Frequently Asked Questions

Application

Do grips have to be removed to apply a Shaft Skinz sleeve?

No! That’s the beauty of them. They slip over most (standard and mid size) grips before shrinking.

Will the sleeves definitely fit over my grips?

That depends. There are a wide variety of grips out there. Shaft Skinz definitely fit over standard and mid size grips and most normal putter grips. There an increasing number of ‘chunky’ grips that Shaft Skinz may not fit over.

The circumference of the sleeve is 98mm (3.86”). You may wish to check by measuring the butt end of your grip (the fattest part normally) by printing out the attached ‘measuring guide’ and wrapping it around the grip.

Can Shaft Skinz go on my graphite shafts?

Yes! However, note the following...

During application it is important to first heat the lower third of the shaft fully before application, particularly around the hosel. For graphite shafts this may take a little longer than on steel shafts.

For removal it is suggested that the sleeves are removed by cutting away from the shaft, employing a pick and peel approach or by laying the blade flat against the surface of the shaft as in the movie on the How To page.

Shaft Skinz can not be held responsible for any damage done to graphite shafts as a result of not following these instructions.

Are the ‘Skinz’ long enough for my driver?

Yes - Shaft Skinz have been lengthened to fit all clubs from putters to drivers.

Originally they were intended to brighten up the more boring steel shafts (which generally meant irons), but the sleeves should now be long enough for all standard length clubs.

If you are having difficulty making a sleeve stretch to fit, place the head of the driver on the ground after you have shrunk the first 6 inches or so. Then, lightly place your foot on the head of the driver and apply a little more stretching force to the sleeve whilst shrinking it to make it reach the grip more comfortably. This force should be only slightly more than the force you create by letting the weight of the club hang in the sleeve during normal installation.

Will I be able to shrink the sleeves if I don’t have a 2kW hair dryer?

Maybe - It really depends what wattage your appliance is and it must have a concentrator nozzle.

An 1875W hair dryer (standard in the US) should still be capable of shrinking the sleeves though you will find it of benefit to heat the bottom third of the shaft really well before you start. It will however, be slower.

A hair dryer weaker than this is unlikely to make a good job of shrinking the sleeve.

We recommend borrowing a 2000W, sometimes shown as 2kW (or 1875W in the US) one from a friend for the best and quickest results (3-4 minutes). Whatever hair dryer you use, you will need that nozzle to concentrate the air flow onto the shaft.

Can I use a ‘heat gun’?

Maybe but probably not. These get so hot they have a tendency to melt the material.

However, some very advanced ones with 6 or 7 heat settings may have a low setting that will work. In some countries we know that heat guns work well (e.g. New Zealand). This is due to variations in voltage and frequency of the electrical supply in different parts of the world.

What if I can’t get my hands on a strong enough hair dryer?

If you don’t have the appropriate hair dryer your local Shaft Skinz stockist should be able to fit the sleeves for you for a nominal fee.

Removal

How easy are Shaft Skinz to remove?

Very - It can take as little as 5 seconds to remove a Shaft Skinz sleeve. The ‘Skinz’ do not adhere to the shaft (i.e. there is no glue) they simply cling on tightly.

On a steel shaft, you can simply run a sharp knife down the length of the shaft and the sleeve will lift off leaving no residue. You would never know it had been there.

On a graphite shaft it is advisable to make a small cut at one end by cutting away from the shaft. Then peel the sleeve off, cutting as necessary. This ensures no damage to the delicate surface of the shaft.

Design

Do you make plain colors?

Not yet - We have been asked this often. At the moment we are concentrating on some flashier designs for those of you who want to make a big statement. Why? Read the technical answer in the next section.

In time we will introduce plainer sleeve designs. If you feel strongly about the designs you want to see produced, let us know - click here to have your say.

Can I get my own custom design?

Only in large quantities.

Sadly, the process to make these sleeves requires several printing plates (for each design) to print the sleeves. This is a significant cost up front. It makes it impossible to get small quantities of product without charging you a crazy price.

If you require several hundreds or thousands of a particular design it may be feasible. Contact us at sales@shaftskinz.com for more information. Also, see the technical point about distortion under ‘Why aren’t you making plain designs?’ in the technical section below

Technical

What is the shaft skin made of and how does it work?

The material is PET (Polyethylene terephthalate if you want to get technical!) which is printed flat and seamed into a tubular sleeve. These sleeves are called ‘shrink sleeves’ and can be used to decorate a variety of items.

The material is activated by heat and has a tendency to shrink in one direction. When heated with a strong hairdryer the material tries to shrink to form a smaller diameter tube. In doing so it takes the form of the item underneath and creates a smooth finish because it is trying to continue shrinking (smaller than the shaft) which pulls itself tight and smooth.

What is the weight of a sleeve?

A full sleeve weighs around 3-4g depending on the length of the shaft you are sleeving and how much material is trimmed away.

Does the sleeve affect the way the shaft plays?

We had Shaft Skinz independently tested using a recognised shaft analysis machine (used by around 75% of tour pros). This showed there to be a negligible difference between the stiffness of the shaft before and after sleeving (just 0.005%). We are told that this difference "would not be perceptible to the human hand."

Can I play with Shaft Skinz in competitions?

Yes! - Shaft Skinz conform to the USGA and R&A ‘Rules of Golf’ so can be used in all levels of play from juniors to professional in all parts of the world.

So just how long are the sleeves?

Before heating, our new sleeves are around 765mm (about 31") long. You simply cut them to the length of the shaft you are ‘Skinning’. They will stretch by about 10% during application making them fit a driver (visible shaft length around 830mm or 32.5").

How long will the sleeves last

That depends on how you treat them.

They are designed to offer your shafts protection by bearing the brunt of any knocks or scrapes they take during normal use. If you are careful when placing your clubs in and taking them out of your bag the sleeves will last much longer. If you place them into individual tubes there's no reason why they couldn't last for seasons.

Normal clashing of the shafts against one another will only result in mild scuffing. This may become visible as a slight dulling of the glossiness of the material and is dependent on the amount of usage your clubs get. That said, through ‘average use’ you may find they start to show signs of wear around the steps in the shaft. When they start to look tatty, it's time to invest in a new look so as to continue providing the best protection for your shafts.

Never force your clubs down into your bag or you do risk damaging the sleeves.

Why don't you make plain color designs?

The technology lends itself best to ‘noisier’ designs. As the sleeve material shrinks, color intensifies slightly due to the concentration of the ink into a smaller area. Due to the variation and distortion in the shrink process, a totally flat design may show this concentration so we’re steering clear of these at the moment.

Distortion also makes producing logos accurately too unpredictable. This is something we’re working on.

Purchasing

Why do you sell packs of 4 sleeves?

We want people to be able to try the product out. This is easier with a small quantity like 4 than say, a pack of 14, meant for your whole set. It also allows you to buy from different designs ranges to complete your ‘look’.

How long does it take to receive an order?

That depends where in the world you are.

Our product now ships out of Michigan, USA. We use different delivery services depending where the product is shipping to. It can take as little as 4 days to around 20 days or more for distant deliveries. Typically in the US it should take about a week.

You may be able to track the progress of your delivery if the appropriate shipping method is available.

Product that ships to countries outside of the US may be subject to import charges beyond our control.

Do you accept Paypal tranactions?

We did. Sadly we have had to disable that option due to problems we experienced. If you really want to pay by Paypal, contact us at websales@shaftskinz.com and we may be able to assist you.

Can I pay by credit card?

Oh yes! - Paypal, our secure card processing partner will take your card details to complete the payment. We never have access to them.

Can I order by phone?

Sorry - no. We are not currently set up for taking lots of orders by phone. If you e-mail us at websales@shaftskinz.com we may be able to sort something out for you.

Do you sell to the trade?

Oh yes! We welcome interest from retailers of all sizes and can provide you with the hair dryer to fit the sleeves. Please contact us via sales@shaftskinz.com for more information.

Latest News

Swedish Duramed Future‘s player and Big Break PEI contestant, Caroline Larsson picks up Shaft Skinz at the PGA Merchandise Show.

ShaftSkinz on Twitter.

PGA Tour Superstores!

4 more Ladies European Tour players join the Shaft Skinz users at the Randstad Open de France.
8 new Ladies European Tour players start using Shaft Skinz at the UNIQA Austrian Open.
Big Break: Prince Edward Island contestant, Gerina Mendoza
Chie Arimura of the JLPGA puts New Puzzle pink Shaft Skinz on a driver at the Women‘s British Open.
The Big Break V: Hawaii contestant, Ashley Prange, joins the list of Shaft Skinz users.
Breanne Alicia Loucks shoots 66 to finish 2nd at the Spanish Open on the Ladies European Tour.
Back to back LPGA victories with Shaft Skinz. Eunjung Yi wins the Corning Classic.
Jiyai Shin wins the Wegmans LPGA with Shaft Skinz and moves to number 3 in the world.
4 more lady professionals join the ranks of Shaft Skinz users at the Irish Open.
Shaft Skinz users Ji-Yai Shin and Kristy McPherson finish in the top 5 at the McDonald's LPGA Championship.
Congratulations to Lakeville North - Minnesota High School State Champions who used Shaft Skinz on their putters to such great effect! Well done Laura, Nikki, Keandra, Jessica, Lauren, Quinn and Coach Dawson.
4 more LPGA players put Shaft Skinz into play at the Sybase Classic - Click name for pictures - Meredith Duncan, Maria Hjorth, Janell Howland and Michelle McGann.
6 new LPGA players put Shaft Skinz into play at the Michelob ULTRA - Click name for pictures - Beth Bader, Il Mi Chung, Mollie Fankhauser, Marcy Hart, Pat Hurst & Eun Jung Yi.
Shaft Skinz arrives in Canada. Select Golf Town stores now carrying the product.
Click here to see which stores.
Tim Petrovic and Rory Sabbatini tie for 8th at the Verizon Heritage.
Johan Edfors wins the Black Mountain Masters on the Asian Tour.
Jiyai Shin wins $1 Million at the ADT on the LPGA with Shaft Skinz!
Shanshan Feng finishes top 10 at the Grand China Air LPGA.