Equipment Review: C-Thru Grips, by Jeffrey Reed

What could be better than putting for dough with a grip honouring your alma mater or favourite college team, or driving for show with a grip displaying your favourite NHL team?

C-Thru Grips makes this possible with its unique, clear, tour-quality grips featuring stock and customized designs. Just recently, C-Thru Grips added all 30 NHL teams to its arsenal, offering the logo grips through official NHL licensee McArthur Towel & Sports.

The folks at C-Thru Grips were kind enough to send a few samples depicting some of my favourite teams: the Toronto Maple Leafs; Notre Dame Fighting Irish; Dallas Cowboys; and Pittsburgh Pirates. OK, so the Buccos are experiencing tough times as of late, but I’m still proud to show their black and gold colours. C-Thru Grips also threw in a grip with a Canadian flag.

Available in full-swing and putter models, C-Thru Grips come in a wide array of slogans, country flags, and more than 130 college and university logos. There are also 32 NFL team grips, 30 Major League Baseball grips, as well as all 30 NHL logos. New lines include four Mossy Oak camouflage styles, and three Breast Cancer labels which benefit Breast Cancer research.

Established in 2001, these clear grips are available in kits which contain 13 full-swing grips, plus a putter grip, plus 14 labels. The MSRP is $92.95 US to $99.95 US (custom designs extra). Four-packs retail between $34.95 US and $42.95 US. A single grip and label costs $8.95 US to $9.95 US. You can also purchase a putter with a choice of label for $58.95 US. Junior and baby putters are available, too.

I like the soft, tacky feel of the C-Thru Grips, in particular the pistol-style putter grip. They’re easy to install, too. Simply remove your old grip, clean the club shaft, align your logo on the shaft, squirt hair spray (yes, hair spray) over the label and into the open end of the grip, then slip grip over the label (make sure to read the instructions). Line up your logo, wait an hour for it to dry, and you’re ready to tackle the links with your new C-Thru Grip.

Champions Tour competitor Jay Haas, winner of four events this season, has putted with a Wake Forest grip. Haas, Curtis Strange and Bob Byman were members of the mid-1970s Wake Forest Demon Deacons NCAA Champion golf team, considered by many to be the best college golf team of all-time.

What you see is what you get with C-Thru Grips: fun golf equipment that performs well and lets you boast (or in the case of Pirates fans, cry) about your team’s prowess (or lack of) on the playing field.

For more information, visit www.c-thrugrips.com.