Lamkin UTX Grips - 2023 Forum Review

[mikeanthony]

43 minutes ago, Woody83 said:

 

The grips do look very nice.  I like the color scheme.

The color way is very nice. And I’m sure I’m biased, but they’re one of the nicer looking grips I’ve seen in a long time. 

Had been meaning to ask @LeftyMatt89 and @Everardo if either of you two feel like the green grips clash with the color way of the graphite shafts for your woods/hybrids. 

My 3W and two of my hybrids have the Tensei AV blue shafts and the grip blends well into those … but my PING G410 driver has their black/red stock CB shaft and it is a bit distracting. Nothing major, but it does make me want to switch out my driver or shaft altogether. Lol

 

[mikeanthony]

49 minutes ago, Everardo said:

Quick update on my testing of the Green UTx grips

I've had these on the range, on the course, and indoor Trackman sessions ten times now. The color is stunning and have already had several people ask me about them. It was the perfect build for my Wilson irons.

 

It's always hot in the summer in Phoenix but this month has been extra hot and that means a lot of sweat. I don't use gloves and so far the traction on these grips has been stellar! They don't chew up my hands as much as others but still provide plenty of traction even with some sweat on the palms. More to come!

Nice build there! 

[Everardo]

1 minute ago, mikeanthony said:

The color way is very nice. And I’m sure I’m biased, but they’re one of the nicer looking grips I’ve seen in a long time. 

Had been meaning to ask @LeftyMatt89 and @Everardo if either of you two feel like the green grips clash with the color way of the graphite shafts for your woods/hybrids. 

My 3W and two of my hybrids have the Tensei AV blue shafts and the grip blends well into those … but my PING G410 driver has their black/red stock CB shaft and it is a bit distracting. Nothing major, but it does make me want to switch out my driver or shaft altogether. Lol

 

On the Tensei White it's pretty kicka$$ I think at least, with Tensei the white/blue/orange bands are pretty small but white still looks best. I also installed one on my fairway woods with a Graphite Design TP shaft and it compliments the yellow bands nice there. I'll have a pic of that one soon or add it to my final review. 

Looking at other shafts I have that the green UTx grips would look good on:

• Accra TZFive (gen 2) would look great with the Blue UTx I think
• HZRDUS Black, the green or blue UTx would be great. 
• Matrix OZIK 7X3 white
• I have another set of irons that I almost installed these Green grips on. Those have Steelfiber shafts and I think they'd match up like the Graphite Design TP would. but the UTx grey might look a little better perhaps. 

 

[LeftyMatt89]

The green looks great on a Ventus Black shaft. Looks okay on the Ventus Blue shaft. Here is a picture from today on my Ventus Black shaft.

 

 

[Woody83]

12 minutes ago, LeftyMatt89 said:

The green looks great on a Ventus Black shaft. Looks okay on the Ventus Blue shaft. Here is a picture from today on my Ventus Black shaft.

 

 

It does look good

[Digiburdie]

OK, I've gamed these for a couple of weeks now and I can say that I'm really enjoying them. I'm learning that I'm definitely a Cord grip guy. These grips give me a ton of feedback too I'm noticing. I feel more connected to the club face and can really feel the mishits without question. I've gotten used to the taper and while I do sometimes wish I added a couple extra layers of tape to them toward the bottom of the grip, I hardly notice anymore. I qualified for my league's playoffs this week and next week begin the 3 game-win streak I need to win the coveted Wolstoncroft Cup. I won last year so I'm looking to repeat. Stay tuned I'll keep the forum updated as I hopefully go through 3 weeks of match play wins! 

[mikeanthony]

On 8/11/2023 at 10:36 AM, Digiburdie said:

OK, I've gamed these for a couple of weeks now and I can say that I'm really enjoying them. I'm learning that I'm definitely a Cord grip guy. These grips give me a ton of feedback too I'm noticing. I feel more connected to the club face and can really feel the mishits without question. I've gotten used to the taper and while I do sometimes wish I added a couple extra layers of tape to them toward the bottom of the grip, I hardly notice anymore. I qualified for my league's playoffs this week and next week begin the 3 game-win streak I need to win the coveted Wolstoncroft Cup. I won last year so I'm looking to repeat. Stay tuned I'll keep the forum updated as I hopefully go through 3 weeks of match play wins! 

Had a really good launch monitor session this morning within my garage and one of things I paid attention to was the overall feel with the UTx grips. 

My irons are Sub70’s 659 TCs and I mainly did work from my 8i on down to my wedges … with mishits on the 659 TCs, you can certainly feel and know where the miss was, and they’re mostly either thin or off the toe for me. 

Thought back to the GP Z Align grips and I do remember those mishits being rather jarring on my hands. I also wonder with the Aligns having been standard grips, if the less rubber (compared to the midsize UTxs) within the grips makes the standard grips feel harsher on those off-center hits. 

Most of strikes in the garage were really good and had a four that were on the toe end of the club and the UTxs felt really good on those mishits. Can’t help but think that the extra rubber with the midsize grips do help in dampening vibrations, but all in all I’m really impressed with these grips. 

I need to service the mini-split within my garage, so it def got rather warm and muggy in there during the later part of my launch monitor session … and there was some sweat dripping from my forehead, along with clammy hands. Lol Finished up with gloveless SW and LW feel swings and I reeeally like this grip a lot, they performed really well for me in this area. This was an area where I could not get along with the GP Z Aligns … while great and tacky, I just never had a comfortable feel with them gloveless. 

[GolfSpy BOS]

On 8/7/2023 at 3:40 PM, Everardo said:

Quick update on my testing of the Green UTx grips

I've had these on the range, on the course, and indoor Trackman sessions ten times now. The color is stunning and have already had several people ask me about them. It was the perfect build for my Wilson irons.

 

It's always hot in the summer in Phoenix but this month has been extra hot and that means a lot of sweat. I don't use gloves and so far the traction on these grips has been stellar! They don't chew up my hands as much as others but still provide plenty of traction even with some sweat on the palms. More to come!

I mean.... that's like a perfect match for those irons.  Love it!

 

How do you all feel the grips are holding up?  One of my favorite things about the Sonar+ is that they feel really good for me for a long time.  I felt the same way about the crosslines when I played them.  Durability seems to be a strong point with Lamkin.

[Everardo]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy BOS said:

I mean.... that's like a perfect match for those irons.  Love it!

 

How do you all feel the grips are holding up?  One of my favorite things about the Sonar+ is that they feel really good for me for a long time.  I felt the same way about the crosslines when I played them.  Durability seems to be a strong point with Lamkin.

Yeah, this combo is 

Amazing! Almost 20 rounds in and the most important thing to me is that I'm getting all the feedback I need from the club. I'm getting plenty of traction in 105°+ temps and using no gloves+sweaty hands, and they aren't chewing up my hands like other grips have in the past. Granted it's only 20 ish rounds so far but not showing any signs of wear or bag abuse yet either. Thank you Lamkin!!! 
 

[Everardo]

On 7/11/2023 at 5:44 AM, Everardo said:

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

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.

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.

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.

Next up is to test the grips indoors side-by-side using a Trackman to compare numbers from one grip to another. Then with outdoor range and on-course testing, I can evaluate the traction, feel, and durability during our 115° summer rounds.

 

 

PS For those asking how the green looks on other shafts ...... I'll install and take more pics for the final review

[LeftyMatt89]

Pinehurst has been adventurous for sure. My Dad and I played No 4 first, then No 1. The 2nd day we did the Cradle and then No 2. On No 2 we got caught in a pretty bad lightning/rain storm. It was a definite test of the grips as all my gloves were wet from being on the outside of my bag and I played the last 16 holes with no glove and wet grips. Surprisingly on drives and longer iron/hybrid shots, my hands did not slip. The grips for being soaked at one point ended up drying relatively quickly and by around hole 12 I would say the grips were fully dry. 

 

Here’s a few pics of the grips on course No 2 and 4 as well as a quick video of a 305 yard drive on 18 on Course 1 and a video of how wet it was out on course No 2

. 

 

 

 

 

[Woody83]

7 hours ago, LeftyMatt89 said:

Pinehurst has been adventurous for sure. My Dad and I played No 4 first, then No 1. The 2nd day we did the Cradle and then No 2. On No 2 we got caught in a pretty bad lightning/rain storm. It was a definite test of the grips as all my gloves were wet from being on the outside of my bag and I played the last 16 holes with no glove and wet grips. Surprisingly on drives and longer iron/hybrid shots, my hands did not slip. The grips for being soaked at one point ended up drying relatively quickly and by around hole 12 I would say the grips were fully dry. 

 

Here’s a few pics of the grips on course No 2 and 4 as well as a quick video of a 305 yard drive on 18 on Course 1 and a video of how wet it was out on course No 2

. 

 

IMG_8656.mov 5.83 MB · 0 downloads  

 

IMG_8646.mov 14.06 MB · 0 downloads  

 

 

Those grips do look good on your clubs.  Awesome trip except for the storm.  But the rain definite gave you a good indication of how well the grips work.

[GolfSpy BOS]

@LeftyMatt89 that's great to hear they held up in that!  After seeing the PGA guys last week I can't quite imagine the humidity you must also have been playing in.  Throw in some actual rain and I'm impressed you were able to play without a glove on.  Sounds like the UTX is a good fit! 

[LeftyMatt89]

On 8/16/2023 at 10:09 AM, GolfSpy BOS said:

@LeftyMatt89 that's great to hear they held up in that!  After seeing the PGA guys last week I can't quite imagine the humidity you must also have been playing in.  Throw in some actual rain and I'm impressed you were able to play without a glove on.  Sounds like the UTX is a good fit! 

Completely agree. I was at first worried that I was going to ruin my round on No 2 but the grips stood the test and they definitely were wet wet at points in the round so I am impressed to say the least. 

[LeftyMatt89]

Hi everyone. Just posted my final review. Let me know if you have any questions. 

[Everardo]

On 7/11/2023 at 5:44 AM, Everardo said:

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 

In my final review of the Lamkin UTx grips, I shared some Trackman data with my own comparison of the Lamkin UTx vs Golf Pride MCC. Now, taking into consideration this is one small sampling, and as a 12 handicap, I didn't expect a huge difference since the grips were the same size and similar texture category but interestingly enough, there was something different.  I've seen other comparisons around the web of the size of grips (undersize, standard, jumbo, jumbomax) that prove grips matter. I know many will disagree but in this case and in my past experiences, this backs up my original opinion

Golf grips are the most important piece of equipment a player has since the grip is the only part of the club that a player actually touches and comes into contact with.

 

[rkj427]

Great reviews by the testers of these Lamkin UTX grips. 

Thank you for all of your thoughts, comments, and data shared.

[mikeanthony]

Really happy to have been a part of this review. Final review is up!

 

[cbmc]

Anyone else notice lack of durability? My grips are fraying. I know that I have a tendency to dig my thumb into the grip, (and have callouses on my thumb right where the thumb contacts the grip from doing hook grip deadlifts) but have never seen this with other grips. It's like the rubber is shredding.

Edited August 29, 2023 by cbmc

[LeftyMatt89]

7 hours ago, cbmc said:

Anyone else notice lack of durability? My grips are fraying. I know that I have a tendency to dig my thumb into the grip, (and have callouses on my thumb right where the thumb contacts the grip from doing hook grip deadlifts) but have never seen this with other grips. It's like the rubber is shredding.

I did not notice fraying. That may be a grip defect? Potentially worth an email to Lamkin. My Driver grip had a little bit of wear on it, but not like those two pictures. 

 

[cbmc]

Don't think it is a defect, just think it's my hands with the utx material. I have contacted lamkin, got some replacement grips and they are doing the same thing. I really like the grips, but within a month they start fraying on me. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by cbmc

[LeftyMatt89]

14 hours ago, cbmc said:

Don't think it is a defect, just think it's my hands with the utx material. I have contacted lamkin, got some replacement grips and they are doing the same thing. I really like the grips, but within a month they start fraying on me. 

Yeah I am glad you got the replacement grips but I am sure it is a disappointment they fray on you. What other grips do you try and maybe do not have the fraying issue?

[LeftyMatt89]

Another wet round this week with the grips and still even after over a month of play, same performance with the grips being able to stay “grippy” despite the poor conditions. 

 

Let us testers know if there are any questions or pictures you’d like us to take of the grips

[cbmc]

On 8/30/2023 at 7:44 AM, LeftyMatt89 said:

Yeah I am glad you got the replacement grips but I am sure it is a disappointment they fray on you. What other grips do you try and maybe do not have the fraying issue?

The regular crossline cord and the TV v-55 corded grips didn't do it. I'm guessing it might be the actually ace rubber that is the culprit. The rubber shreds from my rough hands. This brings out the cord aggressively, but eventually leads to the picture above, the cord separating from the rubber.

[LeftyMatt89]

1 hour ago, cbmc said:

The regular crossline cord and the TV v-55 corded grips didn't do it. I'm guessing it might be the actually ace rubber that is the culprit. The rubber shreds from my rough hands. This brings out the cord aggressively, but eventually leads to the picture above, the cord separating from the rubber.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. Bummer the Lamkin grips didn’t work because the actual ACE rubber is very soft and makes a corded grip very comfortable for me.