Added some new grips and they really are the Best Grips.

[RoverRick]

And each man stands with his face in the light. Of his own drawn sword, ready to do what a hero can.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 

For centuries, men have sallied forth onto the field of Honor with their swords in hand to fight for God, King or Country.  The sword was the weapon of choice when drawing close to the enemy and thrusting into the heart of your opponent.  The finer swords shown here are from different eras and parts of the world but they are all blades with a leather grip designed to defeat the enemy at close range.  These are perhaps antiquated ideals but as I sally forth on to my field of honor to strike at the heart of my enemy, the center of the cup, I now have a leather grip on my blade.

 

Actually, in addition to my blade (putter) I have it on my wedges and driver. Why don't I have it on my irons?  Well, the answer is, I have Pure Grips on my irons that are not ready to be replaced.  When the time comes, I will replace them with leather grips.  Specifically, I will be replacing them with Best Grips Micro Perforated Grips.  But why them?

 

  Cabretta Leather Wrap - Major Leaguer - Micro Perforated - Oiled Suede - Micro Perforated - Grid Iron - Oversized Classic

 

First off, are all leather grips created equally?

 

I recently had a long conversation with Zach of Best Grips about this very subject.  He had pointed out that Best Grips uses only “Genuine Leather and Exotics” to make their grips, not rawhide or deer or sheep skin.  Big hairy deal!  This meant nothing to me.  Why do I care?  Leather is leather.  Leather is tanned animal hide and rawhide is animal hide that has not been tanned.   Tanning is simply treating the hide with one of the various processes to make it leather.  I don't get it, why do I want to spend that much money simply for looks? 

 

Well, it seems that just because something meets the definition of “leather” does not make it Genuine Leather.  Genuine Leather is treated cowhide.  Cabretta leather is sheep skin and very soft and subtle.  Deerskin is also used in many leather products.  I have had gloves and other things made of these and really liked them, so why does he speak so derogatory about some grips that are made with these products.  As it turns out, I have some grips have strips of Cabretta leather and actually liked the looks of them. The looks are the only comparison to be made to Best Grips.  Performance wise, they are no better than rubber grips.  The funny thing was I had no idea that there even was a difference.  We have probably all had Cabretta leather golf gloves, I have 6-8 gloves right now.  Four pairs have holes in them and have been severely damaged by water and sweat and 3 have never been out of the package.  Do I really want to spend money for a set of grips like this?  My two Cabretta leather grips came on some wedges, and, while I have had them for several years, I have not gamed them more than 20 times.  They simply look neat but have no real value in performance.  The leather part is actually quite slick when wet.

Best Grips.

Last weekend, I was playing with some friends when on the third hole one says, “Let me see that driver.”  “Oh, I love the looks of these ‘Old School' leather grips.  But they are so slick when they are wet.”  What was my response?  Nothing, I simply took it back and stuck the end in my cooler where I had some melted ice (also know as water).  I then spread the water all over the grip to where it was dripping wet.  Wetter than you would ever play it, and handed it back to him.  His eyes told the story.  He said, “Damn, Tacky.” 

 

I purchased a Major Leaguer Pistol Putter Grip after the Vancouver Open, simply because I had seen Zach's putter grip and thought it looked cool and felt nice.  I also like Zach and wanted to be nice.  That was pretty much it.  I had no great expectations about this other than that.  I ordered the tan Major Leaguer even before it was cataloged.  But once it got here I loved it.  See Review here.

 

In September, we had the MGS Texas Open.  While it was envisioned as a golf-meet, it turned was more of a swim meet and mudfest.  9 inches of rain in 36 hours made conditions “difficult” to say the least then the 20 mph winds made things really “fun”.  On Friday, while still raining we decided to play anyway.  Footing was treacherous and combined with trying to hold onto the club it turned out to be impossible for JBones and I and everyone else, except Zach.  There are a lot of things to think about in the golf swing, but when you add sliding feet and slipping clubs, well, it was too much for me and Bones.  Zach on the other hand had Best Grips on all his clubs.  Big deal?  Yes, a very big deal, it turns out.  He did not have his clubs slip.  Since my putter was also made out of this leather I could really feel the difference.  It did not offer much advantage though because I was not swinging the putter that hard.

 

Ok, why is this?  All Best Grips are treated with ProTac.  This is a water activated that makes them tacky when wet.  You know, it says all this on the Best Grips web site and I may have read it but I assumed it was BS.  Everyone says their stuff is the best.  If you do not think that the product you make is the best than you really should start making another product. 

 

I am a believer.  JBones is a believer.  It was incredible that on Friday and again on Saturday morning he put on an awesome demonstration of his product, and did not even have to try.  Slipping and sliding with the footing plus tension in the arms from over gripping trying to hold the clubs simply killed many good swings and Zach took a wider stance swung easy and relaxed his arms and slaughtered us by 11 and 13 strokes.  Actually, I was the 13, don't want to take credit away from Bones. 

 

So I am now a believer but what do I get?

 

Best Grips make a bunch of different grips so which grip is right for me?  Zach brought us each a grip to try out to the Texas Open, along with a personalized Puttershoe.  I had already purchased a Major Leaguer putter grip a few months before and was interested in trying some other grips out.  I ended up bringing home a “Grid Iron” regular club grip and after trying it for a few weeks, I ordered some other grips to try and now have three putter grips and three other club grips.

 

Sorry if the Oiled Suede looks kind of fuzzy.  Lol.

 

Putter Grips

 

In addition to my tan Major Leaguer, I ordered a Micro Perforated Pistol Putter Grip in black for my new (to me) Scotty Cameron Coronado.  Also, I got a oiled suede black Classic D Putter Grip for my center shafted Scotty Cameron Big Sur.  The pistol grip promotes a strong arc which is needed for the Coronado.  The Micro Perforated feels thinner than the Major Leaguer and the Oiled Suede Classic feels much thicker and the D shape reduces the arc which the center shafted putter needs.  The sword analogy which I started this out with is mainly because of the putter grips.

 

The center shafted Big Sur with the Oiled Suede Classic grip feels like a broadsword.  I like this when practicing because of the extra heavy head promotes a straight stroke and smoother tempo.  I make about 10 putts on my practice putting mat a day at least with this to keep my rhythm smooth.  The Major Leaguer on the Newport 1.5 feels like Jack Sparrow's Cutlass, very precise and according to Disney the most accurate sword ever.  This has been my go to putter for a number of months but it has been kicked out by the Coronado.  The Coronado with the Micro Perforated Pistol Grip is a Samurai Sword.  It is a precision instrument if ever there was one.  The micro perforated grip really feels thin and like I am connected to the putter.

 

 

The grips on the other clubs.

 

While I have decided what grips I am putting on each club in the future, this is strictly my choice.  Some people may want the same grips on the entire set.  Since I have all these different ones I will tell where I will have them in the future and why.

 

The Oversize Classic Grip

 

The Classic a smooth Genuine Leather grip and the Oversize is simply bigger.  It is golf grips not rocket science.  These feel very slick to start with and I admit that I thought it was too slick and be hard to hold.  That was not the case at all.  It never felt slippery during the swing and another thing is when you sweat, as with all the Best Grips, it gets tacky when wet.  I have always liked a bigger grip on my driver, and at one time on all my clubs.  I feel like this allows me to hold the club lighter and slows my hands down and keeps me from going left.  I fear the big hook much more than the slice.  A lighter grip pressure means greater speed and not pulling it left to me.  For these reasons, this will be my driver and fairway metal grips.

 

The Micro Perforated Grips.

 

This is the Classic material that is sent out and has a bunch of holes punched in it, and is similar, if not the same as the General Motors leather seats.  This grip was specifically designed for the low handicapper.  The tiny perforations make the grip tackier and more comfortable.  These will be the grips I have on my irons, 2-PW.  Right now, I have one on my 53* wedge but will probably replace this with a Grid Iron.

 

The Grid Iron Grips.

 

This is made out of Genuine NFL Football leather.  This is an aggressive pattern that I think we are all familiar with.   I have, or will, have these on the wedges.  Why, because the aggressive pattern promotes a lighter grip.  I do not think this will ever wear out.  Have you ever worn out a football?

 

Conclusion. 

The one thing all of these grips have in common is that they have a seam in the back, or wherever you put it.  I expected to not love this.  I was wrong.  I have a tendency to close the face of my irons.  This is great if I make a good in-to-out swing.  The result is a beautiful little draw, but make and out-to-in swing and hello pull-hook and hope that you have 40 yards of course right of the target.  The seam is a reminder.  Put it in the same place and the club face is pointed the same direction every time. 

 

Now for the cost, these ain't cheap.  There are cheap grips out there.  I bought a putter with a brand new Iomic white grip on it about a year ago.  About two months later, it began to grow and twist in the heat.  I put a grip on that lasted about 2 months.  I put a Karma grip on my putter for $4.  It became slick in 2 weeks.  I replaced that one with a beautiful Golf Pride red, white and blue American Flag Grip.  Two months later, the pattern was worn off.  So basically, I have had five grips a year on the same putter, and if I paid more than $7 each for them then I have already spent as much as money in one year as I would for a Best Grip Putter Grip.  As far as the other clubs go, well, $16 bucks is expensive but if they will last two years then they are not more expensive.  Plus, this does not even count the performance benefits. 

[Mr_Theoo]

Great review Rick! I am also planning on ordering grips from Zach for all my clubs after using the one he sent me with my yeti hat.

[Aotearoa_Brad]

Nice review Rick, those tan microperfs look beautiful! A question though - and Zach may be better placed to answer this, but you mentioned that the Microperfs were specifically designed for a low-capper - what makes a grip a low-capper grip? and would there be a disadvantage in a higher-capper (me) putting microperfs on my clubs?

[RoverRick]

Nice review Rick, those tan microperfs look beautiful! A question though - and Zach may be better placed to answer this, but you mentioned that the Microperfs were specifically designed for a low-capper - what makes a grip a low-capper grip? and would there be a disadvantage in a higher-capper (me) putting microperfs on my clubs?

 

Thanks, Brad.

 

The Micro Perfs feel thinner.  Where some of the others feel thick.  Better player tend to focus on feel.  Some players may benefit from thicker or OS while others prefer the thin.  I like the OS on my driver but the Micro Perfs on the irons.  Jury is still out on the Grid Iron on the wedges.

[BestGrips.com]

Awesome review there RoverRick. I admit that sometimes it's a little difficult to convince people that BestGrips not only meets put surpasses expectations and blows any other grip out of the water. Once we do, though, they are converted for life. Glad you liked the grips!

 

 

 

Nice review Rick, those tan microperfs look beautiful! A question though - and Zach may be better placed to answer this, but you mentioned that the Microperfs were specifically designed for a low-capper - what makes a grip a low-capper grip? and would there be a disadvantage in a higher-capper (me) putting microperfs on my clubs?

 

We say that the MicroPerfs are designed for low-cappers because they are designed with performance as the #1, #2, and #3 priorities. They react much quicker to moisture and pack a bigger response or "punch" due to the perforations and greater surface area. I know that I'm the guy making/selling them, but as far as golf club grips go, there has never been, and will never be an equal to the MicroPerf. 

[whiskey golf]

Great review, I might have to buy some grips to try out myself. 

 

Also Rover or Zach, could you compare the size on each grip to some of the grips out there right now? Like is the Oversize Classic comparable to a Midsize grip? Micro Perf comparable to a Lamkin Cord? etc.

[BestGrips.com]

Great review, I might have to buy some grips to try out myself.  Also Rover or Zach, could you compare the size on each grip to some of the grips out there right now? Like is the Oversize Classic comparable to a Midsize grip? Micro Perf comparable to a Lamkin Cord? etc.

The grips are all standard size (except the oversize). While the gridiron feels larger and the MicroPerf feels smaller, it's a mind trick because of the texture. The oversized is equivalent to 8-9+ wraps of tape.

 

Now the grips all feature protaper, which, is the equivalent of three additional wraps of tape under the dominant hand. Why 3? That's average amount of tape used by tour pros. I believe that less tapered grips improve anyone and everyone's game. Other grips have simply too much taper.

[RookieBlue7]

Good review Rick. I was gonna ask Zach a few questions but I'll ask him in his other thread.

[RoverRick]

You could have asked here. I am sure as many people will look here as there.  Often times others have the same questions.

 

The funny thing is after we had this discussion about the different types of leather, initially over a beer at the Texas Open.  I said you should make sure you knew web site says that.  I was slightly embarrassed to look at his site later and finding that in formation on the first page.  It seems that I did not read the first page because it was filled with useless crap that did not interest me at the time.

[BestGrips.com]

It seems that I did not read the first page because it was filled with useless crap that did not interest me at the time.

 

Nothing like a RoverRick compliment to make you feel great in the morning!

[fozcycle]

Terrific write-up!

 

I have a form of arthritis that only affects my fingers..."acute inflammatory arthritis"....as such, I have probs early in the day using my fingers......Currently, i use a Bionic glove to help my grip......I tried midsize grips but they did not help my handicap as I have short stubby fingers (Cadet meduium)......Is there a Best Grip that may help?

[BestGrips.com]

Terrific write-up!

 

I have a form of arthritis that only affects my fingers..."acute inflammatory arthritis"....as such, I have probs early in the day using my fingers......Currently, i use a Bionic glove to help my grip......I tried midsize grips but they did not help my handicap as I have short stubby fingers (Cadet meduium)......Is there a Best Grip that may help?

 

I think any of our standard size grips, especially the microperf or classic would help. There is really two great benefits of our grips in these areas. First off, leather is a natural vibration dampener that doesn't sacrifice feel (I can't remember I had the jarring feeling from hitting a thin shot in winter). Secondly, the protac creates a feeling of comfort (probably because it feels tacky unlike other grips) that allows to lessen your grip pressure vs. other grips.

[RoverRick]

Nothing like a RoverRick compliment to make you feel great in the morning!

 

Sorry, but that is the truth.  I did not really care at the time.  I would expect your home page to be filled with useless pap trying to get me to buy your "over-priced old school" grips.  We talked about them in Canada and I swung them a few times and they felt nice.  But it was sunny 75* and perfect in Canada and everything felt nice.  So I tell ya what, I will buy one just because you are a nice guy and I like you and your "over-priced old school" grips look cool.

 

So, I got one for my putter.  And it was really tacky especially on damp morning or when I was sweaty.  And I used it a couple of times during light showers.  And it felt dry even when it was obviously wet.  But it is a putter.  How often does the putter slip because it is wet.  Never. 

 

So you gave me one to test.  I put it on the driver.  I really liked it but was just in the someday I may get a set of these mode.  I hit it maybe 10 times around.  Then I decided to move it to my wedge and used just that wedge for two rounds.  Setting it in the wet grass just improved the club.  Then I bought some more.

 

But I will buy a set of them because while they may look cool like Old School grips, they are not over-priced old school grips.  They are not cheap but certainly worth it in the long run. 

[RoverRick]

Terrific write-up!

 

I have a form of arthritis that only affects my fingers..."acute inflammatory arthritis"....as such, I have probs early in the day using my fingers......Currently, i use a Bionic glove to help my grip......I tried midsize grips but they did not help my handicap as I have short stubby fingers (Cadet meduium)......Is there a Best Grip that may help?

 

 

I think any of our standard size grips, especially the microperf or classic would help. There is really two great benefits of our grips in these areas. First off, leather is a natural vibration dampener that doesn't sacrifice feel (I can't remember I had the jarring feeling from hitting a thin shot in winter). Secondly, the protac creates a feeling of comfort (probably because it feels tacky unlike other grips) that allows to lessen your grip pressure vs. other grips.

 

I am a fan of the Micro Perfs.  They have a nice texture when dry and give you a real sense that they will not slip thus allowing you to make a hard swing with a light grip pressure.  Saturday morning on the second hole I was getting ready to hit when the Classic Oversize on my driver felt kind of slick.  My hands were cold as it was 40 something degrees and I was wearing shorts and a vest. I simply ran the grip through the wet grass and made the grip tacky.  The other guys thought I was nuts so I gave a little Best Grips Commercial on the tee box.

 

By the way, Zach, you owe me for a personal appearance fee for that.

[BestGrips.com]

By the way, Zach, you owe me for a personal appearance fee for that.

You have played about 7-8 rounds of golf with me this year. I think you have been more than compensated.

[JBones]

I will second what RoverRick has said.  These grips are unlike any other grip I have every had in my hands.  I currently have the Classic on my driver.and I can confidently swing as hard as I want in the rain, with no glove on.  I tried the MicroPerf in TX, in the pouring rain and it felt like it was glued to my hands.  I will be putting the MicroPerf on all my clubs (other than the driver with the classic) during the off season.  BestGrips isn't just a name......it's a proven fact.

[hckymeyer]

I was lucky enough to win one of the new Blade Gridiron grips from the launch contest over on Matt's new site.  I finally picked up another project putter that I want to install it on, but can I install these with air?

 

I have one of the blue superman putter grips on a Piretti and if I remember I did install that one with air, but I don't want to ruin this grip so figured it would be best to double check with the creator

[BestGrips.com]

I will second what RoverRick has said.  These grips are unlike any other grip I have every had in my hands.  I currently have the Classic on my driver.and I can confidently swing as hard as I want in the rain, with no glove on.  I tried the MicroPerf in TX, in the pouring rain and it felt like it was glued to my hands.  I will be putting the MicroPerf on all my clubs (other than the driver with the classic) during the off season.  BestGrips isn't just a name......it's a proven fact.

 

Thanks for the endorsement at the end their JBones.

 

I was lucky enough to win one of the new Blade Gridiron grips from the launch contest over on Matt's new site.  I finally picked up another project putter that I want to install it on, but can I install these with air?

 

I have one of the blue superman putter grips on a Piretti and if I remember I did install that one with air, but I don't want to ruin this grip so figured it would be best to double check with the creator

I install everything with air. Send me an email, or call the office number and we will make sure you are good to go.

 

Shake and pour twice, make sure the butt of the shaft is blunt and covered with tape and slide it on.

[hckymeyer]

Gonna have to pick up some grip solvent, with 4 wraps of masking tape I could only get the grip on about half way with air.  That and maybe try less wraps.

[BestGrips.com]

Gonna have to pick up some grip solvent, with 4 wraps of masking tape I could only get the grip on about half way with air.  That and maybe try less wraps.

 

Give us a call tomorrow (1-866-687-2291). That's quite possibly too much tape. The grips can't really handle more than two wraps of tape (they are pre-tensioned). 

 

Also, I can't say good enough things about Bramptons. It's officially a tape deactivator. What does that mean? It gives you time to arrange the grip before it "sets." It's also non-flammable and non-toxic. Great club making product that will remove one of the messiest parts of the club making process, grip solvent.

[RookieBlue7]

Give us a call tomorrow (1-866-687-2291). That's quite possibly too much tape. The grips can't really handle more than two wraps of tape (they are pre-tensioned).

 

Also, I can't say good enough things about Bramptons. It's officially a tape deactivator. What does that mean? It gives you time to arrange the grip before it "sets." It's also non-flammable and non-toxic. Great club making product that will remove one of the messiest parts of the club making process, grip solvent.

I got the micro perfs I tried on with 3 wraps of build up tape using my compressor at 32 psi. But it was tight and I used a good bit of soapy water.

 

Zach, how would the oversize/midsize compare size wise to, say, a Lamkin 3gen mid size? Do they have less taper than the standard size grips?

[BestGrips.com]

I got the micro perfs I tried on with 3 wraps of build up tape using my compressor at 32 psi. But it was tight and I used a good bit of soapy water.

 

Zach, how would the oversize/midsize compare size wise to, say, a Lamkin 3gen mid size? Do they have less taper than the standard size grips?

 

The Oversized grips are +1/8" over standard. They still feature the protaper, so there will be less taper than a standard grip. I'm not to familiar with oversized grips, so I don't know what the standard amount of taper is exactly.

[RookieBlue7]

The Oversized grips are +1/8" over standard. They still feature the protaper, so there will be less taper than a standard grip. I'm not to familiar with oversized grips, so I don't know what the standard amount of taper is exactly.

I meant do BestGrips midsize taper less than your standard sized grip? I generally take the taper out of my rubber grips with extra wraps under the bottom hand is why I ask.

[BestGrips.com]

I meant do BestGrips midsize taper less than your standard sized grip? I generally take the taper out of my rubber grips with extra wraps under the bottom hand is why I ask.

Ok, that's what I thought you were asking. It's the same amount of taper. 

[RoverRick]

Gonna have to pick up some grip solvent, with 4 wraps of masking tape I could only get the grip on about half way with air.  That and maybe try less wraps.

  Grip Solvent?  That's too much work. I have all my clubs with a lot of tape on them at one point, but when I went to install a Micro Perf on one, I simply cut off the old and added some new tape.  Steel shaft and a razor knife.  It made pretty short work of it.

 

I put the original grip on a Scotty Cameron Big Sur.  It has an oversized shaft.  I mean the tip is like .470 not the normal .370  This made finding a new shaft for it a pain but I eventually did.  But the butt is like ,620 so I had to put some water on it.  Then installed it with air and gave it an extra shot once it was in place to make sure the excess water is out of it. 

 

Zach had said to make sure they were well lubricated if you use tape so I decided to lubricate and use air.

[hckymeyer]

I'm just using masking tape, not actual grip tape.  I'm going to go down to 2 wraps and use some soapy water and see how that turns out first.

 

I think the reason I had trouble with the first attempt was too many wraps and it's a cut down belly putter than I'm installing the grip on.

[BestGrips.com]

I'm just using masking tape, not actual grip tape.  I'm going to go down to 2 wraps and use some soapy water and see how that turns out first.

 

I think the reason I had trouble with the first attempt was too many wraps and it's a cut down belly putter than I'm installing the grip on.

You need to check out brampton. Since it's a tape deactivator, it works much better than soapy water, salt water, spit and grip solvent.

 

http://www.bramptontechnology.com

[txgolfjunkie]

I have used Best Grips for an entire....week...maybe week and a half. 2 rounds and 2 practice sessions. I will just say that I concur with what people are saying about how great these grips are. Hands down, worth the investment.

 

On a side note, their customer service has got to be one of the best I have ever dealt with in the golf world. No joke. I ordered 3 microperf grips and a putter grip about 2 weeks ago. They arrived prompty and professionally. However, one of the microperfs was as slick as could be. I had installed it on my 7 iron but I didn't discover the slickness until I got on the course. I hooked every shot possible with the club due to my intense 'don't let your club go' death grip. I called Best Grips after the round and explained what was going on. They gave me a few instructions on how to revivie the tackiness which didn't work. So I emailed them a day later and said the revival didn't work...still slick. So Harry at Best Grips sent me a small 2 oz container of ProTac to wipe on my grip...and sent me another microperf grip as well. Not only did these guys live up to their product guarantee, but they went above and beyond. I put a little ProTac on the exisiting grip and it works wonders. On top of that, I have another grip to put on my new driver.

 

Amazing customer service guys. Keep up the good work and quality product. You have won me over and I will inform my playing partners how great the grips are but also the top notch customer service.

[RoverRick]

 

 

And RR, I went back and read your review on all of the different grips from Best Grips and had two quick questions. How has the Gridiron worked out for you and what are your thoughts? How have the grips held up/aged since they were first put on? I don't doubt the quality of their grips but I'd like to hear your experience. 

 

 

 

Whiskey,

 

I thought this might be a more appropriate place for this reply and not thread jack too much. 

 

In general, I could not be happier with these grips.  Enough so that I bought 14 of them last week.  I bought the Micro Perforated in Best Grip Tan with standard thread.  As far as the wear, I have seen none.  I have a couple that are dirty but they so zero signs of wear.  In the below picture, the 4 wood (2nd from top) looks kind of messed up but there was some tape under it that rolled a little.  I blew it on so I can blow it off and fix it. 

 

 

As far as the Grid Iron goes, this is purely personal preference.  It is my least favorite grip.  I originally thought I might get all my wedges in Grid Iron but decided to stay with all the same thing.  I do prefer the Micro Perforated for clubs and Major Leaguer for the putter.  This is really sort of like the "Tour Velvet" vs "Tour Wrap" in the cheap rubber grips, just a personal preference.

 

I have seen some new different colored grid iron grips that I am not supposed to talk about that look soooooo good.  I might have gotten some of these colors if the were available for sell at the time, but I had already put off my buying decision.  He had some green micro perfs but by the time I was ready to get them they were already committed to others.  I am pretty happy with what I have though.  i am a conservative type guy.

[whiskey golf]

Thanks for the insight. I was unsure about the Gridirons because of the grip pattern and it would be a new experience. I think would go with the Microperfs because it's more traditional and I've gotten used to a smoother grip rather than cords and rougher styles.