Gone are the days when the first golfers ever to play didn’t even have grips on their golf clubs. They would wear gloves to protect themselves from the wood. Later in the evolution of golf grip technology, the Scots probably used sheepskin, and then leather grips were introduced. Today, there are a variety of materials that golf grip manufacturers use for golfers including cord grips, plastic grips, leather grips, and so on.
The connection to the golf club is one of the most important parts of building a successful golf swing and having comfortable, well-fitted grips is a great place to build that strong foundation. Here we will discuss when the appropriate time is to get new grips, what grip sizes and types are available including putter grips, and whether or not you should have the same grips across all of your clubs.
How often you should regrip your clubs is a common question among millions of amateur golfers. The answer depends on a few factors. The first factor you need to consider is how often you play golf. If you are someone that plays over 50 rounds of golf a year and practices on a consistent basis then you will probably benefit from getting your clubs regripped annually.
Personally, I get my clubs regripped every off-season as I am someone that fits into the above category. Over the course of the golf season, I will play golf in a variety of elements and conditions, and my grips will endure normal wear and tear from being used quite often.
If you fall into the category of most amateur golfers where you play 10-20 rounds a year and don’t practice as much, you can expect your grips to stay in fairly good shape over a number of years. Regripping your clubs every 2 to 3 years should be sufficient.
When your golf grips become slippery in your hands or start to tear and get worn down you need to get your clubs regripped. Having grips that are slippery in your hands will force the golfer to grip the club more forcefully, which is not how we want to be holding the golf club.
You want grips that give you confidence that the lighter you grip the club the freer your swing will feel.
There are plenty of grips and grip manufacturers in the industry today. The most commonly used and known grip producers are Golf Pride, Lamkin, and Super Stroke putter grips. The most popular golf grip used by myself and by a number of touring professionals is the GolfPride Multi Compound Plus grip. They have great traction and do well in wet weather conditions. Golf grips like the MCC’s also usually come in 2 different sizes: Regular and Jumbo grips. Regular grips are for the majority of golfers with average-sized hands and jumbo grips are bigger grips for people with really big hands or a personal preference for larger grips.
Bryson DeChambeau and Bubba Watson are the two most well-known touring professionals who prefer larger grips. Bubba and Bryson are so precise with their grips that they even specify how many pieces of tape are used on each club before the grip is put on.
There are many different types of grips on the market and the best thing golfers should do is research and find one that gives them confidence over the ball and a soft feel of the golf club.
One of the biggest keys to a successful golf swing and shooting lower scores is consistency.
With this in mind, it would be smart to have the same grips on all of the thirteen golf clubs in
your bag. These are all clubs that you will be using to take full swings at the golf ball.
If you are someone that likes having different grips on your wedges or longer clubs at the bare
minimum you should have the same grips on your irons. Having a different feel on the golf clubs
can really mess some golfers up while playing.
The type of grip on your putter varies for a number of reasons. The first reason could be the putter you are using. If you use a long putter like Matt Kuchar then you should have a long golf grip. These types of putters usually sit on the inside and up your arm so a long putter grip is required.
Finally, if you are using a standard putter length whether it be a blade or a mallet, then there are a number of different grips you can put on a putter. First, are the thin leather grips seen on a lot of Scotty Cameron putters including Tiger Woods. These grips are thin, much like the grips on your golf clubs, and allow the golfer to feel the full weight of the putter head as you make your stroke.
Another style of putter grips that have become quite popular is those made by the company Super Stroke. The Super Stroke putting grips are often thicker and heavier with a very soft and tight grip. They come in large and jumbo sizes and many golfers like these styles of grips. Most Odyssey putters come with a Super Stroke grip.
Just like with driver, iron, and wedge grips, putter grips come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and finding the right one can help you roll in more putts.
