In this Article
Learn how to remove golf grips without cutting them using solvent, compressed air or a syringe, plus tips for saving putter grips and reusing a grip safely.
You just spent forty dollars on a premium putter grip, or maybe you love the feel of the grips on your irons and the old tape is the only thing that has gone bad. Cutting them off would ruin them. So you want to know how to remove golf grips without cutting them, and the good news is that it is easy once you have the right setup.
I have pulled grips off hundreds of clubs in seven years of teaching and fitting students, and I will walk you through the three methods that work: solvent with a removal tool, compressed air, and a syringe. You will also learn how to save putter grips, what to do when one will not move, and whether the grip can go back on.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How to Remove Golf Grips Without Cutting Them: The Short Answer
You break the bond between the grip and the double-sided tape, then slide the grip off the shaft. You can do that with solvent pushed under the grip, with a burst of air from a compressor, or with a syringe of solvent injected through the grip.
The solvent and tool method is the safest and the one I recommend first. Compressed air is the fastest but needs a bit of care. The syringe is cheap, but the sharp needle makes some people nervous.
When Saving a Grip Is Worth It
Most of the time cutting is fine. A hook blade takes a few seconds, and a worn grip is headed for the trash anyway. Saving a grip only makes sense in a few cases.
- A putter grip you love. Oversized and counterbalanced putter grips can cost 30 to 60 dollars, so keeping one is worth the extra effort.
- A grip that is still in good shape. If the rubber is soft and the texture is intact, only the tape failed.
- Moving a grip to a new shaft. Golfers who swap shafts often want the same feel on the new club.
- Matching sizes. You may be trying to check the build-up under a grip without destroying it.
If the grip is shiny, cracked or hard as plastic, skip all this and cut it off. Our guide to regripping golf clubs the right way covers the standard cut-off method and a full install.
What You Need Before You Start
- A bench vise with a rubber shaft clamp, never bare metal jaws, which can dent or crush the shaft.
- Grip solvent or odorless mineral spirits.
- A grip removal tool with a V-groove tip, if you use the solvent method.
- An air compressor with a regulator and a rubber-tipped nozzle, if you use the air method.
- Safety glasses, a rag and a tray to catch spills.
Set up in a ventilated space. Solvents are flammable, so keep them away from pilot lights and sparks. Avoid gasoline and acetone, which can damage the rubber and the paint on a shaft.
Method 1: Solvent and a Grip Removal Tool
This is the classic way to do how to remove golf grips without cutting them, and it is the one I use on putters.
- Clamp the club. Put the shaft in the rubber clamp just below the grip and tighten only enough to hold it still.
- Slide the tool under the grip. Work the V-groove tip in at the open end of the grip.
- Pour solvent into the channel. It runs down the groove and reaches the double-sided tape.
- Push and twist. Move the tool toward the butt end while turning it, adding solvent as you go until the resistance eases.
- Twist the grip off. Wring it back and forth and pull gently. Add a little solvent at the mouth if it sticks.
Plan on five to ten minutes per club. If you want to understand why the solvent works, our guide to golf grip solvent alternatives ranks the options and explains which ones are safe for the rubber.
Method 2: Compressed Air
Air is the fastest method and leaves no sticky solvent to clean up. A burst of air inflates the grip, breaks the tape bond and lets you slide it off.
- Wear safety glasses and point the butt end away from people and breakables.
- Clamp the club in the rubber vise.
- Set the regulator low. Start around 30 PSI and never go much past 45. Higher pressure is how grips split.
- Seal the nozzle against the small vent hole in the end cap, or slide it an inch under the open edge if there is no hole.
- Give short bursts. Try one to two seconds, then twist and pull while the grip is inflated.
MyGolfSpy tested this approach and used about 45 PSI with a pointed nozzle, and it also notes that putter grips are very hard to handle with air because of their shape. You can read their full write-up on regripping with an air compressor.
Air safety
Some golfers report that an over-inflated grip pops with a loud bang. That is startling and can send rubber flying. Keep the pressure low, use short bursts and do not hold air against a grip that is not moving.
Method 3: Syringe and Solvent
A syringe is the budget way to do how to remove golf grips without cutting them. You inject solvent through the grip or under its edge so it soaks the tape from the inside.
- Fill a syringe with solvent and attach a needle long enough to reach under the grip.
- Push the needle under the open end and squirt solvent along the tape line, rotating the club as you go.
- Wait a minute, then twist the grip back and forth to spread the liquid.
- Repeat until the grip starts to slide, then pull it off.
The catch is the needle. You are working with a sharp point and a flammable liquid, so go slowly, keep your free hand away from the tip and store the needle safely afterward. If that does not appeal to you, use the solvent tool instead.
Saving Putter Grips
Putter grips are the main reason golfers want to know how to remove golf grips without cutting them. They are wide, often tapered and expensive, and they do not respond well to air because of their shape.
- Use the solvent and tool method, and be patient with the tool at the narrow end.
- Warm the grip lightly with a hair dryer if it is stuck. Never use a heat gun close enough to melt the rubber.
- Keep a firm hold on the grip and twist rather than yank, since a hard pull can tear the end.
- Skip the air method unless the grip is a simple round shape.
Once the putter grip is off, you can also check how it was set up. If you are changing your hold at the same time, our guide to the interlocking putter grip shows one style that suits many golfers.
If the Grip Won’t Budge
Stubborn grips are almost always a solvent problem when you try how to remove golf grips without cutting them. The liquid has not reached all of the tape yet.
- Add more solvent and give it a few minutes to soak.
- Add gentle heat with a hair dryer on low to soften old tape.
- Combine methods. Loosen with solvent, then finish with a short burst of air.
- Stop and wait. Forcing it can crush a shaft or tear the grip, so retry after ten minutes.
Never clamp a graphite shaft hard, and never twist a club that is held only by the grip. If a stuck grip is a cheap one, cutting it is a perfectly good last resort.
Mistakes That Ruin a Good Grip
Most damaged grips I see come from rushing. When you practice how to remove golf grips without cutting them, slow down on these four points and your grip will survive.
- Too much air. Pressure above 45 PSI can split the rubber at the vent hole.
- Cutting the vent hole bigger. Enlarging the end-cap hole to fit a nozzle weakens the grip.
- Pulling before it is loose. If the grip does not twist freely, it is still bonded, so add solvent or air first.
- Using the wrong liquid. Gasoline and acetone soften rubber and can strip paint from a shaft.
Tape the vent hole shut with a small piece of masking tape when you are done, and store saved grips flat in a cool drawer so they keep their shape.
Can You Reuse the Grip?
Yes, once you know how to remove golf grips without cutting them, you can reuse any grip whose rubber is still in good shape. Clean the inside of the grip with solvent, let it dry and install it with fresh tape. Old tape on the shaft needs to be scraped off completely first.
Know that a grip that has been removed once will be slightly looser than a new one. If it feels sloppy, a layer of extra tape on the shaft can take up the slack. Before you reinstall, make sure the old grip is not hiding a problem. Our guide on whether golf grip tape can be reused explains why you should always start with new tape.
For installation steps, the Golf Pride guide to grip tape build-up is a good reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you take a golf grip off without cutting it?
Break the bond between the grip and the tape with solvent and a removal tool, a short burst of compressed air, or a syringe of solvent. Then twist and slide the grip off the shaft.
Can you remove a golf grip with an air compressor?
Yes. Use a regulator set at about 30 to 45 PSI, a rubber-tipped nozzle and short bursts, and wear safety glasses. Too much pressure can split the grip.
What solvent should I use to remove golf grips?
Use grip solvent or odorless mineral spirits. Avoid gasoline and acetone, which can damage the rubber and the shaft finish.
How do you remove a putter grip without cutting it?
Use the solvent and tool method. Work slowly, keep adding solvent, and warm the grip gently if it is stuck. Air works poorly on most putter grips.
Can you put a golf grip back on after removing it?
Yes, if the rubber is in good shape. Clean the inside, scrape the shaft and install it with new double-sided tape.
Bottom Line
Learning how to remove golf grips without cutting them takes a vise, a little solvent or air and some patience. Start with the solvent and tool method, keep air pressure low if you use a compressor, and save the cutting for grips that are worn out anyway.
Protect the shaft, work in a ventilated space and give stubborn grips more time instead of more force. Your favorite grips will be back on the club in no time.
