Can Golf Grip Tape Be Reused (WHY IT'S A BAD IDEA) [2024]

It may seem like a good idea to keep on the old golf grip tape when replacing grips to try and save a little money. This will work some of the time, but there are times where the old tape will not adhere as well and the grip will move after a few rounds. If tape doesn’t adhere right to the new grips, you may need new grip tape, possibly new grips, and the time needed to reinstall new grips.

Golf Grip Tape is cheap and it’s pretty easy to get old tape off. Take the time and effort to put new tape on for every grip change. If you’re looking to pinch pennies by not putting new tape on, there are several golf grip solvent alternatives that you can find around your house rather then buying overpriced golf grip solvent as well as top budget golf grips.

Why You Should Put New Grip Tape On versus Reusing old tape

Adhesive Strength of used golf grip tape weakens over time. You may be fine reusing old tape if you are changing grips within a year of the golf grip tape being installed. The adhesive could be weak enough that it will install successfully but start to slip after a quick swing or a steep swing with a large divot (some call it a chunk!)

Golf Grip Tape is cheap! You can buy a roll of tape that regrips 200 clubs for about $13 off Amazon or your local golf store. It’s a no brainer to put new golf grip tape at that cost versus risking the chance that the club will slip after installing new grips. At that point, you will have to take the grip off, take off the old tape, put new tape back on, and reinstall the grip. A lot of work and time wasted for the simple process of removing old grip tape!

Some keep the old grip tape and tape right over it, be wary of this! Your grip will feel thicker due to 2 layers of tape, the grip will feel firmer, and the old tape won’t completely adhere to the new tape.

There’s a reason all reputable club builders start over with brand new tape for every club regrip. New grip tape guarantees the best performance with no grip slippage or moving during the swing. Do yourself a favor and resist the temptation to cut corners and save a few minutes and don’t reuse old golf grip tape when changing golf grips.

How To Remove Old Golf Grip Tape

For steel shafts, the best way to remove old golf grip tape is the following:

Put Rubbing Alcohol on tape to loosen it up and let it sit for 10 minutes
Take a razor blade to it, the tape should come right off!

Other alternatives for removing tape from steel shafts are using some glue remover and after 10 minutes of that soaking in, use your fingernails to tear it off. You can also just use a razor blade and scrape it all off, but this is not advised as you will scratch up the shaft.

For graphite shafts, the best way to remove old golf grip tape is the following:

Put Glue Remover on (Goo Gone and Goof Off work great!) to loosen it up and let it sit for 2+ hours
Tape should peel right off!

DO NOT use a knife or blade to a graphite shaft! This will damage the shaft and possibly weaken it which could lead to the shaft breaking.

Final Thoughts:

It may seem appealing to save a few minutes and pennies (Tape cost about 7 cents per grip), but do yourself a favor and replace the grip tape every time you change out a grip.

It’s worth it to have the peace of mind knowing your grip will hold up and not have any slippage at all during the life of the golf grip. There are other alternatives to golf grip tape such as painters tape, but for 7 cents per grip, it’s not worth the risk of your clubs not performing.

Would it be worth it to possibly sabotage your career round or lose a close bet to a friend because you decided to save some time and money by reusing a golf grip? It’s definitely not in my opinion, just do yourself a favor and put new grip tape on!

Let me know if you have any other suggestions or quick ways for golf grip tape removal!