Garsen Putter Grip - MAX - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers Announced for MAX Putter grip from Garsen!

 

“Innovation, with a Twist”

The Garsen MAX grip features the most substantial innovation in putter grip technology in the history of golf. By using a square grip with a 45% rotation, the “front” of the grip now becomes an angled area perfectly fitting the players’ grip and creating a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke. This simple, yet highly effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.

Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers for this grip!

@Blueberry_Squishie
@Caddie1966
@Subdiver1
@Ben Joest

These testers will be doing their main review on this product, but will be receiving all 3 of the grips from Garsen!

[Blueberry_Squishie]

Hello to all of the MGS Forum members,

 

I’m Michael and have previously tested the Puttout training set a couple of years ago. I have been playing golf since 1998 but up until 5 years ago, it was quite casually but then I decided to join a course. Ever since it has been a round per week on average but then some vacation periods I spend more time at the course than some of the staff.

 

I am a member at Werribee Park Golf Club which is about 30km to the south-west of Melbourne. My most recent purchase was a set of iron covers because my golf cart is a bit jumpy getting around the course. They’ve stopped the obscene clattering that was driving me mad. I just have to convince every other member to make the change so the course can be a lot more peaceful.

 

With testing and reviewing, I’m going to keep it simple – is it aiding my putting stroke? I think there are two elements to a putting stroke; start line and distance control. I will also test to see how the grip stands up to marsupial mucus. I am realistic that a grip isn’t likely to have a gigantic impact on my putting stroke (maybe I'll be surprised) but if I can see improvements in these two areas, then it’s a winner. I regularly use the challenges in the Wellputt app and I have the Puttout trainer from a previous test so will use those extensively. With the Max grip, having a ridge on the front of the grip is something I have never tried so I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. Seems like it could help keep the face under control.

 

I got my grips in the mail about a day ago and am working through my first impressions, so fire away with any early questions.

 

 

Final Review (11th June, 2023)

 

Aesthetics (5 out of 10) 

I don’t think aesthetics are brilliant, but they’re not horrendous either. From an internet search, I couldn’t find a putter grip from a known brand that I completely liked the look of. The only one that didn’t have an over the top design was the Lamkin Deep-Etched. In the end, the grip spends most of its time inside my golf bag. If it’s a design I don’t like the look of, but the grip performs brilliantly, I can live with it.

• The Garsen Max comes in generic colour options. They offer combinations of black, white, red, and blue. It would be a difficult balancing act for a company to keep the number of options for their grips manageable to control cost, visually differentiate between their product offerings whilst also pleasing as many customers as possible.
• I’m not a fan of the chevron pattern. My taste is typically towards elegant and minimalist, so the pattern isn’t for me. A single colour with a mild texture would be my preference; similar to the Quad Tour and the Ultimate models.
• Logo and type size – They’re too big. It seems to be on-trend in the golf world to have large logos, but I’m not a fan. With any branding, I'm more into a whispered secrets kind of vibe.

 

The Fit and Feel (20 out of 20)

• The ridge down the front of the grip gives excellent indication of face alignment. I usually use the back edge of my self-made putting trainer to ensure I address with the face square. With the Max grip it is a lot easier to align the face square so I am spending less time during practice ensuring that the face is square at address. Maybe I could spend that time giving the trainer a wipe.

• Garsen claims the Max grip positions your hands so that the palms face each other, and they certainly do. I find that when I am putting poorly I “hold onto” the face and don’t let the toe release over. This gives an inconsistent roll and I am thinking more about guiding the ball on line instead of hitting the ball to my intended spot.
• With the palms facing each other and parallel to the face, I find it much easier to have a nice stroke with the toe releasing without having to consciously rehearse the toe releasing. Many times I practiced with this grip I could put my trainer on the most difficult setting and putt the first putt straight through. I could never do that with my previous Superstroke.
• The grip is a nice diameter for my liking. It’s similar in diameter to the previous SuperStroke that I had.

 

On The Course (20 out of 20)

I deliberately didn’t set out to use extensive statistics for reviewing. I prefer to just play golf than worry about apps during my rounds, I don’t have any statistical history to draw from, and I would only have one putter during the review period so didn’t go that way.

Some insights I do have:

• In my rounds since having the grip installed (3 of them), I have not missed a putt inside 2m. Small samples and many that were less than 50cm (so were incredibly likely makes anyway), but I think making some good par saves from close to 2 metres in itself would be worth using a Max grip.
• I cannot think of any putts from my rounds where I noticeably started my ball off my intended line. I would typically do this at least a few times a round previously, so this was a positive from the Garsen Max.
• I have a friend who noticed the grip while we were playing. He struggles greatly on short putts from not being able to confidently align the face. After trying out my putter after the round, he decided to buy a Max grip for his putter because the ridge on the front gave him a feel where the face is, rather than relying solely on his eyes.

 

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (20 out of 20)

Good: My favourite part of this product is the unique front profile. Aligns the hands facing each other and helps with aligning the face square to the target.

Inbetween: The grips came loose in a generic, plastic postbag. If Garsen wanted to differentiate themselves from other brands, they might think about upgrading the unpacking experience for grips ordered online. In golf shops they would be out on display for trialling, but the online unpacking experience could be used as a differentiator.

Bad: I’m not thrilled by the colour and design. There is some mould flash on the plastic ends that could be an issue for some (photos in my first impressions post if you're interested). They’re really the only bad things I can say about the grip, and they’re hardly deal breakers.

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

Play it. I don’t see myself using another type of grip anytime soon. Keeps my palms directly opposed to each other and helps me make a good stroke; everything you could want from a grip.

 

Conclusion

The design of the Garsen Max grip allows you to grip with the hands facing each other (like their marketing suggests). Very helpful for aligning the face at address and being able to make a stroke that starts the ball on line. The colours and graphics aren’t to my liking, but the performance benefits of the unique grip design help my putting. The price and manufacturing quality of the Max grip is comparable with other premium brands like Superstroke, Bettinardi, and P2 so I would recommend trying it out for yourself.
 

Final Score (95 out of 100)

Edited June 12, 2023 by Blueberry_Squishie
Added final review

[Caddie1966]

My name is Chris.  I go by Caddie1966 on the MGS forum.  As a baseball obsessed 12 year old my exposure to golf was to chase down balls hit OB at a muni by my house and sell them back to the players who hit them out.  In April of 1966, I hitchhiked 15 miles for the first time to and from a private course and started caddying on Saturday and Sunday.  When school ended for summer, I hitched a ride 7 days a week; caddying Tuesday through Sunday, often 36/day and played 36-54 with the other caddies each Monday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.  I fell in love with Golf back then and have been infatuated ever since.

Like Danny Noonan from Caddyshack, I focused on earning an Evans Scholarship so I could attend college.  Unlike Danny, I did earn the scholarship to Michigan State where I briefly continued my baseball career.  After my freshman year, pro baseball was not in the cards, so I played ball only in the summer, studied harder and played more golf.

I introduced my wife to Golf shortly after we married in 1974.  49 years later, she still plays and enjoys new courses as we travel the US.  We moved to Texas in 1994 where I taught my daughters to play well enough that they both played on HS teams that qualified for the State Championship.  I am now teaching my youngest Grandson to play.  I play to an index of 8 now as a 70 year old but was as low as 3.7 in my late 40s.  I retired in 2017 and play 3-4 times each week and walk 120+ rounds each year in North Texas.  
 

Putting has always been my Achilles heel. Over the past few years, I have developed the Yips inside 10 feet.  My fault is right hand and right elbow breakdown on short putts.  I have been a conventional grip guy for almost 60 years and have NEVER stroked a putt with anything else.  My average putts per round have increased from 29 or 1.6 to 32.5 putts or 1.8 per hole in the past 3 years.  My birdie count has dropped significantly from over 1.3 per round in 2020 to 1.15 in 2021 to .925 in 2022.  This decline is primarily due to putting inside 10 feet. 3 putts have gone from 5% to 7% in that same stretch.  

My selection to test the Garsen MAX came the same day I had scheduled a switch to a super soft oversize at my proshop. Serendipity?  The only exposure I had to Garsen prior to this test was checking out Tony Finau’s bright green grip with his logo during the Dell WGC this year and learning that Garsen had quite a few wins on the PGA and LPGA tours.  I did not focus on the three grip selections, as I wasn’t considering a grip change until very recently.  
 

I am changing my gamer, an Odyssey EXO7 to the Garsen MAX.  I want to see if my hand and elbow integrity improves with this new grip.   I am going to have the new grip installed with air so I can swap out to the Ultimate and QUAD Tour without cutting the grips off.  I’ve been a stats guy since I collected baseball cards as a kid.  I plan to log my results with the current EXO7 grip and the MAX as follows:

5 rounds each at my home track, pacing off each putt and logging makes, misses, break direction and short, left or right on the misses.  Home putting mat performance from 4 and 8 feet. Putting green testing from 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 feet, logging the same as I do during the rounds I play. Reducing my average putts from 32 and making more inside 10 feet while improving my hand and arm integrity will assure the Garsen MAX stays in the bag.

Garsen MAX Putter Review

Thank you very much to MGS and to Garsen Golf for the opportunity to review the Garsen MAX putter grip.  This is the first opportunity I have had to review any products through the MGS Forum since I joined in October 2021.  Admittedly, I didn’t finish my profile until mid last year so I feel fortunate to be testing within a few months of completing my profile and becoming qualified to be a tester.  

I was pumped to be chosen for the Garsen MAX putter grip test as I had just decided to switch to an oversized putter grip.  The timing was perfect for me.

One of the tag lines on the Garsen Golf website for the MAX is “The fastest way to make more putts.”  Others include: “Innovation with a twist.” “This simple, yet effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.”

I was intrigued to say the least. 
 

Unboxing: (6 of 10)

After a quick email exchange with Kyle from Garsen Golf to choose colors and arrange delivery, Garsen sent a package of three different putter grips.  The Quad TOUR, The Ultimate and The MAX arrived on May 9th in a simple packing envelope with a nice letter from Bernard Garsen, President, CEO and Founder of Garsen Golf along with two Garsen Putter Grip stickers.  Each grip was wrapped in cellophane and delivered in the colors I requested. 

The Quad Tour comes in Black in either tapered or non-tapered.  I selected the tapered version.  I’m a Michigan State alum so I had to choose Green for The Ultimate.  The Ultimate also comes in Black or Blue.  The Max is available in White, Blue or Red. I chose the Red as it also has Black Chevrons and White lettering.  These are the colors of my two grandsons middle school teams.  My review is focused on The MAX  but I will install each of the others later this month and submit individual reviews of The Quad TOUR and The Ultimate later this summer. 

First Impressions (18 of 20)

The Garsen MAX has alternating Red and Black Chevron style markings that appear to help with hand alignment.  The MAX is standard length and is oversized but not massively so. The most obvious difference on the MAX from other putter grips is it’s RIB which extends top to bottom and bisects the left and right sides of the grip.   I liked the looks  and the initial feel of the MAX but was very curious as to how it would feel on my putter and if the RIB would be helpful or would it hinder my putting grip and putting stroke.  

Aesthetics (10 of 10)

To say the Garsen MAX grip is unique is an understatement.  The RIB grabbed my attention immediately as it extends right down the centerline of the grip.  The White MAX logo is on either side of the RIB just below the very top of the grip.  The Garsen logo is located in the bottom third on the left side of the RIB.  Black and Red Chevrons separate the Red lower section from the Black upper section.  These Chevrons aid in hand placement as I will discuss further.  To quote Billy Crystal,

Installation

I elected to replace the original Odyssey EXO7 pistol grip on my gamer with the Garsen MAX.  The install could not have gone smoother. After removing the old grip and cleaning the shaft up, I used a small amount of mineral spirits and slid the MAX on with no issue until it was halfway on.  At that point, I pushed a bit harder and it was done. Easy please, Lemon Sqeezy.

Feel

Garsen MAX feels tacky but not so tacky that you would cringe like you would if you saw me wearing some of the outfits that Ian Poulter wears.  I’m a light grip pressure putter and the feel of the MAX is about as perfect for me as it gets.  The MAX is solid but not hard, soft yet substantial.  The material is High Tech PUI so it’s like having no slip traction on the grip.  Being a guy who NEVER even practiced with anything other than a pistol grip in 58 years of playing, I initially wondered if the MAX was something I should even try as the grip fit my hands in a much different way than my pistol grip.

RIB

The most unusual element of the MAX technology is the RIB. The RIB extends top to bottom and is visible while gripping the putter. Although it’s noticeable, I was surprised that the RIB was not a distraction, rather I found it to be a guide to hand placement.  
My hands fit on the sides of the RIB and I align my left thumb with the Black Chevron and the pad of my right thumb to the right side of that same Chevron.  The MAX enables me to put a bit of pressure on the grip with my thumbs enabling me to keep my wrists in a more “locked and upright position” to quote every flight attendant I ever flew with.  

Taper

MAX has a slight taper of approximately one quarter inch from top to bottom.  
 

Tale of the Tape

                     Garsen MAX              Odyssey Pistol

Diameter   1.5 inches                  1.0 inch                        
Length       10.25 inches             10 inches                 
Weight       55 grams                   69 grams                
Core Size   .600                           .580

My History

I have struggled through the putting YIPs for the past 2 + years.  I don’t freeze over the putt, my right hand and elbow simply flare out during my through stroke.  This results in putts being pulled wildly left, shoved way right and often stopping woefully short as a my putter face contact is inconsistent.  I also lose my posture during these YIPs and sometimes, even my lower body moves.  I have no idea when this will occur so it’s not something I can wait out or take a few extra practice strokes to alleviate.  The YIPs seemed to occur 2-3 times a round, resulting in 3 and sometimes 4 putt greens.  I would do this on 2-50 foot putts.  It’s a terrible thing.  

I tried left hand low, changing putters, pencil grip, even a long putter.  Nothing worked.  What I had not done was change putter grips. That’s why when the opportunity to review the Garsen MAX came along, I jumped in.  

The Garsen Golf website stases:

“…the MAX  places your hands in a position so the palms are in a neutral position.  It turns your elbows into your body and sets your shoulders back.  This relieves arm and shoulder tension, inhibits wrist action which takes “the hands out of putting” and promotes shoulder rotation creating a solid putting stroke which will give you a one-piece feel, leading to a more consistent stroke.”

I WANT THAT!!!!!!!!
My pistol grip 

My MAX grip

The Numbers and My Testing (20 of 20)

My 2022 GHIN putting stats

My 2023 GHIN putting stats YTD

The YTD putting stats were prior to my testing efforts.

As I began to think of how to evaluate and review a putter grip change, I settled on trying to find comparable tests to evaluate both on and off course. Would I see if the Garsen MAX lived up to the tag line of “The fastest way to make more putts.”? 

My approach was to evaluate on 3 different tests with a large enough sample size to convince myself that the results were real where each test was a fair evaluation and not subject to a halo effect of trying something new and wanting it to be better.

Test 1

Indoor testing was done using my 9 foot putting mat and a perfect putt target consisting of 60 putts from 5 feet and 60 putts from 8 feet for both the Pistol and MAX grips.  I completed 10 each at a time from each distance with a 5 minute break in between to reduce the likelihood of being in a groove. So this test was 120 putts for each grip.

 

My make rate indoors combined from 5 and 8 feet using the pistol grip was 54%.  I made 65 of 120 attempts and missed primarily due to pulled putts going left.  I left 8% short from 8 feet. 

My make rate indoors combined from 5 and 8 feet using the Garsen MAX was 78%.  I made 94 of 120 attempts and  my misses were split equally left and right.  I left 0 of the 120 putts short using the MAX.

These results were quite surprising as I made nearly 30 more putts with the MAX, an increase of 45%.  

Test 2

Outdoor testing was on the putting green at my home course, Denton  Country Club.  I putted early a.m. to assure no disruptions due to other players using the practice green.  I putted 60 putts with each grip installed.  12 putts from distances of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 feet for a total of 120 putts.  These putts were as straight as I could find.  All were uphill slightly and the STIMP readings for these days was 10.5.

Test 2 was more challenging as the distances increased and lines varied more than indoors. It was difficult finding straight putts over 15 feet on DCC’s relatively small practice green.

My make rate with the Odyssey grip outdoors was 35% across all distances combined while my make rate with the Garsen Max was 52% for the same distances.
While similar at under 10 feet, my make rate over 10 feet with the MAX was double that of the Odyssey: 21 Vs. 11.  

My short misses with the Odyssey we’re nearly double the MAX short misses: 11 to 7.  I kept the putts more to the high side of the hole with the MAX which positively increased my make rate. 

 

My GHIN numbers for 2022 and 2023 YTD pre MAX testing are summarized as follows:

2022

115 rounds 32.8 ppr 23% 1 putt, 72% 2 putt, 5% 3+  

2023  

45 rounds 32.5 ppr 26% 1 putt, 67% 2 putt, 7% 3+

 

Test 3 (20 of 20) 

On  course testing.  Where the rubber meets the road. Where the chickens come home to roost.  

I played 5 rounds with each grip at my home track and walked off every putt I had during those rounds, no gimmies.  I recorded the distances on the scorecard for every putt so I noted each putt on each hole and total feet of putts per hole.  I also recorded low, high and short.  

So how did I do and more importantly, how did the Garsen MAX do vs. the Odyssey pistol grip?

Odyssey

Round 1      33 putts                                                            
Round 2     34 putts                                                                
Round 3     34 putts                                                                 
Round 4     31 putts                                                                    
Round 5     32 putts                                                                     
Total          164 putts                                                              
Average   32.8 putts                                  

Avg 1 putt: 3.0 2 putt: 12.4. 3 putt 2.6     
Proximity to hole on 1st putt: 14.3 feet.  
Range 1-45 feet    
Pretty much like I have putted for the past 2+ years.

MAX

Round 1       27 putts                                                        
Round 2      29 putts                                                      
Round 3      30 putts                                                       
Round 4      26 putts (lowest 18 hole putt count ever)    
Round 5      33 putts (12 first putts over 22 feet)           
Total          145 putts                                                         
Average      29 putts

Avg 1 putt: 6.8, Avg 2 putt: 7.6 Avg 3 putt: 0.8          
Proximity to hole on 1st putt: 14.9 feet.  
Range 2-65 feet

Results

Garsen MAX out performed the Odyssey pistol grip by a wide margin

1 putts rose from 15 to 34 in 5 rounds                                
3 putts dropped from 13 to 4 in 5 rounds

Strokes Gained Putting                                                                  
In 5 rounds I gained 3.8 strokes putting using the Garsen MAX putter grip.  My total YIPs in 5 rounds with the Odyssey was 9.  I had a single YIP with the MAX in round 1 and none thereafter. Two of my four 3 putts with the MAX came in round 5 where my 1st putts were 42 and 65 feet from the flag.

How do I explain this improvement? My PUTTING grip changed with the PUTTER grip.  The statements on the Garsen Golf website rang true for me:

My hands are on the side of the putter.                                  
My palms face each other.                                                      
My wrists are more neutral.                                                     
My elbows are closer to my body.                                            
My shoulders are back.                                                            
My shoulder rotation is more consistent.                              
My distance control is better.

Simply put, I hit more solid putts.  My putter head sits more level to the ground as the grip changes have me more upright and closer to the ball. I make better contact closer to the sweet-spot.  My misses are closer to the hole.  More putts are getting to the hole and more putts are on the high side.  

The Garsen MAX, specifically the RIB and the oversize technologies completely changed my technique and stroke for the better.  The new technique has resulted in better outcomes.  The better outcomes have led to higher confidence.  
 

The Garsen MAX grip has been shockingly positive for me and has far exceeded any expectations I might have had.

Will the MAX stay in the bag? (20 of 20)

Absolutely yes!  
Let me quote Eric Clapton, my favorite artist of all time:  “It’s in the way that you use it.  Boy don’t you know.  Don’t you ever confuse it. Don’t let it go.”  

The MAX has found a home in my bag and will be tough to remove.  

When I joined MGS I listed my strength as Driving the ball.  I am still a strong driver.  However I don’t believe any driver can improve my game by 3.8 strokes gained.  If I had the MAX in my bag and with these results when I joined MGS I would have proudly claimed putting as my biggest strength.

 

Overall  (94 of 100)

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Caddie1966
Final Review

[Subdiver1]

  I learned “soft hands” around the green and a decent putting stroke playing golf in southern New England in the 70s-80s.  Had I been smart enough to listen to coaches when I was a kid who knows where my game could have become; I may have even qualified to play for a community college or maybe the Bob’s Big Boy Tour . I’ve been playing primarily in WA State for the last couple of decades and my handicap has ranged from a low of 4 a couple of years back, to currently in the mid-7s.  I’d been gaming a Callaway BJ-1, what I thought would be my forever putter, since around 1988.  But, an equipment upgrade a couple of years ago got me thinking maybe I should “do a little something” with my putter too (yeah I know, don’t fix what ain’t broke right).

  I’ve pretty much always used the same set-up and putting stroke; standard grip, slightly open stance, ball off the front heel, straight back and through; I feel like this set up allows me to come straight back and through the ball best and see the line.  I admit to some bias when I started my putter search, 1. Had to be a blade, and 2. Big grips were more of a gimmick than a potential benefit.  Enter the Evnroll ER2 and of course, a larger grip.  DAMN! There might just be something to this large grip thing (ironically, I have been playing oversize grips on all my clubs for quite a while).

  I have no background with Garsen and other than my former bias against large putter grips I have no bias for or against the company or the product; my interest is in improving my game; Ummm…I might be a little competitive.  So, why did Garsen pique my interest?  I didn’t pay too much attention to the couple of articles I’d seen until I received an email offer for all three grips for $79 a couple of weeks past.  Hmmm…three?  Why three?  Does golf ever stop costing more $$? WAIT!  Is that grip really DIAMOND shaped???  Hmmm, that looks like it might be comfortable.  Life took over and I missed the window for that deal; then the MGS opportunity popped up; serendipity???

  Garsen claims the Max grip creates a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke.  One reviewer mentioned that the Quad, “promoted a flat left wrist and square contact,” which might end up fitting my grip and putting style better than the Max, but the Max is my initial focus.  By Shot Scope and an App I use I average 1.8 putts per round.  The goal to keep the Max, or one of the others, is 1.6 or better and no 3 putts.  But, if it feels better and promotes consistent hand position, it still stands a chance.

I bought another ER2 for testing.  I plan to start comparing feel between my current Evnroll Gravity Grip and the Garsen MAX.  From there testing on my Birdie Ball mat, then to the course.  Can’t wait to get started! 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Subdiver1

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Garsen MAX Putter Grip – Official MGS Forum Review by Ben Joest

Introduction
My dad grew up one of seven children, with five brothers and a sister. This is relevant because three of those brothers, along with a brother-in-law and my dad would play golf during our weeklong family gatherings. During one of these weeks, around the time I turned twelve, my uncle handed me a nine iron and a ball. I was obsessed with baseball and said something to the effect of “this isn’t a bat.” His response, “No, it’s better.,” aroused my curiosity so I set the ball down and took my best baseball swing. If this were the movies, the ball would have left the club in a high, tight draw and nestled softly a hundred-twenty yards away, while the cheers and adulation of my family washed over me amidst cries of “My God! The boy is a natural!”

Alas, the swing I put on that ball produced a low burner that never got ten feet off the ground, though it did go about eighty yards. I looked to my uncle after I hit it for a reaction, but he was already walking towards my dad. Hustling to catch up, I overheard my uncle tell my dad, “He will be fine. He already hits it further than Al does.” They laughed, and with that I was drafted into the family tee times.

Thus began, what has been a lifelong love affair with the grand old game. Like any good love story, it has been filled with the highest peaks (breaking eighty, Eagles, hole-outs from a hundred yards)  and the lowest valleys (six-putting a green, far too many moments of quiet contemplation over how long it would take for my golf bag and clubs to sink to the bottom of a water hazard). Fast forward thirty-two years and I am a forty-four-year-old father of three. Two girls and a boy, ages ten, eight, and four. They instill in me a sense of purpose, that most parents understand but very few can explain. It is what compels me to pass along my love for golf to them and thus far they have been quite receptive, probably because they know it aggravates their mother to no end. I am raising three little contrarians. We live just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.

My handicap hovers between eight and ten. My putting has never been a strength or a weakness, it has always just been there. When I signed up for this test, I was unfamiliar with Garsen. I have since learned they offer three unique grips, which are all markedly different from the super strokes I have been gaming for the last decade plus. In December, I purchased a perfect practice putting mat, so my plan to evaluate the Max involves the mat, a practice green at the local practice facility and real-time feedback from playing rounds, Because putting has never been a priority, I look forward to focusing my attention on these grips and by default, my stroke.

Unboxing/Initial Thoughts

The USPS envelope was waiting patiently in the mailbox for me when I got home yesterday. The contents revealed, upon opening, to be a nice letter from Bernerd Garsen, 2 quality stickers, and the 3 grips of my choosing.

 

I opted for the red/black Max, the green Ultimate, and the tapered Quad Tour. My initial impressions of these grips are positive. The materials look and feel to be of a high quality. The feature of the Max grip is the spine that runs down the center of the face of the grip.

As you can see, I wasted no time getting these grips on my putters. After some consideration, I have decided to install each grip on a different putter concurrently , rather than installing each grip on the same putter consecutively. My rationale is that it will allow more time, within the testing window, with each of the grips for comparative purposes. Also, I picked a putter for each grip that I thought would work well together. Part of the fun will be determining whether my instincts were correct.

For the Max, I chose my current gamer:

Evnroll ER7v

For the Quad Tour I chose:

Scotty Cameron California Monterey

For the Ultimate I chose:

Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie

With the lineup chosen, it is now time to get down to testing!

First Impressions (10 out of 10)

Out of the wrapper this is a sharp looking grip. The design is bold, but not overly so, with clean lines and a geometry that is pleasing to the eye. The colors used; red/black, blue/black, or white/black are simple yet vibrant. This grip provides just enough “Hey! Look at me!”, without becoming distracting. One small complaint that is, admittedly, a matter of preference: I would love to see the max in solid colors, like they have done with the Ultimate.

In looking at the product specs and claims available on the Garsen website, provided here:

Garsen Claims and Specs

GRIP SPECS:

Grip diameter: 1.5 Inches

Weight: 55 Grams

Length: 10.25"

Core Size: .600

Firmness: Medium

Shock Absorption: High

Material: High-Tech PUl

Feel: Semi-tacky

Profile: Semi-Tapered

“Innovation, with a Twist”

The Garsen MAX grip features the most substantial innovation in putter grip technology in the history of golf. By using a square grip with a 45% rotation, the “front” of the grip now becomes an angled area perfectly fitting the players’ grip and creating a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke. This simple, yet highly effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.

      
HOW YOU WIN WITH THE MAX:

Unlike a traditional putter grip, the MAX places your hands in a position so the palms face each other, and the wrists are in a neutral position. It turns your elbows into your body and sets your shoulders back. This relieves arm and shoulder tension, inhibits wrist action, which takes “the hands out of the putting” and promotes shoulder rotation, creating a solid putting stroke, which will give you a one-piece feel, leading to a more consistent stroke.

 

These claims, specifically the relief of arm and shoulder tension were put to the test during the nightly competition, the practice green sessions, and the on-course rounds.

Aesthetics (9 out of 10)

The MAX’s shape is best described as a teardrop. At the rear of the grip, it is rounded toward the front and culminates into a ridge that runs the length of the face. There is a repeating pattern within the texture of the grip of diamonds and tear drops.

Holding the grip provides a pleasant, tactile sensation and the first time I picked it up, I got the impression that I was holding something that was firm underneath, with the right amount of softness on the surface, without feeling spongy. I withheld a single point for the color palette available. I would like to see bold color choices, like the ones that are available for the Ultimate, be on offer for the MAX. Specifically, the neon green. It’s minor and my only quibble with the aesthetics of this grip.

The Fit and Feel (18 out of 20)

Going into this test, the amount of time and consideration I have given to the way I grip a putter and, for that matter, the grip on the putter itself might charitably be called lovingly neglectful. Because my putting has always been on the plus side of adequate, my focus during practice sessions has always been directed toward more pressing areas. In part, I was excited to test these grips because it forced me to give more consideration to this area of my game. During my initial testing with each of these grips, I rolled putts with each, using 3 of the 4 common grips.

I didn’t try any with the wrist anchor, as none of 3 putters I selected for these tests were long enough to try this comfortably. The Rossie and ER7v are 34” and the Scotty is 33”. I have always used the traditional, or a slightly modified version, but I was interested to try the other variations. I found that the Claw grip works fairly well with the MAX, as the 45° plane on the trail side of the grip makes for a comfortable surface to rest the hand as it points down without impacting one’s ability to keep their elbows tucked in. The cross-hand experiment bore similar results, in that beyond the initial awkwardness of holding a putter in that manner, a few putts in, the grip began to feel more natural. I could see with either variation, that the MAX would not hinder an individual’s choice of grip. My only complaint regarding the fit and feel of the grip, and the reason it lost 2 points, relates to the overall length of the grip. My modified traditional grip didn’t quite feel right.

So I had to modify my hand-position back to a grip that more closely resembles a split-hand grip, In doing so, I went from having about 3” of unused grip at the bottom, to having about 5/8” of an inch, which feels ever so slightly off to me.

This isn’t so much a failing of Garsen, as a matter of preference for me. Also, Garsen does sell a 15” version of the MAX that would solve this issue for me, and other weirdos like me.

On the Course (20 out of 20)

Field testing of the MAX took place From May 11th through June 8th. It was comprised of a nightly putting mat challenge where the MAX competing against the Ultimate and the Quad Tour, 3 visits to the local practice center to utilize their green complex, and 18-hole rounds on Majestic Springs, The Mill Course, and Majestic Springs, again.

Basement Putting Mat Shootout

I gave each putter 5 putts from 3’, 6’, & 9’ toward the regulation sized cup. If the putter made all 5 putts, it was given an opportunity to make a bonus putt from that distance into the smaller opening. Each standard make was worth a point and the bonus putts were worth 3 points. On any given night, a putter could earn a total of 24 points. A perfect score proved to be rather elusive, as it only happened 5 times out of a possible 84 rounds! Here is the final tally from the shootout and your grand champion:

Congratulations to Ultimate Rossie, you are a worthy champion, and we are all sure you will carry this victory with the grace and dignity befitting a grip of your stature. After the event, I asked the winner to share a few thoughts on what this monumental, career defining triumph means for them moving forward, but all I got was a couple of half-baked cliches about “taking it one putt at a time” and “rolling the ball really well this week”, when pressed for more substantive answers, Ultimate Rossie’s Kiwi caddy threatened to beat the living daylights out of me. Sheesh, some putters let a little success go right to their heads…

Southwest Golf Ranch Practice Green Complex

For the practice green portion I took advantage of a wonderful practice facility that is 15 minutes away from home, The Southwest Golf Ranch, they have a large practice green that allowed me to pick out a relatively flat patch of green for 5’, 10’, & 20’ sessions of 6 & 10 putts from each distance. The results were positive and are submitted here.

I also included a freeform session, where I pitted the MAX against the Quad Tour, I randomly picked distances and differing breaks with the intention of simulating conditions like a round, because as helpful as 5,10,20 can be, rarely do I find myself seeing those exact distances repeated in actual playing conditions.

Ed. Note: Pictures and Video included in posts throughout the thread

Actual Rounds Played

My average putts per round prior to installing the MAX for this season have been:

For the rounds that I used the MAX, I had:

34 putts for 18 holes at Majestic Springs. Overall, I was satisfied with the round. I had 1 less putt than my average. Highlights from this round include 3 – 30+foot lag putts to leave me with 6” tap-ins, one-putts made from 12’ and 15’ feet, respectively and no 3 putts.

32 putts for 18 holes at The Mill Course. I had 4 one-putts for this round that ranged from approx. 3’ to 14’. For the second round in a row, my lags on the long putts were mostly well-judged, leaving makeable 2nd putts, and the cherry on top was another round with zero 3 putts!

30 putts for 18 holes at Majestic Springs. This was by far the best round I have had with the MAX! 30 total putts, so 5 strokes gained from season average prior to testing. My season average has dropped a stroke to 34 putts per 18. I had 7 one-putts including a 35’ for par and a 40’ for birdie. The other 5 varied in length from 3’ to 19’. As I have grown more accustomed to this grip, my distance control with it has improved quite a bit from my first round out with it. The only blemish on the round was a 3 putt on the par 3 3rd. It took me 3 putts to get down from a tee shot that left me 20’ from the hole, a bad read on the first putt left a tricky 6-footer that I left short. The MAX can hardly be blamed for this, so overall this round is an A+ for the MAX/Evnroll combination.

I deducted no points from the “on the course” score. My misses are line and pace related and the MAX shouldn’t and won’t be held accountable for a bad read or hammer hands. I thoroughly enjoyed putting with the MAX during the “on the course” performance portion of testing.

The Good, The Bad, The In-between (18 out of 20)

Amongst the good, the MAX, having rolled at least a thousand putts with this grip over the past month, maintained its pleasant feel and their claims that the grip can help alleviate arm and shoulder tension seemed to bear out as factual. The “elbows-in” position the grip naturally promotes does help with a smooth, repeatable putting stroke. During all phases of the testing, I did not notice any twisting of the putter face that would lead to bad pushes or pulls. For the latter half of the testing period, temperatures were often in excess of 80° and I did not experience any sliminess or slickness with the grip, despite being quite sweaty on multiple occasions.

The not-so-good is limited to my above-referenced quibbles with color and length, as well as my need to modify the way I grip the putter to get peak performance from the MAX. The results that have been realized with this grip, go a long way toward negating these personal irks with the MAX, but I deducted 2 points, nonetheless.

There is one specific test that I wanted to put the MAX through and circumstances outside of my control intervened. When I sat down and put my plan together, one facet of a grip’s performance that I rarely, if ever, see tested is how that grip performs in the rain. While I typically don’t plan to golf in the rain, over the past 30+ years, I have been rained on plenty. I was curious how the MAX would perform in non-sweat related wet conditions. Would constant moisture have any negative effects on the grip? At the onset of testing, I planned to take advantage of a rainy afternoon or evening to go hit putts and collect some anecdotal data. It was a good plan and would have worked if not for one small detail, we haven’t had any substantial rain since testing began. The best laid plans…

As an aside, I briefly considered standing under the lawn sprinkler to simulate rainy conditions, but self-control and the fear of a 72-hour psych hold got the better of me.

Play It or Trade It (18 out of 20)

After weighing the preponderance of evidence I have gathered during this trip down the rabbit hole, I am split between the MAX and the Ultimate. The Basement Putting Mat Shootout victory had the Ultimate in the lead, but my last testing round on the course with the MAX was too awesome to discount and now I am torn between the two of them. I will allow that additional time getting acclimated to the way my hands are positioned when I hold the MAX could tip the scales in favor of the MAX, but in fairness to the Ultimate, I need to see how well the performance on the putting mat translates to the course. My final choice, is for now, to be continued. I would like to add that choosing between these 3 was harder than I imagined coming into the test and it boils down to being comfortable with the position of my hands. Right, wrong, or indifferent I docked the MAX 2 points for not being the victor. However, it must be said that Garsen has provided us with 3 outstanding grips to test. Over the course of the month, I developed a fondness for all 3 at times and will continue to trust each of these grips to the putter it was assigned. The highest compliment I can pay Garsen in this regard, is that I have no intentions of re-gripping any of the 3 putters with a different vendor’s product. In truth, I may purchase the variety pack that Garsen sells and put the grips on with air so that I can see how well the current gamer might perform with the Ultimate or the Quad Tour and vice versa. Also, given the performance of the Rossie/Ultimate, I very well may have found a new “gamer”.

Conclusion: TL;DR

Due to the subtle nature of the art of putting, I’m not certain any product, on its own, can transform a bad putter into a good putter or a good putter into a great putter. The unvarnished, unsexy truth is that only practice and a commitment to improvement can do that. However, I do believe that there are products, such as the Garsen MAX putter grip, that help the earnest and faithful achieve that end. This grip allows its users to develop a consistent stroke and, by the way that it guides the elbows inward, places the arms in a consistent, repeatable position. If you struggle with developing a repeatable putting stroke, then the Garsen MAX is absolutely one you must try. Lastly, a huge shout out to the Forum Staff and Garsen for allowing me to take part in this test. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am now a devoted fan of Garsen and these grips.

Final Score (93 out of 100)

 

 

 

[Josh Ross]

Huge congrats, now the fun begins!

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! 

[cojobro77]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Testers Announced for MAX Putter grip from Garsen!

 

“Innovation, with a Twist”

The Garsen MAX grip features the most substantial innovation in putter grip technology in the history of golf. By using a square grip with a 45% rotation, the “front” of the grip now becomes an angled area perfectly fitting the players’ grip and creating a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke. This simple, yet highly effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.

Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers for this grip!

@Blueberry_Squishie
@Caddie1966
@Subdiver1
@Ben Joest

These testers will be doing their main review on this product, but will be receiving all 3 of the grips from Garsen!

Way to go gents! Let us know how these perform!

[xOldBenKenobiX]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Testers Announced for MAX Putter grip from Garsen!

 

“Innovation, with a Twist”

The Garsen MAX grip features the most substantial innovation in putter grip technology in the history of golf. By using a square grip with a 45% rotation, the “front” of the grip now becomes an angled area perfectly fitting the players’ grip and creating a much more biomechanically efficient position for the putting stroke. This simple, yet highly effective, grip innovation is the fastest way to immediately improve your putting.

Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers for this grip!

@Blueberry_Squishie
@Caddie1966
@Subdiver1
@Ben Joest

These testers will be doing their main review on this product, but will be receiving all 3 of the grips from Garsen!

Congrats testers 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Congrats testers! 

[GolfSpy TCB]

Congratulations

@Blueberry_Squishie
@Caddie1966
@Subdiver1
@Ben Joest

Looking forward to your testing and results!

 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

It is an honor to be selected for this test. I appreciate the faith that is being placed on a relatively new face and I can’t wait to get started! Let’s Go!!!!

Big congrats to my fellow testers!

[MDGolfHacker]

Congratulations testers!

[tdroma98]

Congratulations Testers!! 

[Berg Ryman]

having done something similar to this with a SS2 from Superstroke back in the day, I wonder how our testers will appreciate the new feel. Can't wait to see how it works for everyone!

[RjGolf4Life]

Congratulations testers!

[Caddie1966]

Excited to be included and to get started on the testing process. I’ve been a conventional putting grip guy all my life so this should be fun.

[Blueberry_Squishie]

Just posted my introduction. I also got my grips in the mail so will be getting the Max installed this week and will share my first impressions soon.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

I have added my unboxing photos and some initial thoughts/photos. This is gonna be fun!

[ChitownM2]

1 hour ago, Ben Joest said:

I have added my unboxing photos and some initial thoughts/photos. This is gonna be fun!

Which of the grips is closest to the original grip on the Evnroll in your opinion?  

[GolfSpy_BEN]

43 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:

Which of the grips is closest to the original grip on the Evnroll in your opinion?  

In terms of shape, I think the Quad Tour. However in terms of size it would be the Ultimate. Neither is a close match. Also, it should be noted that I didn’t care for the Evnroll OEM grip and removed it for a super stroke after a month, so my memory of it is a little hazy.

[ChitownM2]

34 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

In terms of shape, I think the Quad Tour. However in terms of size it would be the Ultimate. Neither is a close match. Also, it should be noted that I didn’t care for the Evnroll OEM grip and removed it for a super stroke after a month, so my memory of it is a little hazy.

Thanks.  Just realized I quoted the wrong post.  Meant to tag @Subdiver1 as he had the evnroll in his intro pics.

[Subdiver1]

Update 2

The Max is mounted.

Observations:

1. Air removal of the Enroll grip was not exactly "easy."  This was my first time using air so there may be a slight learning curve here .  Locked the shaft into my work bench vice using shaft block.  Then ran the air compressor up and set it for <30 psi output.  Puff-pull didn't work; blast-pull wasn't working either...   puff-twist, puff-twist, puff-twist and I started to see the butt end move so I kept that up until lo and behold, a little patience goes a long way and the old grip was off 

Removed the tape and thought, "The install should be easy."  Yeah, not so much.  A bit of solvent and some elbow grease and ready to go.  I learned a while back regripping my irons that putting a center mark on the shaft is a good idea.  Makes alignment a lot easier than starting from the head and working back. Yes, I can learn; I have the bruises, bumps and scars as historical record.

2. The Max is a bit shorter than the OEM grip.  Considering my set-up I don't see this as a physical issue, but it could be a bit strange at first because of how much grip I am used to having below my trailing hand.

3.  After several hours of consultation with 4 rocket scientists and a quantum mathematician it was determined that the feel of the Garden is "different" from the OEM grip.  This was quantified through a very complicated algorithm that they were able to develop using Einsteinian theories and Quantum Physics; unfortunately they forced me to sign and NDA making this highly accurate algorithm is proprietary and must remain secret for the next 150 years.  I will however share how this "Feel" translates to performance in the very near future.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

As mentioned in my introduction, I plan to utilize a perfect practice mat as a part of my testing regimen.

Because mindlessly rolling putts from various distances can be somewhat cathartic, yet quite tedious, I have devised a simple competition for the Max, Ultimate, and Quad Tour. I will use each respective putter/grip to roll 5 putts from 3’, 6’, & 9’ on the standard size hole. Each putt is worth a point. If I make all 5, I get a bonus putt from that distance toward the undersized hole. Making that will net 3 bonus points. I plan to do this nightly for the next 4 weeks, and the end of which I will crown a basement putting mat shootout champion. Since tonight was the inaugural round the tally’s are:

(I had to borrow some space on SWMBO’s exercise whiteboard for my tally.)

The x’s are for missed bonus putts and the checks are for made bonus putts. 

After the first round:

Ultimate Rossie - 11 points

Max Evnroll - 16 points

Quad Tour Scotty - 13 points

Who’s going to take the title? Tune in to the final review to find out!

[heavygolffeels]

I'm reviewing the Ultimate grip, but wanted to test the Max out on my backup putter. Normally I would use tape and solvent, but seeing as I may remove this to test the others grips or to put on my main putter, I just used air. The Max is a big grip. Easy to slot on the shaft and install. I didnt even need a vice to hold the putter. Just slipped right on. I've only done an air install a few times and that shows, but thought the process might be worthy of a quick video. 

 

 

[Subdiver1]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:14 AM, Berg Ryman said:

having done something similar to this with a SS2 from Superstroke back in the day, I wonder how our testers will appreciate the new feel. Can't wait to see how it works for everyone!

I was just working through that though. Trying to edit a little video now addressing the "feel."  I am mixed.  On one hand I like the way it feels for sewing flow, for set up I am still trying to decide; are my mixed feelings because it isn't what I am used to  or because it isn't right for my grip and stroke?  I think that is a HUGE aspect of "feel."  If you have been playing, even somewhat successfully, for a while with a certain grip the something new is going to feel different, is that good or bad or partly driven by a hope that it is "better?"  Think about taking a lesson as a result of maybe a push or a pull and the Pro shows you that your hand position is the problem, the weakens or strengthens your grip, in relation to where you've been, to fix the problem. It WILL feel strange, maybe not even "good" and even when it fixes the problem you've been having, you're going to be conflicted over whether this new hand position "feels good" or "feels bad" in comparison to what you've been used to. So, does the new grip feeling good or not?

[Subdiver1]

Let's talk feel for a moment.  I've been contemplating thus for a bit and I am mixed on the "feel" with the Max in my hand and on the putter. 

On one hand I like the way it feels for swing flow, for set up I am still trying to decide; I think a HUGE aspect of "feel" comes from a comparison to what we have gotten used to.  If you have ever taken a lesson and have had the Pro adhmjust your hand position, weaken or strengthen your grip in relation to where you've been; it WILL feel strange, maybe not even "good" and even when it fixes a problem you've been having; you're going to be conflicted over whether this new hand position "feels good" or "feels bad" in comparison to what you've been used to; no matter how much better you strike the ball. So, does this new grip feeling good or not?  

On one hand 

On the other 

[Subdiver1]

On 5/10/2023 at 8:38 PM, ChitownM2 said:

Thanks.  Just realized I quoted the wrong post.  Meant to tag @Subdiver1 as he had the evnroll in his intro pics.

Easy day.  Funny, I was just thinking about that specific question.  I started my live action comparison testing yesterday and am getting it ready for public consumption; one of the problems I need to address is that the 2nd ER2 I bought to allow me to do head to head testing has a Super Stroke grip on it (for some reason I thought it had the OEM grip as well), and I am not really digging that SS.  I think I jumped the gun replacing my ER2 OEM grip with the Max; I should have waited and replaced the grip on the new ER2 with the Max and kept the Evnroll OEM grip since that is a known quantity.  Anyway, I am now trying to get the SS grip off the new ER2 so I can put the Evnroll grip back on and put the Max on the new putter.  

All that background aside, to more directly answer your question I think Ben is correct, the Ultimate is closest.  I will post a pic.

[Subdiver1]

5 minutes ago, Subdiver1 said:

Easy day.  Funny, I was just thinking about that specific question.  I started my live action comparison testing yesterday and am getting it ready for public consumption; one of the problems I need to address is that the 2nd ER2 I bought to allow me to do head to head testing has a Super Stroke grip on it (for some reason I thought it had the OEM grip as well), and I am not really digging that SS.  I think I jumped the gun replacing my ER2 OEM grip with the Max; I should have waited and replaced the grip on the new ER2 with the Max and kept the Evnroll OEM grip since that is a known quantity.  Anyway, I am now trying to get the SS grip off the new ER2 so I can put the Evnroll grip back on and put the Max on the new putter.  

All that background aside, to more directly answer your question I think Ben is correct, the Ultimate is closest.  I will post a pic.

R to L

Ultimate, Super Stroke, Evnroll, Max, Quad

[ChitownM2]

24 minutes ago, Subdiver1 said:

R to L

Ultimate, Super Stroke, Evnroll, Max, Quad

L to R correct?

Yeah Evnroll doesn't sell those grips anymore which is eventually going to be a problem for me.  I've got one in OK condition and another reserve I bought last summer from them but pretty sure they are long gone now.  I've got some of the old gravity grips but those aren't exactly the same and are heavy so it changes the swing weight.