Are grips personal preference or is there more of a science to finding the right grip?

[aguybadatgolf]

I regripped all my irons at the start of the season with jumbo tour wraps. I like the feel and it’s helped me get a better grip as standard is just too small for me.
 

I need to reggrip my hybrid, wood, and driver and I’m wondering if there’s more to consider than just personal preference? Should I go with a midsize for more feel? Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

Thanks!

[chisag]

2 hours ago, aguybadatgolf said:

I regripped all my irons at the start of the season with jumbo tour wraps. I like the feel and it’s helped me get a better grip as standard is just too small for me.
 

I need to reggrip my hybrid, wood, and driver and I’m wondering if there’s more to consider than just personal preference? Should I go with a midsize for more feel? Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

Thanks!

 

... The simple answer is personal preference. Considering all the tech in todays golf clubs, the grip is still the only thing a player actually touches. Those with a higher sense of feel can find a big difference in grips and those more technical and/or lack feel can sometimes play several different types and sizes in a set. The more complicated answer is a larger grip can be more difficult to release through impact and a smaller grip can facilitate an easy release, sometimes too easy resulting in unwanted draws and hooks. But these are more the old school exceptions than the general rule and if mid size grips work well, feels good and produce the kind of ball flight you are looking for, there is no reason you shouldn't use them with your longer clubs. 

 

[Subdiver1]

I'll offer you a few tidbits in response as I don't really think there is AN answer.

1. Rules:  There are some general rules of thumb for fitting, if the tip of your ring finger is pressing up against the base of your thumb (the part you press when comparing how well the steak on your grill is cooked, also called the Thenar eminence), then your grip is too small.  You are supposed to have a slight gap or just be able to touch, but if they are pressing together then you need bigger grips.  Conversely, if you cannot get your hands around the grip, like holding a large SuperStroke type grip then you need a smaller diameter grip.  That is fitting, by the guidelines I have always been quoted.

2. Feel:  Well if you read some of the threads here on balls and club heads (cast vs. forged) you know that "feel" is a subjective term. One can objectively define soft and hard using scales (e.g Rockwell), we cannot objectively define where soft and hard diverge for individuals (think pillows and shoes and conveniently, grips).  If you look around the Winn site they provide charts about firmness and shock absorption - Feel, but that is relative from one grip to another  they offer, not to rocks and cotton.  I switched to oversized Winn Drive-Tacs a few years back.  Prior to that I played oversize Lamkin Perma-Wraps (yes that was quite a few years back and I don't know when they went off market). The Lamkin grips were pretty durable (they are still on my OLD Titleist Tour Model irons and still in great condition), the Dri-Tacs typically last only one season on my heavier use clubs, driver, wedges a couple of irons; my long irons 3 and 4 I can typically get another half or full season out of because they aren't hit as much through the year.  I've tried a couple of other grips (CP2 and GP Wraps to name a couple) and I like the feel of the Winn.  I feel like they allow me to hold the club, not have to GRIP it where grips like the GP Tour Velvet make me feel like I have to really hold the club, GRIP it, which often leads to squeezing which leads to all sorts of problems.  I actually had a professional fitting where the fitters commented on my oversize grips. They looked at my hand on the grip, following the "rules" and asked why I didn't just add a couple of wraps of tape to build a standard grip up a bit.  But then conceded that oversize gave me better control and results than a standard did so concluded that oversize was probably better than standard with a couple of extra wraps of tape.

3. Grips for different clubs:  Other than putter grips, I have never seen anything, guidance, rules, suggestions, that a player should have bigger/smaller, softer/more firm on woods/metals vs. wedges etc.  For me, feel is part of the entire game.  I need to be able to feel the club on a drive just as much as on a wedge shot; granted the ability to have soft hands on a wedge shot applies more to fitness shots around the green than bombing the ball down the (hopefully) middle of the fairway, but again I feel like that translates through all the clubs in my bag.  So, I do not see where I would have one type/size grip on longer clubs vs. shorter clubs.  Do you play one ball from the tee, another from the fairway and another on the green?  Even if you could, would you?  Do you think it would help or create issues?  (Hmmm...maybe a smooth ball would roll better on the green - did I just counter my own argument against variables?!?)

So, back to the question and maybe a more direct answer.  

1. Is there more to consider than just personal preference?  

    There are a couple of "rules" but your game may dictate those rules being more guidelines.  If you find that the grip that the rule says fits you just doesn't work then try the larger grip.

2. Should I go with a midsize for more feel?

    If that grip works then stick with it for all of your clubs.  If the feel works for one club that feel should work for all clubs, in my opinion.  Reducing variation makes for more consistency. 

3. Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

    Not that I am aware of or have ever heard expressed or promoted.  The grip is foundational; when it comes to holding that club, do you really want to introduce that kind of variation into your game?

I hope something in my rambling here helps. Good  luck.

[Shapotomous]

I have run into a few players over the years that wanted smaller diameter grips on the longer clubs they tended to slice.  They claimed it helped them get their hands through the impact zone on those clubs.  Was it purely a mental thing....maybe but it seemed to work for them.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I went back to some standard sized grips and can say there isn't a massive difference. Feel for sure, but nothing crazy drastic. 

I lean towards it being a larger preference, but not in a sense of what what is best, but what doesnt work. There are a handful of grips I like, prefer and use. However there are a select few I can't stand. 

I'm sure there is more to it in terms of a science, however I have been hard to put a true number on it.

[Jim Shaw]

11 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I went back to some standard sized grips and can say there isn't a massive difference. Feel for sure, but nothing crazy drastic. 

I lean towards it being a larger preference, but not in a sense of what what is best, but what doesnt work. There are a handful of grips I like, prefer and use. However there are a select few I can't stand. 

I'm sure there is more to it in terms of a science, however I have been hard to put a true number on it.

I think a start would be to determine your hand size, then it will open up lots of options...

[GolfSpy_BEN]

You can do your due-diligence with a google search and ask other players for their advice, but ultimately it boils down to preference and performance. The only sure fire way I’ve found to determine that is trial and error. For example, it took playing a season with Winn Dri-tacs for me to decide they weren’t for me. The same goes for size. The charts available are merely guidelines, as all that matters is how they perform for you. My example here would be the jumbo max grips, I put one my driver, and while the size fit and wasn’t an issue, I found they also removed the “feel” from my hands during the swing, so I was able to cross them off the list of potential grips for me.

[aguybadatgolf]

1 hour ago, Subdiver1 said:

I'll offer you a few tidbits in response as I don't really think there is AN answer.

1. Rules:  There are some general rules of thumb for fitting, if the tip of your ring finger is pressing up against the base of your thumb (the part you press when comparing how well the steak on your grill is cooked, also called the Thenar eminence), then your grip is too small.  You are supposed to have a slight gap or just be able to touch, but if they are pressing together then you need bigger grips.  Conversely, if you cannot get your hands around the grip, like holding a large SuperStroke type grip then you need a smaller diameter grip.  That is fitting, by the guidelines I have always been quoted.

2. Feel:  Well if you read some of the threads here on balls and club heads (cast vs. forged) you know that "feel" is a subjective term. One can objectively define soft and hard using scales (e.g Rockwell), we cannot objectively define where soft and hard diverge for individuals (think pillows and shoes and conveniently, grips).  If you look around the Winn site they provide charts about firmness and shock absorption - Feel, but that is relative from one grip to another  they offer, not to rocks and cotton.  I switched to oversized Winn Drive-Tacs a few years back.  Prior to that I played oversize Lamkin Perma-Wraps (yes that was quite a few years back and I don't know when they went off market). The Lamkin grips were pretty durable (they are still on my OLD Titleist Tour Model irons and still in great condition), the Dri-Tacs typically last only one season on my heavier use clubs, driver, wedges a couple of irons; my long irons 3 and 4 I can typically get another half or full season out of because they aren't hit as much through the year.  I've tried a couple of other grips (CP2 and GP Wraps to name a couple) and I like the feel of the Winn.  I feel like they allow me to hold the club, not have to GRIP it where grips like the GP Tour Velvet make me feel like I have to really hold the club, GRIP it, which often leads to squeezing which leads to all sorts of problems.  I actually had a professional fitting where the fitters commented on my oversize grips. They looked at my hand on the grip, following the "rules" and asked why I didn't just add a couple of wraps of tape to build a standard grip up a bit.  But then conceded that oversize gave me better control and results than a standard did so concluded that oversize was probably better than standard with a couple of extra wraps of tape.

3. Grips for different clubs:  Other than putter grips, I have never seen anything, guidance, rules, suggestions, that a player should have bigger/smaller, softer/more firm on woods/metals vs. wedges etc.  For me, feel is part of the entire game.  I need to be able to feel the club on a drive just as much as on a wedge shot; granted the ability to have soft hands on a wedge shot applies more to fitness shots around the green than bombing the ball down the (hopefully) middle of the fairway, but again I feel like that translates through all the clubs in my bag.  So, I do not see where I would have one type/size grip on longer clubs vs. shorter clubs.  Do you play one ball from the tee, another from the fairway and another on the green?  Even if you could, would you?  Do you think it would help or create issues?  (Hmmm...maybe a smooth ball would roll better on the green - did I just counter my own argument against variables?!?)

So, back to the question and maybe a more direct answer.  

1. Is there more to consider than just personal preference?  

    There are a couple of "rules" but your game may dictate those rules being more guidelines.  If you find that the grip that the rule says fits you just doesn't work then try the larger grip.

2. Should I go with a midsize for more feel?

    If that grip works then stick with it for all of your clubs.  If the feel works for one club that feel should work for all clubs, in my opinion.  Reducing variation makes for more consistency. 

3. Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

    Not that I am aware of or have ever heard expressed or promoted.  The grip is foundational; when it comes to holding that club, do you really want to introduce that kind of variation into your game?

I hope something in my rambling here helps. Good  luck.

Thank you for all the information! I am still experimenting a bit with what style of grip I like. Got a new driver and 3 wood this month that both have the MCC Plus4 in standard. I like that they are firmer. Now knowing there’s a rule of thumb for finding the right size grip I’m leaning toward regrouping everything with  those. 

[aguybadatgolf]

8 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

I think a start would be to determine your hand size, then it will open up lots of options...

I wear an XL or XXL glove depending on brand. I had standard grips on my irons when I first bought them and had a hard time getting my grip right because it was just being swallowed up in my hands. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

1 minute ago, aguybadatgolf said:

I wear an XL or XXL glove depending on brand. I had standard grips on my irons when I first bought them and had a hard time getting my grip right because it was just being swallowed up in my hands. 

I suffer from a similar affliction. Swinging a standard grip feels like I am strangling a pencil. One other note, not all midsize or jumbo are the same size and it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even model to model.

[russtopherb]

I do think a lot of it is personal preference. I went to mid sized a few years back to try them out and it felt so much better for me. I do have larger hands and a mid sized grip allows me to grip firmly without tension. I haven’t looked back. 

[Randall Robbins]

I have regrouped all of mine with leather grips, which are pro taper, which means they have the equivalent of 3 wraps of tape under the bottom hand.  I did it for feel, and the tack that the leather has.

I take it back to my baseball days - a Jackie Robinson model bat was a thick handle, which allowed me to go to right a lot easier, since you weren't quite as quick through the ball, and a Stan Musical model had a skinny handle which you could turn over quickly, but might get you too quick;  so I settled for a Roberto Clemente  model which was in between , more or less like these leather grips.  It all comes down to personal preference and what seems to work best for you.

[Christof]

4 hours ago, aguybadatgolf said:

I regripped all my irons at the start of the season with jumbo tour wraps. I like the feel and it’s helped me get a better grip as standard is just too small for me.
 

I need to reggrip my hybrid, wood, and driver and I’m wondering if there’s more to consider than just personal preference? Should I go with a midsize for more feel? Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

Thanks!

For me, feeling is most important and of course knowing the right size. If the grip feels good and gives a good feeling then it gives you more confidence in your golf swing.
Small note though on min irons to F.W. I have the SONAR+ TOUR CALIBRATE and SONAR+ I have used Golf Grips Rib for that I have done on all my golf sticks that do not have calibrate technology. On my wedges I am testing grips that give me more feel in the short game where I get more feedback. Like the UTX - ST+2 HYBRID -Decade MultiCompound Plus4- Karma V-Cord Golf Grips. As you can read, a lot happens by feel and brand is not important to me. 

Christof

[Big moose]

I wear an xl glove, I tried the avon jumbo chamois grips, they felt nice but I found I wasn't releasing the club through impact. I went to the lampkin midsized crossline and it made a world of difference in my ball striking. That worked for me but it might not work for everyone. 

[richk9holes]

It's a half/half in my mind. Feel/Science.

What I mean is comfort plays a huge role, I specifically like different size and textures on different clubs corded standard or even undersized on my woods, standard non corded grips on my iron set, mid size wraps on my wedges, 2.0 SS on my putter. 

On the science side, I've played grips that advertise low lorque and found they help for when I'm twisting at impact. I have an Iomic grip on my driver that is an example of this. My dad put Iomic on all his clubs and preaches their gospel now. Golf Pride CP2 midsize wrap were love at first site, replaced Winn tour wraps as my go-to for wedges the minute I handled one in store and the performance is night and day with the new tech in the GP wraps.

[Shapotomous]

1 hour ago, Randall Robbins said:

I have regrouped all of mine with leather grips, which are pro taper, which means they have the equivalent of 3 wraps of tape under the bottom hand.  I did it for feel, and the tack that the leather has.

I take it back to my baseball days - a Jackie Robinson model bat was a thick handle, which allowed me to go to right a lot easier, since you weren't quite as quick through the ball, and a Stan Musical model had a skinny handle which you could turn over quickly, but might get you too quick;  so I settled for a Roberto Clemente  model which was in between , more or less like these leather grips.  It all comes down to personal preference and what seems to work best for you.

You're giving away your age with those bat references! 

But admittedly i knew exactly what you were talking about regarding handle size so i must be in the same age bracket! 

[Randall Robbins]

What can I say?  I am as old as I am, didn't throw in a Mantle reference though.

[jbern]

I’ve been fed a lot of jumbo max grip ads and they claim improved performance and distance. I haven’t looked into the science behind their claims though. 
One thing that I liked about my old clubs is that they had smaller grips on the wedges and scoring irons and then larger grips for the longer irons. I don’t know that there were any measurable performance improvements, but I liked the feel of the skinny grips on the wedges for finessing shots, and then I felt more powerful with the larger grips on the longer clubs. When I need new grips (which should be soon), I think I’ll go back to it, but all of my current clubs came with midsize grips. 

[aguybadatgolf]

5 hours ago, Randall Robbins said:

I have regrouped all of mine with leather grips, which are pro taper, which means they have the equivalent of 3 wraps of tape under the bottom hand.  I did it for feel, and the tack that the leather has.

I take it back to my baseball days - a Jackie Robinson model bat was a thick handle, which allowed me to go to right a lot easier, since you weren't quite as quick through the ball, and a Stan Musical model had a skinny handle which you could turn over quickly, but might get you too quick;  so I settled for a Roberto Clemente  model which was in between , more or less like these leather grips.  It all comes down to personal preference and what seems to work best for you.

I'm curious about the difference between adding a few extra wraps and going up a grip size. Adding the extra wraps at the bottom makes sense, I might try that myself. 

[Caddie1966]

13 hours ago, aguybadatgolf said:

I regripped all my irons at the start of the season with jumbo tour wraps. I like the feel and it’s helped me get a better grip as standard is just too small for me.
 

I need to reggrip my hybrid, wood, and driver and I’m wondering if there’s more to consider than just personal preference? Should I go with a midsize for more feel? Are the certain grips more suited for the longer clubs?

Thanks!

I switched from standard to the midsize10 years back  to help me from being too handsy and reducing the tendency to close the club face too soon.  I will always use midsize going forward.

[JerryB]

This is all pretty fascinating and something I've been thinking about as well.  Most of the clubs I've had have been second-hand, so I've had several different grips.  I've always gravitated towards larger grips as I just like they way they feel in my hands, but I really can't say that I've noticed any difference in play.  I do have new clubs I'll be putting into play tomorrow that all have MMC+4's and I'm interested to see how they do.  

[aguybadatgolf]

1 hour ago, JerryB said:

This is all pretty fascinating and something I've been thinking about as well.  Most of the clubs I've had have been second-hand, so I've had several different grips.  I've always gravitated towards larger grips as I just like they way they feel in my hands, but I really can't say that I've noticed any difference in play.  I do have new clubs I'll be putting into play tomorrow that all have MMC+4's and I'm interested to see how they do.  

Yea I’m kinda in the same boat everything is second hand. I regripped my irons because they needed to be extended and it’s made me think a little more about my grip selection. 

[JerryB]

13 minutes ago, aguybadatgolf said:

Yea I’m kinda in the same boat everything is second hand. I regripped my irons because they needed to be extended and it’s made me think a little more about my grip selection. 

I had a club that had a regular Tour Wrap grip and a few irons that had Lamkin jumbo grips so I tried some Tour Wrap jumbos on a set of irons.  I liked them, but two weeks later I broke one of the clubheads and stopped using them.  If these +4s don't work, I'll probably regrip with the jumbos over the winter and try them next year.

[NC Golfer]

Feel and science: Feel is important, but, using the Lamkin Sonar+ black/blue makes me think, I am less handsy with a reduced tapered grip. I'd go as far as saying it is game improvement.

Edited June 18, 2023 by NC Golfer

[zengineer]

If we accept that hand size should have something to do with it, a good starting point is Golf Pride's chart. I wear a Medium Cadet glove and always end up back at Standard. Even a Standard size GP MCC +4 that simulates 4 extra wraps in the lower area seemed to slow down getting the club back around.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Josh Parker]

As many have said, I'm sure there is science behind it.  For me it's the feel. I typically use standard size but have had midsize that I really liked on clubs. 

[RI_Redneck]

The only REQUIREMENT for a grip is that it allows the golfer to have a secure grip on the club. Everything else is preference. I URGE all golfers to try all types and sizes as I have found that I play my best with a specific grip of a specific size and taper. Don't be afraid to use buildup tape to get a custom taper as it can matter a lot more than you think. You'll never know what works best if you don't try them.

BT

[Josh Parker]

Has anyone here tried undersized grips?  By size calculation I should be standard but I'm all hand and my fingers/thumb are shorter.  

I noticed movement in my thumb the other day swinging the driver and it got me reading some articles on grip size.  My driver miss is a fade/slice. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

3 minutes ago, jdparker said:

Has anyone here tried undersized grips?  By size calculation I should be standard but I'm all hand and my fingers/thumb are shorter.  

I noticed movement in my thumb the other day swinging the driver and it got me reading some articles on grip size.  My driver miss is a fade/slice. 

 Swinging a standard grip for me feels like I am strangling a pencil, so I haven’t tried undersized. That being said, there is no harm in trying it out on your driver, then making the switch for all your clubs if the fit is a good one. Worst case scenario, you’re out the cost of 2 grips and the time it takes to install them. Sounds like a low risk proposition.

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, Ben Joest said:

 Swinging a standard grip for me feels like I am strangling a pencil, so I haven’t tried undersized. That being said, there is no harm in trying it out on your driver, then making the switch for all your clubs if the fit is a good one. Worst case scenario, you’re out the cost of 2 grips and the time it takes to install them. Sounds like a low risk proposition.

For sure. I ordered one and will be here tomorrow. I already have an extra standard size at the house.