What are your thoughts on Exotic Putter Grips and Headcovers?

[Sunset Beach Golf]

Guys, I have seen Gripmaster have many people after their exotic putter grips they sell. I have a few in (not gripmasters though and half the price) but I am wondering what anyone here thought about them.

The main reason I ask is that I do not want to tie a bunch of money up in inventory if I get a whole bunch of not really interested Iomics(or insert your putter grip here) is plenty good enough. Or if you think they are a silly fad.

Basically any thoughts you have on them. You can see them on Gripmasterusa's webpage or here on mine... Sunset Beach Golf Company

Thanks Guys,

[eclark53520]

Not really my thing, and personally i think that exotic grips are silly(to put it nice). However, i know there are alot of people out there that would like that kind of thing.

I can see a market for it, i'm just not part of that market.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Not my cup of tea. I also even further try and keep the exact same grip that came with my putter just to assure they is never a change if feel. I would actually fear that something like that would kill my consistency and possibly cost me strokes.

[RickinMA]

i'm not sure what kind of volume you're doing, but I personally, given the current credit crisis, wouldn't tie too much capital up in niche/specialty grips - especially at that price point.
If you get a bunch of requests for them, I would think you could offer them on a custom basis (order just what you need)
Options are great (as are volume discounts), but you don't want to get stuck with a bunch of "weird" grips that you might have trouble turning over


hey - no link to shottalk on your site yet?

[LyleG]

Exotic grips = NO! Stick with a good looking, single color, practical grip that works. Grips like the Winn Medalist and the GP dual durometer are perfect.

Exotic Headcovers = YES! If I am paying $300 for a putter it better have a fancy headcover or I am looking elsewhere.

[limpalong]

The various exotic putter grips come and go as fads. Tiger Shark had the large grips out in the late 80's to late 90's... then sorta went away. (Everyone, then, wanted the blacked out Ping grip that TW was using on his Cameron.) Now, we've seen a slight resurgance of the large grips. They do not, however, appear to be "taking over the industry". I, for one, wouldn't want much tied up in Super Stroke or other fad grips. A few OEM (Ping, Odyssey, Cameron) grips and some Golf Pride, Winn, and Lamkin will probably cover most of what we see in this interesting business.

As far as putter covers, nothing has really excited the masses... other than the Cameron collector covers. Some folks pay more for a specific Cameron cover than they do for a new putter... and those are $300!!!! I have a stash of, probably, 25 different sizes and shapes of putter covers. What ever seems to fit the putter de jour is the one that gets the ride. The others collect dust.

Animal covers have been done... USA covers have been done... collegiate covers are tough because of the licensing fees. Do you go heavy in mallet covers or blade covers or what? Velcro wears out and you lose covers. "Sock" covers lose their elasticity and fall off.

If a person is doing custom putters, see if you can get your company name/logo imprinted on a regular size paddle, a midsize, and an oversize. Allow folks to pick between the three, but have all with some means of identifying with your company. If I were designing putter covers for a custom line of putters, I would keep them failry "vanilla"... again, with some identifying logo or name. Many Cameron players do not put Cameron covers on their putters for fear of having the putter stolen from the bag. And, I would imagine "real" players are wanting something that protects the putter but does not "scream" CUSTOM for the same reason. Have you seen these teenagers who pay big bucks for jeans that construction workers would consider worn out? Come up with a "worn out" putter cover look, only it functions as new.

[Sunset Beach Golf]

Well my putters already carry the Sunset Beach AM&E Leather headcovers. With our logo on the top and some writing on each of the ears. Basically all the "BIG" guys use the AM&E or AM&E style headcovers for their putters.

I have it right now where I can order what I need only in the exotic skin headcovers and grips. Since it takes 2-4 weeks to do a custom putter getting the customers grip in time is no problem, but like you said buy in big volume get large discounts.

My current grips I have are the Iomic in standard and Midsize in every color available. They are simple one color grips. I have looked at an Lamkin style grip with our company name on it, but have not taken the plunge on them yet.

My putters are not priced at 300.00, for you guys they are 225.00 shipped custom stamped and all tricked out with an Iomic grip and leather headcover.

[Sunset Beach Golf]

Originally Posted by LyleG

Exotic grips = NO! Stick with a good looking, single color, practical grip that works. Grips like the Winn Medalist and the GP dual durometer are perfect.

Exotic Headcovers = YES! If I am paying $300 for a putter it better have a fancy headcover or I am looking elsewhere.

Well I offer the upgrade to the exotic headcover, but no company has the exotic skins as an option currently let alone included in the price. I have the nice AM&E leather headcovers with our logo on the top and info on the ears.

[JArmour]

I do like the new head covers you have for the milled putters. Are they a better material than the nylon original? The original LUX head cover I use gets a lot of questions since most people aren't familiar with the brand.

The Iomic grips are nice, I put one on my Lux (midsize orange). If the Iomic came in the oversize orange I'd get that. I play a good amount of golf on some nice courses and haven't seen one person with an exotic grip. Usually see stock or the jumbo size grips. Once in a while the Iomic but mostly run of the mill.

[PureStroke]

Its a cool flare to add to a club thats custom made. The only exotic grips I would consider using would be either the Ostrich butt or Gator Butt. Those are some cool skins for a grip, or shoes or belt.

[Sunset Beach Golf]

Originally Posted by JArmour

I do like the new head covers you have for the milled putters. Are they a better material than the nylon original? The original LUX head cover I use gets a lot of questions since most people aren't familiar with the brand.

The Iomic grips are nice, I put one on my Lux (midsize orange). If the Iomic came in the oversize orange I'd get that. I play a good amount of golf on some nice courses and haven't seen one person with an exotic grip. Usually see stock or the jumbo size grips. Once in a while the Iomic but mostly run of the mill.

All of the Sunset Beach putters have the AM&E LEATHER headcover. You can see baseline pictures of the first run on the website. Sunset Beach Golf Company
They are the same headcovers Scotty and others use. The LUX are the same that Scotty uses as well, just nylon instead of leather. the LUX is not a high priced line and therefore have the less expensive nylon headcover, the SS Beach has leather headcovers.

Iomic is no longer bringing the Oversize to the states. They may again in the future but according to Iomic USA do not hold your breath.

[limpalong]

Originally Posted by Sunset Beach Golf

All of the Sunset Beach putters have the AM&E LEATHER headcover.

As a sidenote... The velcro will eventually wear out on the AM&E covers. AM&E has awesome customer service as far as replacing the velcro. I've sent a couple Cameron covers to AM&E to have new velcro installed. As of yet, they've never charged me a dime.

[indacup]

Let me tell you something about the Exotics/GripMaster putter grips...

I did carry them...and used them in my own putters...they feel and look awesome.

But two, no, three drawbacks...

1) The butt end of the grips is a black plug, that splits easily...drop the putter a few times on the grip end and it will wear and eventually cut thru.

2) Once the grips are on...they cannot be removed or adjusted....once it's installed you're stuck with it.

3) Their front line customer service is horrible.

[JEFF4i]

Personally?

I'm pretty set on staying with the Black/Yellow Tiger Shark. But that's just me.

[Sunset Beach Golf]

Originally Posted by indacup

Let me tell you something about the Exotics/GripMaster putter grips...

I did carry them...and used them in my own putters...they feel and look awesome.

But two, no, three drawbacks...

1) The butt end of the grips is a black plug, that splits easily...drop the putter a few times on the grip end and it will wear and eventually cut thru.

2) Once the grips are on...they cannot be removed or adjusted....once it's installed you're stuck with it.

3) Their front line customer service is horrible.

Thanks for the info, I looked into Gripmaster but their prices are just too high. For me.

1. Mine are not Gripmasters. I sell them for about half the price that Gripmaster does. They do not have Gripmaster underlistings, but another underlisting type that is much more durable.

2. Yes, this sucks and is the same on mine.

3. My customer service is much better.

I am not going to carry very many of them, but the guy I get them from is close by and if someone wants one I can get them quickly. So I think I will just stick with this set-up for right now.