a mentor tell me, "You always have to put a value on your time. I bill my time at $150/hr (he was a lawyer). If I spend an hour of my day to run to the dry cleaners, rather than paying someone $20 to go do it for me, the cost of my dry cleaning goes up by $130."

Changing your grips is going to take you about an hour or so (potentially, with a bit of frustration). Less if the job is really straightforward and/or you're really good at it. You have to decide what an hour of your time is worth. You have placed the value of this job at $1 a grip -- about $8-10/hr. Only you can can decide whether that's enough.

Of course, if you can find some way of combining working on your clubs with doing something you enjoy, then that's a different story. For example, you might say to your significant other, "Hey honey, let's do some role-playing. Let's pretend that you're a clubmaker who is re-gripping my clubs and after you're finished I say something like 'Oh no, it looks like I've left my wallet at home. Is there any other way I can pay you.'" Well, now gripping clubs at home makes complete sense.

[govols]

[quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425665338' post='11090845']Jamboy, it's all about what you like to do and how you view your time. For some people, tinkering on their car or working on their clubs is relaxing -- it's a hobby. For them, an hour spent doing these DIY jobs isn't a problem because it's not about money. For others, they don't really enjoy doing this stuff, they're just trying to save some money. In that case, you have to ask what your time is worth.

Some years ago I had a mentor tell me, "You always have to put a value on your time. I bill my time at $150/hr (he was a lawyer). If I spend an hour of my day to run to the dry cleaners, rather than paying someone $20 to go do it for me, the cost of my dry cleaning goes up by $130."

Changing your grips is going to take you about an hour or so (potentially, with a bit of frustration). Less if the job is really straightforward and/or you're really good at it. You have to decide what an hour of your time is worth. You have placed the value of this job at $1 a grip -- about $8-10/hr. Only you can can decide whether that's enough.

Of course, if you can find some way of combining working on your clubs with doing something you enjoy, then that's a different story. For example, you might say to your significant other, "Hey honey, let's do some role-playing. Let's pretend that you're a clubmaker who is re-gripping my clubs and after you're finished I say something like 'Oh no, it looks like I've left my wallet at home. Is there any other way I can pay you.'" Well, now gripping clubs at home makes complete sense.[/quote]

Did he ever sleep and have unlimited clients?

[Dinosaur]

Suffice to say, it's just not worth it to me. OTOH, there is therapeutic value in DIY, just as I do in my backyard practice nets and stuff. Given the cost for a whole set of club re-grip would be less than a single round of golf, but to each his/her own. Drop em off, stop by in a day or so and pick em back up, or if done that day, wander around the store and gawk at all the newest stuff.

[Jamboy72]

[quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425665338' post='11090845']
Jamboy, it's all about what you like to do and how you view your time. For some people, tinkering on their car or working on their clubs is relaxing -- it's a hobby. For them, an hour spent doing these DIY jobs isn't a problem because it's not about money. For others, they don't really enjoy doing this stuff, they're just trying to save some money. In that case, you have to ask what your time is worth.

Some years ago I had a mentor tell me, "You always have to put a value on your time. I bill my time at $150/hr (he was a lawyer). If I spend an hour of my day to run to the dry cleaners, rather than paying someone $20 to go do it for me, the cost of my dry cleaning goes up by $130."

Changing your grips is going to take you about an hour or so (potentially, with a bit of frustration). Less if the job is really straightforward and/or you're really good at it. You have to decide what an hour of your time is worth. You have placed the value of this job at $1 a grip -- about $8-10/hr. Only you can can decide whether that's enough.

Of course, if you can find some way of combining working on your clubs with doing something you enjoy, then that's a different story. For example, you might say to your significant other, "Hey honey, let's do some role-playing. Let's pretend that you're a clubmaker who is re-gripping my clubs and after you're finished I say something like 'Oh no, it looks like I've left my wallet at home. Is there any other way I can pay you.'" Well, now gripping clubs at home makes complete sense.
[/quote]

I get the point of your story - and ultimately, what you're saying is that everyone has to decide what their time is worth...but it's faulty logic to take your hourly wage and apply it in this manner - In that way, he'd have to consider outsourcing everything...or it them becomes a conversation of "Hey, it just cost me $15 to use the bathroom"

[govols]

Just regripped 2 clubs, driver and 3 wood. Took about 20 mins total from start to finish.

[trapsmv15]

It's $3 except when they run a "buy 13, install free" sale or the like. I know because I informally charge just under their prices to regrip friends' clubs

[ChristopherMcDonald]

My goldsmith does it for free if you purchase the grip there

[FourWiggle]

[quote name='Kelco' timestamp='1425626915' post='11088577']
I'm not sure why you think that putting grips on should be free. If these places are going to have someone spend the time to put your grip on, then they have to build that cost in somewhere.
[/quote]

Sorry Kelco, I disagree with you. They are paid by the HOUR not by the JOB. Whether they're doing a re-grip or stocking a shelf or just watching TV, they earn the same wage. Dicks gives no discounts on the grips you can buy online for less and then charge you excessively to put them on. Using your logic, take a $12/hour employee and have him install a grip. Even if it took him 5 minutes (which it shouldn't) his time is worth $12 ÷ 60 x 5 = $1.00 and they charge 3 - 4 times that much (I actually was charged $3.99 at the time, I think).

I do think they should install grips for FREE because it builds customer loyalty and gives someone another reason to visit a store. I might not be as apt to order my grips online and install them myself if Dicks or other Big Box was doing this kind of work. When I order my grips, my tape, my mineral spirits and all that goes with it online because I don't want to be gouged, how exactly is that making them ANY money? They don't get the sale of the grip, they don't get a service charge of installation and they get ZERO residual business of something else I may have purchased while I was there. And businesses like them wonder why they're in trouble. I've noticed a lot of automobile references; Autozone, Advanced, NAPA, etc. will install a battery for free when you buy one from them. Just saying...

I understand your point about everyone's time is worth something. I don't discredit that, especially on skilled or complex tasks. I do think there are simple tasks that employees and companies can do for paying customers that foster good will though.