In order to get the concepts of the rubber grip moving forward, Fawick soon formed a manufacturering partnership with Akron-based Westgate Rubber Co., which was owned and operated by Bill Junker and Jim Karns. It was these two men who worked to solve the production problems that plagued the rubber grip from the beginning.

Shortly after Junker and Karns began work on Fawick’s rubber grip, they realized that his “Flexi-Grip” idea would not be practical. Although they produced quite a few of the original model rather easily, they soon decided that a grip attached permanently to the shaft with specially-developed machinery was the best way to proceed as it was the easiest to mount on the club and would be more readily accepted by the golfing public. However, that meant each finished club manufacturer wishing to offer the new “Golf Pride” grip – named after a popular motor oil, “Gulf Pride” – would have to be supplied with the presses, molds, finishing equipment and uncured rubber stock necessary to create the grips (although, since only a handful