Lamkin UTX Grips - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy BOS]

Testers Announced: Lamkin UTX Grips

UTX BLUE & UTX GREEN

THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY CORDED GRIP WITH A TACK FEEL

UTX is our fastest-growing grip on tour, with multiple wins across the major tours. Positioned as our “tack-cord,” this industry-first, tour-validated grip will serve golfers looking to gain confidence by securing connection to the club with its unique Tri-Layer material technology and ‘X’ pattern cord texture. The result is the same traction, moisture control, and enhanced feel trusted by tour pros around the world.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@mikeanthony

@LeftyMatt89

@Digiburdie

@Everardo

 

[mikeanthony]

Intro 

Hello everyone, my name is Mike and I've been a fellow Spy since "officially" in 2020, but like many of us on here had been a long time lurker on the forum  ... for it wasn't until the Cobra Connect Challenge during that same summer of 2020, that I became more engaged and active within the form. I am incredibly appreciative of @GolfSpy BOS and the rest of the Mod Team for selecting me to be a part of this review, thank you. 

At 42yrs young, golf has always been a part of my life ... however there was a 10yr hiatus during my time while in Chicago for 7 years and for 3 years while in Atlanta, where I probably played maybe 7-10 rounds of golf total ... fast forward to 2017 and my move to Charleston, SC and my love for the game has been reignited and feel as though I can't get enough of it.  

Feel blessed to have a nice work/life balance that allows me to get at times 2 to 3 rounds of golf in a week, and along with that, the work/life aspect allows me to coach for a local h/s team in the area, too. Again, I consider myself to be really lucky at this point in my life. Prior to making the career change at 26yrs old and getting into finance, I was in the golf industry for many years all through h/s, through college, then post college and went through the PGM program and getting through the PAT ... but I got burned out and quit working in the golf industry and somewhat did quit the game as well. 

But my game, and more specifically my mental game, have been on a heater as of late with 11 of my past 14 rounds having been in the 80s. I'll also admit that I am a tinkerer and I also hate to admit  that I do think that the constant tinkering/changing of my clubs over the past few seasons have delayed my progress in getting better. And I'm reeeally curious to see how these new Lamkin UTX grips will hopefully improve my game. 

I do feel this is probably the norm amongst us golfers, but at the moment, I do not have a full matching set up grips in bag.  And the last time I did have a full set of matching grips were Winn Dri-Tac grips from back in 2018, which coincidentally enough was during a window in time where I was playing some really good golf and even got in a round of 79 with my old TM M1 irons.

However, my grips on my clubs now are all over the place. My irons have GP Align Z grips +2 wraps ... my gap wedge has a GP Align +2 wraps ... 55 & 59 wedges have different colored GP Align +2 wraps ... and my woods/hybrids all have some form of GP Velvet 360 and all with different wrap numbers. I will say, that OEMs have their own standard wraps that can vary significantly from OEM to OEM.

For example my Cobra 3W grip, while standard, def feels like it has 3 to 4 extra wraps underneath the grip compared to that of my Titleist hyrbids and my PING driver. So much so that I do manipulate my hands through the impact zone and follow-through with my 3W much differently than I do with my driver. All of that to say is that not only are my grips inconsistent from a style standpoint, but they're also inconsistent in the number of wraps underneath, too. 

With all that said, very excited to give the Lamkin UTX in blue a thorough review and will have them installed across the bag, driver to lob wedge. Plus, the heat and oppressive humidity of Charleston should give these grips a chance to prove how they hold up to sweaty hands. 

 

::: FINAL REVIEW :::

Aesthetics - 10/10

For these grips, it's easily a 10 out of 10 for me. Upon arrival and straight out of the box, I was immediately in love with them. The handsome, dark navy blue color with the electric yellow colorway from the cords really gives off a classy, yet modern, appearance. I was given multiple compliments on these grips from my fellow Sunday golfing buddies (even had a random single join our group at our last outing and said he'll be buying these grips) and from the local Muni I go to for range practice ... even my 10yr old daughter thought they looked really good! And I would highly encourage Lamkin to introduce an additional color or two to their existing UTX color line of grey, green and blue. 

I'll add that I did get to see the green UTX grips, via a Saturday round with Matt, and I'll attest that they look hella sharp and nice as well. Was slightly worried in that the green versions would appear to loud for me, and IMO, they do not. But for me, I'm happy to have gone with the blue grips. 

 

The Fit and Feel – 20/20  

These grips were a very strong performer in this area ... and IMO, I really do feel these grips fall right in between the firmness & coarseness of the GP Z-Grip Aligns and the softness & tackiness of the Winn Dri-Tacs. I understand that this is such a subjective area and what feels soft/firm will be entirely different from one person to the next ... but if you are someone that feels Golf Pride's MCC/Z grips are a bit too harsh/firm or if Winn's Dri-Tacs are too soft/mushy, I'd highly encourage you to give these Lamkins a try. 

Another area where I felt these grips were a winner was in the gloveless touch/approach shot area of my game with the wedges. Several times over the past 18 months or so have I given it strong consideration in switching the GP Z-Aligns to the Dri-Tacs for my SW & LW. And for me, I couldn't be happier to have a seamless transition in the consistency dept throughout my set in having the UTXs on my wedges. And I do have a further comment down below in the next category of my review in regards to my bunker game. 

 

 

On The Course - 18/20

Feel as though I may be a hit too harsh in knocking two points off in this area, for there was a few moments/times over the course of 4 to 5 holes during my first round of playing with these grips that I was regretting in participating in this review. Albeit, the conditions that day were less than ideal ... Matt and I played on a rain soaked Saturday morning that lasted for about 8 holes ... but the grips were oddly slippery for my non-gloved lower hand. Not too sure if there was an initial break-in period involved, or if the compounds of the rubber within the grips needed to be activated by the elements of nature and the weather, but my goodness did my lower hand slip a few times during my back swings. With that being said, by hole 8 or so, I really did notice the grips slowly becoming tackier as my round went on ... and once the sun was hot, they performed really well. 

I know this next comment likely isn't earth shattering and I'm likely stating the obvious, but having the same grips throughout the set is a MUST.

My most recent round this past Sunday with these grips produced an 86 from me, which I'm very happy about, for it was a grinding 86, too. The biggest difference for me (along with having the same grips throughout my set) was moving up from standard grips to midsize grips. Midsize grips have been recommended to me many times over from fitters and it was something I simply never cared for nor listened to ... but for my driver and wedges out of the bunker specifically, the difference in using midsize was significant.

For my driver, with these midsize grips, I noticed that if I really gave it a go and attempted to get after the ball with a confident, fast swing, my resulting ball flight wasn't an over powering draw or a snap hook into the trees or the next fairway ... but rather a straight to slight draw with my ball flight. And with my wedges out of the bunker, it's night a day different. I had two sandy par saves this past Sunday and really do want attribute it to having a more relaxed grip with my wedges from within the bunker. 

 

 

The Good, The Bad & The In-Between - 18/20

The good: for me, these grips are definitive winners. They really do give me the right amount of feel ... and feedback! As @Digiburdie stated himself, the feedback and feel from these grips are very noticeable. Not too sure if it was something I was paying attention to as a reviewer, but I want to say they dampened the toe-y hits quite significantly compared to that of the GP Z-Aligns ... and still gave you a soft/positive feedback when the ball was flushed off the center of the face. 

The bad: sorry Lamkin, but these grips just did not hold my ShotScope tags well. I had two tags that came off, which I was able to find deep within my golf bag, and another that broke off. Unfortunately, the tags don't sit flush against the butt of the grips for it has a rounded edge. Not too much of a deal breaker, but it is a slight annoyance for me. 

 The In-Between: all in all, these Lamkins are a well rounded set of grips. I'll add that I'm not too concerned about the longevity of the grips and feel rather confident I can get many rounds and range use from them. I do have a 3 times re-grip to trigger my swing and haven't noticed any wear/tear on the area of the grip where my thumb would be for my lower hand. Time will tell, but I'm confident these grips will last. 

 

Play It or Trade It - 19/20

For me, these grips are winners. And will most certainly stay in my bag ... that simple and enough said. A 1-point deduction in my slight frustration and annoyance in the grips not holding my ShotScope tags securely. 

 

Conclusion: 

My biggest take away from this review, outside of the grips being strong performers for me and just overall fantastic, was having my entire bag fitted with the same grips throughout and the appropriate size grip. Again, I know I'm likely stating the obvious, but I know for a fact that I've been doing my game a disservice by not having my clubs with midsize grips and the same set throughout. A huge thank you to both Lamkin for making these grips available for review and to the MGS mods for selecting me to participate in this review. 

Outside of that, I really am impressed with how these grips performed in the heat and at times oppressively humid conditions of Charleston. I have no doubt these grips would be strong performers in any set of conditions and climate. 

 

FINAL SCORE - 95

[LeftyMatt89]

LeftyMatt89’s Lamkin UTX Grips Official MGS Forum Review -  8/21/23

Lamkin UTX Midsize Grips

Intro

What’s up MGS. I am very excited to test out the Lamkin UTX grips. First a little about me, I am married with an almost four year old (picture from this year coaching tee ball), one on the way, and a pomeranian. I live in Summerville, SC which is about 20 minutes away from Charleston. I play golf primarily at a semi-private country club where I walk 90% of my rounds. I grew up playing baseball and did not start golfing until after my college baseball career was over in 2014. Golf became my passion after baseball because golf is a game that is very challenging but can also be quite fulfilling when hard work pays off. With my baseball background, the strength in my game is the ability to hit the ball far. High swing speed (120+ on a GC Quad) is demanding on a grip to ensure I do not have any slipping affecting shots. I would classify myself as a golf nerd because I like to know the latest and greatest of what is going on in the equipment world and try new things. I am always tinkering and looking for the perfect set up where my scores will magically drop (because it is always the arrow, not the Indian )

 

The UTX grips will be put to the ultimate test with the hot and humid summer conditions in Charleston. To give an idea of how hot it is, I tend to go through at least 3-4 gloves if I walk in the summer and 2 gloves if I am riding. I currently play MCC Midsize grips and think the full cord UTX will be a great alternative to provide a secure grip throughout the swing. Lamkin has generously given us a full set, so to do a comparison, I will utilize a few backup wedges to share the similarities and differences. Throughout this test, I have a bucket list Pinehurst trip scheduled and hope to get some shots of the grips on course at Pinehurst No 2. 

Being a tinkerer, I have tried a lot of grips in the past and in order for the UTX to stay in the bag it will need to provide a tangible upgrade over the MCC grip in relation to grip stability, performance in wet/humid conditions for driver full swing shots and short game shots with no gloves. Again, full cord UTX has a distinct design feature over the partial cord I currently play, so I am hopeful full cord can be a missing ingredient and provide a boost to my golf game. Beyond the excitement for the grip features, I am excited for the green colorway of the grip. Thank you very much Lamkin and MGS for the opportunity to test.

 

 

 

First Impressions - 10/10

Unboxing: Straight out the box the first impression is how awesome aesthetically the grips look. I am impressed by both the color choice and the amount of cord present in the grips. The grips give off a Master’s vibe and I believe they will get a lot of comments throughout the test. The main standout from the Lamkin UTX grip from my previous grip (MCC Midsize) is the cord on the bottom hand portion. The standard is the technology of the ACE material under the cord. The grips feel soft yet grippy which is a great initial feel. 

Installation: The Lamkin UTX grips were very easy to install. I was able to install with no issues with an extra two wraps under each grip. The grips look great with the uniformity of a 360 look. This makes it easy if you want to install logo up or logo down. I like that for a Driver, the grips allow easy ability to change an adapter setting without messing up the look as it is the same throughout the grip. I wanted to include below a few pictures and video of the installation to show how easy it was. Additionally, see some comparison pictures from MCC and Lamkin Full Cord grips.

Initial Hits: The conditions for my first swings with the grips were awesome to show the performance. I play 95% of my rounds in Summerville, SC where the summers are extremely humid and hot. Grips are extremely important to the stability and confidence I have in making a full swing. The round was extremely humid and the course was soaked from rain the previous night. Lamkin boasts the UTX grip as “THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY CORDED GRIP WITH A TACK FEEL.” This checked out because the grips definitely feel unique and almost initially felt slippery to the touch, however I did not have a hand slip during the round. I swing a driver around 120 mph and did not notice any slippage despite the wet conditions out. I did top a few drives which is definitely not my miss so I am chalking this up to user error and not the grips fault. Maybe I needed to get used to the feel but tops are not a usual miss.Do not let the initial slippery feel in a shop or once installed deter you as the grip is just as grippy as any other grip I have tried on the market (MCC, Z Grip, Lamkin Full Cord). I do all my 80 yards and in touch shots with no glove and the grips performed very well throughout the initial round with no gloves. I missed a ton of greens in the round and I chip without gloves. I had 6 up and downs and I believe the UTX grips are the reason. They provide exception feedback and feel on touch shots and chipping. You can definitely feel the difference in having cord throughout in the Lamkin UTX grip compared to a hybrid grip like the MCC. The extra grip of the full cord is noticeable in the conditions I play in. 

Final Review

Aesthetics - 10/10

The Lamkin UTX Grips are conversation pieces for sure. I was asked so many times throughout all my rounds with the grips what kind of grips they were and then a compliment for how awesome they looked. The green/yellow combination definitely has a Master’s feel and I really personally enjoyed the look of them. I installed the grips with extra wraps under each grip and made the grip have slightly less taper in the bottom hand. The grip looks natural and throughout the installation process, it was very easy to align and ensure each grip looks uniform to one another. I could see Lamkin doing something similar in the future to MCC teams and making different combinations of cord and grip to be able to match to a specific color theme. I got compliments throughout my Pinehurst trip and most wanted to know where to get them and what brand they were. Lamkin did an outstanding job with this colorway and the grip from a pure looks perspective is awesome.

 

The Fit and Feel – 20/20  
Over the course of the test I played 15 rounds. My handicap remained the same throughout the test due primarily to playing 13/15 rounds away from my home course. My home course is very open and it is well known our handicaps do not travel well because our course has no penalty for errant drives. I swing fast and sometimes it goes straight, however sometimes I can have huge misses. I am very impressed with multiple rounds in the 80s at tough courses in Pinehurst and Pine Needles area. I attribute this to a solid short game throughout the test. My short game is all feel and I do not use gloves, so my feel is primarily dependent on the grip. I adjusted from my MCC grip to the Lamkin UTX grip very quickly and was able to generate a lot of quality short game pitches, chips and feel shots. The feel of the grips is very unique to a full cord grip. I have tried Z grips in the past and they can be harsh. The Lamkin UTX has full cord but also has a softer tacky feel to it. I played 9 rounds in 5 days and I did not have any blisters or rough skin from the grips. The biggest testament to the fit and feel of the grips is when I played in pouring rain, the material remained tacky and grippy despite being soaked. I was very impressed the feel remained the same. I did not notice any difference in performance decline or feel difference throughout the test.  

On the Course – 20/20

The green colorway Lamkin UTX definitely got noticed on the course. It was a constant conversation piece in all my rounds and driving range throughout the test. If I was right handed I am sure a lot of people would have asked to swing them a few times to see how they felt in a swing. So, to sum up the on course performance and why this grip gets a 20/20 is during my round on Pinehurst No. 2, there was massive amounts of rain, my gloves all got wet and I had to continue to play in rain with no gloves on. I was able to securely grip the club and once the rain lightened up I played the last 12 holes at +7. I attribute it fully to the grips being able to give me confidence to still put solid swings on the ball and trust I would not slip. Everyone in my group was battling the slippage and I believe my score would’ve been much worse if I had not had the Lamkin grips. The grips surprisingly fully dried before the end of the round despite the grips being fully exposed to the elements. This alone puts the grips as a top performer to allow me to salvage a decent round at a historic course.

   

 

 

The Good, The Bad and The In-between – 16/20

I am very impressed by the grips overall.  I took away two points due to the initial “slippery” feel this grip may appear to have for consumers in a golf shop. I think once you actually get them on a club and swing with them and get to trusting the grip, there will be no doubts the grips are as grippy and tacky as anything comparable in the market. Additionally, I took away an additional two points for durability as I am not sure if these will last a full year as the driver has a little fraying. All other clubs look pretty good, only the driver has a little bit of wear as shown in the picture below. The other “worn” picture is my 54 and it still looks very new. Nothing bad from a performance perspective just not sure how long they will hold up. 

Play it or Trade it? – 20/20

If you could not tell from my raving review and how well the grips performed in Pinehurst in horrible conditions, I am definitely Playing it. There are minor concerns with long term durability of potentially a driver grip or wedge grip but overall the grips performed above initial expectations and give me the confidence I am looking for in a grip to play long term. I am impressed with Lamkin and I will continue to play the Lamkin UTX grips in the foreseeable future. These grips faced the worst of a Charleston summer and southern rainstorm and still performed throughout.

 

Conclusion

First of all, thank you to Lamkin and MyGolfSpy for this opportunity. I am thoroughly impressed with the Lamkin UTX grips. The grips are not only the best grips I have seen aesthetically, they perform and live up to the claims Lamkin makes. The grips are truly the only tacky full cord grip on the market. The grips will provide great feel with the tackiness and give the stability and grippy feel of the cord throughout the entire grip. I like that it is a full cord and not a hybrid. I am 100% going to game these grips and buy them whenever they do wear out. I hope Lamkin is able to dive into more colors as I bet it will expand their customer base. Overall, the grip withstood torrential rain with no gloves on Pinehurst No. 2 which will forever be a memory I will have at a bucket list course. I think anyone looking for stability of a corded grip should give Lamkin UTX a try. 

 

Final Score: 96/100

 

[Digiburdie]

Hello MGS!!! Here is my quick introduction. First, I want to thank MGS for allowing me to participate in this test. It means a lot to me. 

  INTRODUCTION 

I've been a member of MGS since 2015 and have been a tester before. In 2017, I was chosen to be part of (what I think was the first) Cobra Connect Driver Challenge. It was a wonderful experience, and everyone involved had a great time over a couple of months of testing we did with the Cobra Drivers. 

A little about me now. 

I'm 48, originally from southern WV, but I live in Pittsburgh now and started golfing back in college at West Virginia University (LET'S GO, MOUNTAINEERS!) when my aunt and uncle bought me a lefty set they found at a garage sale. It was fun, and I enjoyed the game, but other things started to take priority in my 20s. About 15 years ago, I started playing in a local beer league at one of the better public courses here in Pittsburgh, and that's when the golf bug officially bit me, and I haven't looked back since. 

I'm a lefty—currently a 9.4 handicap. I have a 12-year-old son who is a golfer also and participates in the PGA Jr. League, and competes in the Pittsburgh area and I expect him to beat me within the next 2 years if not sooner.  We are collectors of golf stuff. We have an extensive collection of Scotty and Bettinardi putters, headcovers, and metal pieces. If you're into that stuff, hit me up and we'll chat! Also, we tinker on Youtube and post videos from time to time on reviewing products, doing unboxing, etc. We're "McBurdie" on social spaces.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this test for a couple of reasons. First, I need new grips, and the timing couldn't be better. Second, I have never used Lamkin grips ever, and as a "golf tech and gear geek", I'm excited to try a new style and brand of grips on my clubs. Third, being a lefty, I'm not always able to get into a MGS test so this one works perfectly for me and all of us south-paws out there. Hope my input in this test will be valuable for others looking to enhance their club setup.

 

 

  FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND INSTALLATION = 9 

UNBOXING: I received my UTX grips Monday evening and ripped into them to see how they would look and feel. I opted for the Green and Yellow corded version. I’m very impressed with the “Masters” vibe these give off. BIG kudos to Lamking for this color option.  Lamkin claims to have “THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY CORDED GRIP WITH A TACK FEEL” So of course I had to get these in my hands to feel this TACK. I will say that out of the box, you could feel the tackiness right away. Check them out:

 

INSTALLATION: Tuesday evening I was able to partake in one of the most relaxing things to do in my micro golf shop located in the garage. GRIP INSTALLATION! I get to do this a couple of times a year and it’s by far one of my favorite things to do. It’s cathartic as a golfer to get this familiar with your clubs. I highly recommend getting a simple setup like I have so you can do this, it's easy and fun and pays for itself after a couple of years. I regularly change out my grips, and when a buddy needs new grips I’ll save them some $ by offering the service for a 12-pack. It’s a pretty sweet setup if you ask me. 

Anyway, as I mentioned above, I was in need of new grips so the timing of this test is perfect. I have gamed for the past couple of iterations of my grips, the Golf Pride MCC Plus 4 w/Arccos in MIDSIZE. I do like the non-taper feel of the Plus 4’s so that will be an adjustment I need to make with the UXTs. 

Here are a few pictures of the installation process. I will say the hardest part of doing this is getting the damn grip tape off from the old grips. There is just no good or easy way to do it. Also, I decided to install these with the label down. The "almost 360" design of these grips is nice and allows you to install these LABEL DOWN, which is how I opted to install these since I have a lot of adjustable clubs in the bag and tend to tinker. I find it distracting when your grip is obviously not lined up properly, which happens with a lot of the new grips with all the graphics and patterns added to them. So this is a great feature of these UTXs in my opinion. 

Ok, so I have them installed, added my Arcoss sensors, and they are ready to game! Great first impressions. I think they look amazing when they are on the club. The taper is something I"m going to have to get used to, but they feel great. I prefer a more firm grip and these check that box. The tack is also there and the cords make it feel very stable in my hands. The real test will be on the course! Stay tuned!

 

  FINAL REVIEW 
 

Lamkin UTX Grip – Official MGS Forum Review by Bobby Burdette

 

First Impressions = 9 (see above)

Aesthetics = 8 

Grading a thing such as aesthetics is a hard one because how something looks is very subjective. I’m a Creative Director in my day-to-day life so I feel like I have a pretty good eye for these things. That all being said, I give these a solid 8, and here’s why: 

• The color choices and style - The UTX grip comes in Green/Gold (think The Masters) and Blue/Green (think the Seahawks). These are some nice initial colorways, but I do hope that they come out with a wider variety of colors in the future. I chose the Green/Gold and I’m glad I did, as every time I pick up a club it reminds me of the opening of the golf season and Jim Nantz telling me “Hello Friends”. It’s a nice aesthetic indeed. The look is classic and very non-intrusive, which I appreciate. Scoring wise I take 2 points off for lack of other color options. While I like the green, I would probably choose a different color or possibly a range of colors to identify woods vs irons vs wedges. 
   
• Clean and Simple - What I like most about the aesthetics of these grips is that because they are simple corded grips, with not a lot of flash to them in the style of SuperStroke, they don’t distract me when I’m setting up my shot. I noticed after moving away from my previous grips (Golf Pride MCC Plus 4) that I wasn’t using the grip to help me align the club and I was paying more attention to the club face. I believe this has improved my setup over the past month or so. 
   
• Ability to Install LOGO DOWN - Another advantage to having this simple design style, similar to the Crossline or a “360” grip, you can install these with the logo down which adds even less distraction and makes you not try to position your thumb over the logo for alignment. This is especially helpful with my wedges and adjustable woods. Now when I adjust my driver or open up my sand wedge, I don’t get a weird twisted-looking grip and alignment issue that’s plagued me in the past. 

The Fit and Feel = 15

If there is one thing about these that I would like to see change is the Fit, hence the 14 score. But let me explain. 

• The Taper - I use Midsize grips and have for years. While I did receive the midsize version of these grips, they don’t feel midsize to me. It’s probably because my previous grips were the Golf Pride MCC Plus 4’s and these tend to taper more than I’m used to. 
• I did adjust after a couple of rounds and hardly notice it anymore, but I personally like the less tapered feel of the Plus 4’s. I could have added more tape when I installed them, but wanted to get the most average install for this review.  If Lamkin would come out with a less tapered version of this grip, it would be a no-brainer for me. 
• Tackiness - When I first installed these they were VERY tacky. It’s something I noticed right away, It almost feels like there is some glue on the outside of them which I LOVE. I can report back that after about 10-15 rounds with these, that tackiness is still alive and well on the grip. Big win for Lamkin in this department. 
• Cords - Another item I’m a big fan of with these are the cords built within. They add a level of grip that I learned years ago is a necessity for me. The fact that there are cords from top to bottom of these is great. 

 

On The Course = 18

When I first gamed these, I will admit I had some comments from my buddies about how bold the color was. They all noticed and were jealous of the look. It was nice to have to explain to them what I was up to and why I had changed them. I do think if they were black or grey they wouldn’t have noticed, but the green colorway is VERY noticeable and will draw attention to your bag. 

One of the best qualities of this grip is how they perform under HOT and SWEATY HANDS conditions. Luckily I was able to use these during the hottest part of the summer and needless to say the TACKINESS was greatly utilized by this sweaty golfer. I don’t think I ever realized how much I used to dry my hands off until I was in this test, but I can say that I did notice a difference between these grips and my previous set. Even with a sweaty hand, these performed well. I never felt like they were slipping out of my hand at all, and this included some rainy days. 

The wear and tear on these so far have not been noticeable. I do expect them to wear a little fast because they are cords, and in my past experience cords wear faster. This doesn’t really concern me because they are at a decent price point also, and replacing these as they wear out doesn’t seem to be an issue at all. 

I would like to point out that my FAVORITE feature of these grips… The FEEDBACK! This is where they changed my game. I am not sure its because they are tapered more… and not as thick, or is it the material being used, or the cords, I’m not sure, but what I do know is that the feedback I get with these grips is WAY above and beyond anything I’ve felt with other grips. 

 I appreciate the level of feeling these grips provide me. 

 

The Good, the bad, the in-between = 17

 

The process of testing these has been a lot of fun and I appreciate everything Lamkin and MGS have done to make this happen. 

The Good - 

• Feedback
• Current Colorways
• Tackiness
• Cord Design
• Ability to go Logo Down

 

The Bad: 

• The quick taper
• The Limit of only 2 Colors (lets see more!) 

 

The Inbetween: 

• The price point is decent. Could it be better? Of course, but all in all these are a great value and easily replaceable as they wear. 
• Wear out time TBD
• No Arccos version. It would be awesome to get some of these with the Arccos sensors in them but it’s not a make or break for me since you can still use the screw-on versions. Which by the way looks nice on the green grips! 

Play it or Trade it? = 18

I would play these Lamkin UTXs grips and plan on keeping them on my current clubs.  I would recommend them to anyone looking for a good corded grip that plays well in hot sweaty and wet conditions. After adjusting to the tapered feel these have been one of the better sets of grips I’ve used to date. 

Conclusion

OK so this is it, my final thoughts and the TL;DR version of everything above. 

If you’re a golfer looking for a solid grip that will give you a LOT of feedback and you like a simple design, these are for you. I expect we’ll see other colors coming from Lamkin, but if one of these colors fit your fancy, have at it. They are tacky as advertised and hold up well under some extremely sweaty situations and the cord texture will make it even easier to get a solid grip. The tapered design is a standard in the industry and something that took me a bit of time to get used to, but at the end of the day, it’s probably the right kind of grip for me as it creates better feedback, which is something I’ve been missing in the thicker non-tapered designs as of late. These grips look great, feel great, and won’t break the bank. 

Grips are a very personal decision and everyone has their favorite style and material and size. Grips are your touchpoint to everything you do in golf, don't take them for granted. These just happen to fit into my set perfectly. 

Thanks, Lamkin and My Golf Spy for the opportunity to test these grips. I hope this review helps at least one person out there decide if they want to make the switch over to the UTXs. 

 

First Impressions - 9

Aesthetics = 8 

The Fit and Feel = 15

On The Course = 18

The Good, the bad, the in-between = 17

Play it or Trade it? = 18

Final Score = 85

 

 

[Everardo]

OK so here’s a quick intro about me. I’ve played golf for about 7 years total, about 4 years in my 20s, and started up again during covid like many others. I’m 45 now and since I’ve returned to the game, other than aging, I had back surgery leading to swing changes, working out, and training better. I’m a 12 handicap and just had my first round under 75 so things have been going well lately. Also, my grip preferences have all changed, hence why I’m super excited to try these Lamkin UTx grips.

During my time away from playing I was the tournament photog at the Phoenix Open and busy with that, a corporate job, family, and other hobbies and activities. When I first got into golf, I dove right in, I had a side gig repairing and building clubs and I used Lamkin Torsion Control grips on one of my sets. A main factor was they were offered in a blue color which many grips at the time were not.

The majority of my playing is in Phoenix, AZ but I do travel out of state often since my wife and I have a goal to play golf together in all 50 states. We play weekly and I will usually get an extra round and several practice sessions in during the week so testing these grips thoroughly won’t be a problem. Nowadays, I practice and play mostly without a glove because I favor more texture and feedback from my grips. 

I said this when I had my club business, the grips are the most important piece of equipment a player has and as such I would replace them regularly. Since the grip is the only part of the club that a player actually touches and comes into contact with, it provides all the grip and most of the feedback a player will get from their clubs. Plus, it’s a way we get to show some personality in the bag. 

I currently use MCCs on all my clubs and I generally prefer to have all my grips match throughout the set. A main factor in using these was getting a color that matched the set directly from the manufacturer. So another reason I’m looking forward to testing these is Lamkin offering more color options in their grips now. 

For comparison sake, I have several test clubs with different head and shaft combinations so it will be easier for me to compare woods, irons, and wedges that are identical or similar, except for the grip. I also practice indoors on a trackman monitor monthly so that way I can compare real data and eliminate any outside factors as well. 

I’ll be testing the UTx in green and can’t wait to share my results with you all. 

FIRST IMPRESSION (10 out of 10)

If you don’t already know about Lamkin, it’s a 98-year-old company and the first to manufacture grips in the US, safe to say they know about golf grips. More here.

Lamkin’s main claim to the UTx is “The Industry’s first and only corded grip with a tack feel” featuring their Tri-Layer Technology which provides all-weather traction. What are the three layers?

• The outer layer is a firmer version of their ACE Technology that provides the tack and vibration dampening
• The middle layer is a full-cord weave to provide traction and moisture wicking
• The inner layer is a softer version of ACE and  provides the comfort and feel

Lamkin goes on to say, “blending three unique materials to create the perfect feeling grip.”, so is the UTx the perfect golf grip?

Out of the box, the first thing you notice is the green color really pops! They definitely get major style points and are really going to pair well with the BB&F Co. “After-Eight” ferrules.

 

AESTHETICS (10 out of 10)

Compared to the Lamkin Crossline Full-Cord grips, the UTx cord texture is not as rough or fuzzy but still provides ample traction.

  

Compared to MCC grips the UTx does not have as many bumps, ridges, or angles.

  

The logo is a nice size to mount logo up and not be a distraction but can also be mounted logo down for those who prefer that clean look. Either way, the important thing is that the grip texture and pattern will not change when the grip gets rotated on an adjustable hosel club. This is one thing I really like about UTx, especially for wedges where hand and club positions will vary depending on the shot.

FIT AND FEEL (20 out of 20)

As for firmness, before being mounted to the club, I did a little squish test. Taking the grip in my hand and squishing it with my thumb, with other grips you can feel a ‘flop’ by the varying firmness of some sections. The UTx had a more consistent firmness and build quality all the way through from end to end. This is more evident when mounted on the club and is important to me since I want a consistent feel all the way through and to eliminate torque from the grips. With other grips, I usually purchase the standard size and build up with 4 wraps to get to midsize and eliminate that squish that some grips have. So on first impression, it would seem that Lamkin’s Tri-Layer technology is working.

ON THE COURSE (20 out of 20)

This summer in Phoenix has been particularly hotter and more humid than normal. That leads to sweaty hands and potential loss of traction but the UTx grips provided ample amounts of traction and tackiness. I didn’t have any issues with slippage or losing any feeling or shot feedback during any of my rounds. 

Because I’m a geek I did a Trackman session with two similar wedges, the only difference being the grips. As a 12 handicap, I’m certainly not expecting leaps and bounds better shots with one grip vs another and the numbers backed that up or did they? Pretty much everything was equal but I did have a better angle of attack (and low point) with the UTx grips. But why? Based on my use of the grips on and off the course, in my opinion, the UTx gave me a better feel and thereby greater confidence. So can a grip help you play better? In my experience and opinion, yes. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE IN-BETWEEN (18 out of 20)

The Lamkin UTx Green grips definitely draw the attention of others, the color really stands out and I was asked about the grips many times. Several did mention that the green might not be for them so the next question was usually, “What other colors do they come in?” MCC’s gained so much popularity due to the numerous color options for players to match team or school colors. I understand that can potentially be a manufacturing nightmare but I have to think if the UTx was offered in even more color options Lamkin would gain more market share. 

I’ve had the grips for a little over a month and used them on just over 20 rounds and range sessions. So far there are no signs of wear or any other issues with the grips. I typically wipe my grips down during or after each round so I expect I will get lots of use out of these grips.  

These grips are not for the player looking for soft or squishy grips, nor the player that may need larger grips for arthritis or other issues.

The Lamkin UTx grips retail for $9.99-10.49 which are $2-3 less expensive than others saving you around $32 when regripping a set. Based on my experience with these grips thus far, they provide far more value when compared to others.  

Several people asked how the grips would look on other shafts, here are a few of my favorite combinations with  the green UTx grips

PLAY IT OR TRADE IT? (20 out of 20)

Definitely playing! One study shows that you’ll play better with a glove but I play without a glove because I want the ultimate connection to my clubs, after all, it’s the only part of the club we actually touch. I will sometimes use a glove on longer range sessions just because of the abuse my hands will take but I didn’t have that issue with the UTx grips. My hands lasted longer before any callus started to show. To me, that’s a win, since I can potentially practice and play more with these grips. 

CONCLUSION (98 out of 100)

With the Lamkin UTx, I think I’ve finally found a grip that provides ample traction and tack without tearing up my gloveless hands! Compared to my current grips, the Lamkin UTx grips provide better wear, better firmness, better playability with woods and wedges, and plenty of tack, and now with two standout color options, it’s a solid win! 

Thank you MyGolfSpy and Lamkin for this opportunity 

Here's the build I chose to test these grips, the Wilson Staff Blades gave me the best feedback possible I thought. Finished with the BB&F 'After Eight' ferrules, this combo is 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congrats testers! The blue and the green colors are quite stunning. I look forward to the unique ways you come up with to test these grips. Now the fun begins!

[LeftyMatt89]

2 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

Congrats testers! The blue and the green colors are quite stunning. I look forward to the unique ways you come up with to test these grips. Now the fun begins!

I have the green ones incoming. Excited to share feedback with the forum!

[russtopherb]

Congrats all! I love the UTx, looking forward to how the new versions work out for you all.

[Preeway]

Congrats fellas. I’m a big Lamkin fan and was actually looking at these when I got some new Golf Pride MCC grips this spring. Eager to hear your thoughts. 

[LeftyMatt89]

2 minutes ago, Preeway said:

Congrats fellas. I’m a big Lamkin fan and was actually looking at these when I got some new Golf Pride MCC grips this spring. Eager to hear your thoughts. 

I currently have Mcc on all my clubs so I will be able to give a good comparison once I get the grips. 

[Tx-Ping]

Congratulations on being selected to all of the testers,  I look forward to your reviews.

Hit them long and straight 

[MDGolfHacker]

Congratulations testers!

[GolfSpy BOS]

I think the green look awesome.  I was considering giving these a shot but I really like the Sonar+ and the reduced taper profile.  I'll look for them next time in in a store though and might have to grab one to try.  I think they look dynamite.  

[Stymes]

Congratulations testers. Looking forward to hearing your feedback! Play well!

[Everardo]

1 hour ago, LeftyMatt89 said:

I have the green ones incoming. Excited to share feedback with the forum!

I'm going green too 

[Swood1994]

Congrats testers! Love seeing the green making it in at least 50% of the test pool. Looking forward to the reviews.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Swood1994

[rkj427]

Congrats. to the testers chosen, looking forward to the comments and reviews of these.

Hoping the testers will also make comparisons to their current grips.

[Law Golf]

The Green look awesome. I can't wait to try them myself. 

[dlm]

I'm using Lamkin now and they are fine grips, trust the new ones will be great-congrats

[Derek Lusk]

Congratulations Testers!! 

[tdroma98]

Congratulations Testers!  Looking forward to reading your results. Lamkins are a good grip, interested in their tacky cord grips! 

[Wel-Done]

Congratulations! These grips weren't even on my radar before this test. I'm looking to swap my CBX grips soon and these are on the short list now. I hope you all shave strokes with them. Dilly dilly

[JeremyD]

Congrats all! I need to regrip, so I'm looking forward to these tests and results

[Middler]

Not a tester but I have gray Lamkin UTX Midsize on my D, 4W and 7W. I think I like them better than the Golf Pride MCC Plus4’s Midsize they replaced.

[RjGolf4Life]

Congratulations to the testers. Will wait for your feedback to determine if I want to switch grips. 

[MichMoore]

Congrats testers!!!  Green wraps look amazing and remind me a little of what I use to have on my clubs as a kid!!!   Look forward to the reviews!

[mikeanthony]

Yessir! Very much excited to give these grips a run.  

Can’t confirm, but I do believe Tony Finau rocks the UTX grips in green … and if so, then I fully expect Finau like distances and Finau like scores.  

[Bohnson]

Congrats testers! 

[JohnH1]

Have fun testers!

[Woody83]

Congratulations to those selected.  I need new grips so will be interested in seeing how these perform.