Choosing The Right Golf Grips
By Jack Moorehouse
Golf grips have come a long way since I started giving golf lessons. Previously, choosing a golf grip for your club was relatively simple. The main considerations were tackiness, comfort, and price. If the grip was tacky, the style of grip was comfortable, and the price was right, you put it on your clubs. But golf grips have evolved. Now grips feature all sorts of advances designed to help you improve not only your performance, but also your golf handicap.
Designed to provide a competitive advantage, golf grips are more colorful and more functional than ever. They're also more durable and water-resistant, which means they hold up better during their rain. Many are made from space-age materials that perform better than previous materials. For example, you can buy golf grips made from multi-density rubbers and polymers that provide comfort, strength, and tackiness where it's needed most. Needless to say, today's golf grips are a boon to players looking to improve their golf handicaps.
Choosing a Golf Grip
The key to choosing a golf grip is finding one that's right for you. Thanks to new technology there are a wide variety types and styles of golf grips to choose from. First, find the material that feels good and best and suits your playing conditions. Next, consider size and firmness. And finally, look at any special design features. For best results, go to a local teaching pro to help figure out the right size grip for you.
Basically, there are two types of grips - soft and hard. Hard grips are often built with cord made of cotton (classic, GX, tour wrap) and can be half- or full-corded. Soft grips come in rubber, synthetic rubber and compound materials, including some proprietary materials, and surface configurations offer different gripping characteristics. Some grips come either round or with a reminder, which is a line or rib on the underside of the grip that reminds the golfer where the hands should be placed.
Size is Key for Control
Size is a key consideration when selecting a grip. It plays a key role in your ability to control the club, and in turn, ballflight. The right grip size provides positive control throughout the swing and the ability to return the club to the correct position at impact. Many golfers like the feel of larger grips, but this may limit their ability to release the club properly back square to the ball.
In addition, too large a grip can limit the golfer's ability to release the wrists properly through the impact area (resulting in a block and/or fade). Too small a grip can cause an early release (resulting in a pull and/or draw). Also, incorrect grip size leads to wear on your golf glove.
Larger grips are ideal for players who hook the ball because of a strong hand position or over active hand action in the impact area. Golfers suffering with arthritis will also benefit from larger grips because they don't have to grip the club with as much pressure, resulting in less discomfort.
Smaller grips are ideal for players who slice the ball due to a weak grip position. By making the grips smaller the manufacturer promotes a better release through impact, resulting in fewer slices.
Special Features
In addition to tackiness, durability, comfort, size and materials, you should also consider any special design features. One manufacturer designs its grips to provide firm support on the top region of the grip and soft support on the lower portion of the grip. That's because the company believes that the upper hand on the club should dominate while the lower hand just comes along for the ride. Many pros conducting individual golf instruction sessions would agree.
Another manufacturer features something called "advanced integration." This feature helps the company produce grips offering a range of patterns and firmness. When combined with the special polymer materials, the feature provides grips that the company says absorb 65-percent more shock than traditional grips and 40-percent more slip resistance than other grips. This combination supposedly puts less strain on the hands and arms and provides plenty of feedback.
Grips have changed a lot since I started giving golf tips, but the need to have your club's re-gripped remains the same. Re-gripped your clubs once a year to gain the highest control possible, which in turn increases your chances of lowering your golf handicap. Select a golf grip that feels comfortable and is the right size. Ultimately, it comes down to persona preference, so choose wisely.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
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