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Golf Grips: How to Choose the Right Grip for Your Game
Have you ever put a new grip on your golf club and felt an instant difference? Maybe you felt more comfortable, had an easier time releasing the club or felt more confident you could go after the ball with extra speed?
These things can happen with the right golf grip.
Read on about how to choose the right grip for your game, the information that plays into this decision, when to change your grips and whether you can do it yourself.
How Do You Choose The Right Golf Grip For Your Game?
To choose the right golf grip for your game, you have to consider the size and the material of the grip. The proper grip sizing ensures your hands have enough control over the golf club and that you can release the golf club correctly through impact.
Proper grip material helps with things like traction, comfort and even confidence.
Different Grip Materials
Golf grip materials vary from one manufacturer to another. The most common grip is the rubber grip. However, cord and synthetic grips are quite popular.
Rubber Grips
Rubber grips are your standard Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. The rubber is tacky and firm but not overly sticky. If you are a range rat and like to practice, the rubber grips are durable and hold their texture well.
Top rubber golf grips include:
GolfPride Tour Velvet SuperStroke S-Tech RubberCord Grips
Cord grips combine rubber and cord (or string-like material) that helps increase the traction you have in your hands. Regardless of the conditions, cord grips are usually great for holding the club in place.
Many great players use cord grips because they want better control and feel without using a glove.
A few top cord grips include:
Golf Pride Tour Velvet Full Cord Golf Pride MCC Grips (Partial Cord) Lamkin Utx Solid CordSynthetic Grips
Synthetic grips offer both durability and feedback. Companies like SuperStroke, Winn and Lamkin are known for their synthetic grip technology. Many golfers who have pain in their wrists or arthritis in their fingers like the shock absorption of synthetic grips.
Top synthetic grips include:
SuperStroke Cross Comfort Winn Dri-TacGrip Sizing
The larger your hands, the larger grips you need. Golfers with the smaller hands need undersized grips and those with larger hands need a larger golf grip size.
Grips come in junior, undersized, standard, midsize and jumbo sizes.
If you want something between a standard and a midsize, you can use extra wraps of tape under the grip to customize the size.
Measuring your hand will tell you what grip size you need. Measure from the tip of your middle finger to the base of the palm where the hand meets the wrist.
5″- 6.5″ – Undersize golf grips 6.5″ – 7.5″ – Standard golf grips 7.5″ – 9″ – Midsize golf grips 9+ inches – Jumbo golf gripsPersonal preference will also play into grip selection. Some players have less grip pressure if they use a slightly larger grip.
Golf Club Grips Versus Putter Grips
Golf club grips and putter grips are different. Most putter grips are not circular (although there are exceptions) and they have a flattened side to help keep the hands and wrists more stable during the putting stroke.
A putter grip with a flat side cannot be used on a golf club other than the putter, according to Rules of Golf.
Finding the right grip size for your putter is more about feel and consistency than it is about measuring your hands. Even those with a smaller hand size may use a jumbo grip for extra control on the putting greens.
When To Change Golf Grips
How do you know it’s time to change your golf grip? Of course, there are times when sweat, dirt, sand and that sandwich at the turn will have deteriorated your golf grip. However, there are a few less obvious signs that it is time for a new grip.
You feel you have to grip the club extra-tight just to establish control through impact. The grip’s texture has deteriorated, making it slippery, especially in a humid climate. Your trail hand (right for a right-handed golfer) has too much involvement in the swing and a grip with less or no taper could eliminate this swing flaw. You aren’t in control of the club through impact, especially without a golf glove on, resulting in a hook or a slice. There is no tackiness left on the grip.Can I Change My Own Golf Grips?
If you play a lot, changing your own golf grips is something that will make a lot of sense. Regripping golf clubs is not hard. You need a vice, a hook blade, double-sided tape, mineral spirits, a towel and new grips.
When paying to replace your grips, you pay for the grips and the labor so regripping your golf clubs yourself can save you a lot of money. Purchase the grips all at once, get a discount and then change them as needed.
Can You Test Golf Grips?
Finding the right grip is one of the most important features of any golf fitting. With the wrong grip size, you will have a hard time controlling the clubface and gaining power through impact.
When you go for a golf club fitting, make sure you test different grips. Check the grip’s texture to see if it gives you confidence and comfort.
Should All My Clubs Have The Same Grip?
When you look at the majority of professional golfers’ WITB (What’s In The Bag), you will see they list one grip for all of their clubs. The putter grip is usually different but all woods, wedges and irons have the same grip.
We have enough inconsistencies and irregularities to deal with in a round of golf so don’t let the grip selection be one of them.
I don’t know about you but if I had a Winn Dri Tac on my 7-iron and a Lamkin Crossline on my 8-iron, it could drive me crazy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Go for a custom golf club fitting and test a variety of golf grip styles and sizes.
To determine the golf grip size, measure from the tip of your middle finger to the base of the palm. A golfer with a seven–inch hand is the perfect fit for a standard-sized golf grip.
If you measure your hand from the tip of your middle finger to the base of the palm and your measurement is between 7.5 and 9 inches, you will likely need a midsize grip.
If your grips are too big, you will have a hard time getting speed through impact. There is also a tendency to be late releasing the club and leaving the clubface slightly open, resulting in a shot to the right. An oversized grip is a great solution for some golfers but it’s not for players with smaller hands.
Most standard golf grips get thinner as they move from the butt end of the club down to the clubhead. The no-taper grip has the same thickness from the top to the bottom, giving the trail hand a little less control in the swing.
Final Thoughts
At this point, you have the info you need to ensure you have the right golf grips on your clubs.
Want to know the No. 1 mistake golfers make when it comes to grips? Not changing them often enough! If you are a serious golfer, get those grips changed at least once a year.
The post Golf Grips: How to Choose the Right Grip for Your Game appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
