Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

NO1 50 PRO Grips -- 30% Firmer, 100% Amazing --REVIEW


GolfSpy Dave

Recommended Posts

  • SPY VIP

Returning to NO1: The NO1 50 PRO

NO1 Pro Grips-1.jpg

It's not often that I get to revisit the reviews that I write for mygolfspy. It's not that I don't find myself infinitely entertaining; it's more that the constant creation of more golf product by golf companies demands more of a moving-forward approach.

 

Today, I bring you the new NO1 50 PRO grip, which naturally draws me back to when I last reviewed NO1 grips back in 2011. How crazy is it that 2011 now seems like a long time ago? I have this feeling that golf-equipment years may actually be longer than dog years. Golf equipment just zooms along. For reference, please see the 2011 Callaway RAZR Hawk or the 2011 TaylorMade R11.

 

Anyway, I first took the NO1 Model 48 grips through the paces back in 2011. You can read the whole review HERE, but here are the high points:

  • I went with the red with white accents to match the other colors on my Callaway RAZR X irons...
  • RAZR X irons :lol: #6setsago
  • Top scores for looks
  • Top scores for feel and playability
  • Deductions for cost and longevity

 

Basically, while I loved the feel of the grips, they were already starting to show finger wear after not that many rounds of golf. At $16 a pop, I wanted them to last longer.

 

NO1 50 PRO: Less Color, More Stature

NO1 Pro Grips-2.jpg

 

So here we are, a couple of years later, taking a look at a new grip from NO1, the NO1 50 PRO. The company line about this new NO1 is that the new proprietary elastomer compound features a more firmer and solid feel while maintaining the signature sticky and tacky touch of the 50 series.

 

So if I am reading this right, the 50 PRO keeps the tack and feel of the 50, while increasing the firmness, and possibly resiliency. Sounds like a winning combination.

 

Testing the NO1 50 PRO

For reference, I had the grips professionally installed on my PING i25 irons and woods, built up 1/32” (+2 wraps).

 

Looks

NO1 Pro Grips-3.jpg

 

I like to call the stealth color scheme None More Black Black. I bring up color first because these are only as of now available in black with black accents. Sure, black will go with every club in the market, but NO1 has so many great colors in their other grips that it's a bit sad that these are only available in black. Maybe it's a “for now” situation, with other colors on the horizion.

 

Regardless of my peacock-like preferences, these do look cool in their simplicity. These are all business, and the black on black is subtle and sexy.

 

Feel and Play

I was a bit surprised at how the surface openings flared out when the grips were installed. I'm not totally sure that this shows up in the photos, but the edges of the grip had puffer fish-like action when installed.

Really Dave, grips get larger when you install them? That's not really what I am saying.

 

Instead, the holes really seem to fan out when you install them. The overall effect is that you feel more surface contact with the grip, but there is more space as well, contributing to the soft feel. I would describe the gripping sensation as a soft roughness. Maybe a rough softness.

 

NO1 Pro Grips-6.jpg

No1 Pro Grips-a2.jpg

 

These grips replaced a set of Golf Pride NDMCs and as such, I was expecting an overall feeling of squish when I took them to the course. The NO1 50 PROs are definitely softer than the NDMCs, but there is no squish.

 

I hesitate to say that the grip molds to your hand, because that sounds like it's soft, but it does feel like it molds to your hand. Maybe I'll say that it interfaces with your hands. That doesn't imply squish.

 

It's difficult to explain a tactile experience through text, but let me see if I can't give you a better explanation. Much as I enjoy playing NDMC gripped clubs, there is never any question that the firm NDMC is part of the club. With the NO1 50 PRO, the grip really interfaces with my hands, blurring the boundary with hands and club shaft.

 

No1 Pro Grips-a1.jpg

 

The softness of the elastomer allows your hands to become one with the grip. It sounds like a cheesy PR line, but that's the best that I can do describing it.

 

What's cool also is that when you hit the ball, you retain the softness in the hands, yet really feel that 30% firmer construction with impact. I have found that some really soft grips trade comfort for control, flexing and compressing too much to effectively strike the ball. Now while I will never claim to be the most effective, or even under control, ball striker, the NO1 50 PRO grips allowed me to feel in control and connected to the club throughout the swing.

 

Also, being as I play in lovely dry California, my hands definitely welcomed the increased cushion on fat shots from the hardpan.

 

Pricing and Durability

NO1 Pro Grips-4.jpg

 

So here is the spot when the other NO1 review went a bit critical. I don't mind paying a premium price for a premium product. Quality often comes with a price to match. My gripe with the NO1 48 was that they showed, what I thought, was excessive wear, making their replacement more frequent, and thus upping the overall cost to play them.

 

Well, the NO1 50 PRO will still set you back $16/grip, but with these, my reservations about construction and longevity have vanished. One month, and 5+ rounds and range time in, and I have no doubts about longevity. These grips look essentially the same today as they did when installed. I don't see any of the finger tears that I did with the 48's. They have no apparent wear spots at all.

 

They did get dusty and dirty from play, but soap and water took care of that, restoring a deep level of tackiness.

 

I'm likely belaboring this point, but these are so much more resilient than the other NO1s that I played.

 

NO1 is so close to Dave's NO1

NO1 Pro Grips-5.jpg

 

I love these grips. Perhaps that's not the most objective statement, but it's true. How about this statement?

 

I don't want to do any more grip reviews this year because I do not want to take these off of my clubs.

 

I can't think of a bolder endorsement for the NO1 50 PRO. The only thing that I would like to see is NO1 expand their awesome color palate into the 50 PRO line. If these were available in purple or violet, I would probably order them by the case.

 

WEBSITEhttp://www.no1grip.com/item/item50pro.html

Volvo Intorqueo

All the cool kids follow me on twitter: @GolfspyDave

If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the look I always liked the grip but they felt a bit soft to me. These sound great but hard to beat out my Lamkin UTx

 Ping G410 LST 10.5 set -1* Flat Accra TZ5 65 M5

Callaway Epic Flash 15* set -1 Aldila ATX Blue 75TX

Ben Hogan FT Worth Hi 19* KBS Tour V X

Ben Hogan PTX Pro 4-P KBS Tour V X 2* Flat 4* loft increments

Hogan Equalizer 50* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 X 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 56* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 62* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

EVNROLL ER7 P2 Aware Tour
Scotty Cameron Newport2 Buttonback P2 Aware Tour Grip
Snell MTB-X

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • SPY VIP

How are they with moisture management? (rain/humidity)

For the California drought, so far so good. :unsure:

 

All I can really report is that they clean up well with soap and water in between rounds and that after a wet towel wipe during the round they are quite sticky.

 

Love these grips. Have new Cleveland wedges that I am not yet gaming as I wait on three more of these to arrive. Love them.

Volvo Intorqueo

All the cool kids follow me on twitter: @GolfspyDave

If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nowons do well, IMO, in moisture. They're tacky like Iomics but don't get slick like them in rain

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the California drought, so far so good. :unsure:

 

All I can really report is that they clean up well with soap and water in between rounds and that after a wet towel wipe during the round they are quite sticky.

 

Love these grips. Have new Cleveland wedges that I am not yet gaming as I wait on three more of these to arrive. Love them.

Good to hear - looking forward to hear about the durability over the long term.  At that price point, I would want them to last a good season and a half (60-80 rounds)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Good to hear - looking forward to hear about the durability over the long term.  At that price point, I would want them to last a good season and a half (60-80 rounds)

 

 

Now that these grips have been out awhile, can anyone comment on how they've held up?  Are they durable enough to justify their cost?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • SPY VIP

Now that these grips have been out awhile, can anyone comment on how they've held up?  Are they durable enough to justify their cost?

Pretty durable. Got a little firm in the winter, but they definitely held up better than the non-PRO version.

 

looks like they'd be slippery when wet

Very tacky when damp. No slip issues. They are not as rough as cord, but when they were damp, I didn't notice slippage. Granted, it's not wet here in NorCal that often these days...

Volvo Intorqueo

All the cool kids follow me on twitter: @GolfspyDave

If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

I have tried a couple of these and they are amazing.  Meanwhile I bounce around Lamkin, GP and now SuperStroke.  If I would just take the plunge-$$$$-maybe I would stay with something for a little longer.  They do have a great feel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I like these grips very much.  They are firm, however, which may not suit all tastes.  Your hands feel very much like they do after playing corded grips.

:ping-small:G410 plus driver,:taylormade-small:Aeroburner 3W, :cobra-small:F6 Baffler 
:callaway-small:XR 4, 5 hybrids
:titleist-small:2021 T300 6 - GW, SW irons
:callaway-small: Mack Daddy CB 58/12 wedge
Axis1 Rose putter

Alternates: Srixon ZX4 MKII irons

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...