Grip it and rip it—literally—with this golf essential
Anyone who’s played golf has heard the old adage, “Drive for show, putt for dough.” While bombing the ball 274 metres down the middle of the fairway can be exhilarating and empowering, it means nothing if you aren’t able to sink the subsequent 3 metres birdie putt. The key to finding success on the golf course—from the tee box to the fairway (hopefully) and the green—is having the right equipment, including clubs, bags, shoes, and golf grips.
Like anything in the sport, golf grips can and should be customised to the individual, based on a number of factors: swing, style, hand size, frequency of play, and even location of play. Golfers clutch onto a club for every single shot, so not having the right hold can ruin a round (and potentially your hands) by causing said club to slip on impact or during wet conditions, resulting in errant shots—or even worse, an errant club—along with causing calluses and blisters. Ouch!
While the majority of grips are typically plain hues like black or grey, these days there are plenty of options that showcase your personality on the course, whether it’s highlighting your favourite colour or representing your favourite sports team. And just like your other equipment, cleaning, maintaining, and replacing your golf grips regularly will only help master this beautiful game. You wouldn’t drive your car around on old, worn-out tyres, would you?
Check out our recommendations for the best golf grips, so you can hold tight and rip it—one less thing to worry about while on the course.
What to consider before buying the best golf grips
If you bought your set of clubs off the rack at a local sporting goods store, your clubs will come with whatever grips the company has with a speciality manufacturer, but that doesn’t mean, A) they’re right for you and B) that you have to play with them. You did your due diligence finding the right clubs, so continue that research to find the right grips to put yourself in the best position for success on the course. Here’s a great place to start.
Diameter: Not all golf grips are created equal—and rightfully so. Varying diameters can be beneficial or detrimental to a specific player, so finding the right grip size can go a long way to playing effectively. Note: Grip diameter isn’t just relative to the type of hands you have, but also shot tendencies and what you’re trying to accomplish. For example, thicker grips may lessen your ability to rotate the club through impact, thus leaving the face open and causing more slicing. Whereas a thinner grip can help add more hand action during your swing.
Weight: Similarly to finding the right grip diameter to meet your style and needs, having properly weighted grips can cause you to succeed or suffer on the course. Lighter grips make the club head feel heavier to increase swing weight, while heavier grips provide more balance and make the head feel lighter.
Firmness/Feel: Rubber, corded, synthetic, or wrap: Each type of golf club grip has its pros and cons, so research them before fitting your set. Do you need a firmer grip or something softer, depending on your hands, swing style, and if you have arthritis? Be sure to get a good feel for the different types of grips and pick the one that best suits your game.
Look/Style: While the aforementioned factors can really help or hurt your game (and hands), picking a golf grip based on its look and style is more about boosting your confidence on the course. Most golf grips are traditionally black with white or grey accents, but as golf continues to grow and become more diverse, companies are producing products to help golfers further display their personality on the course. Let’s hope you have a good game to back up a full set of irons with those neon-pink grips.
Best new golf grip
SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol GT Tour Golf Grip
Part of the newest line of putting grips from SuperStroke, the Zenergy Pistol replaces the brand’s popular Traxion line. The Zenergy Pistol merges a pistol-style top section to help lock in a golfer’s upper hand position, while the No Taper Technology assists with maintaining even pressure. Available in four colours and three sizes, this putter, which can be counterweighted, comes from the No. 1 putter grip on the PGA Tour, utilised by the likes of Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, and Sungjae Im.
Materials: Rubber inner core, polyurethane outer layer.
Dimension: 26.9 x 2.8 centimetres.
Weight: 69 grams.
Most reliable golf grip
Golf Pride Tour Velvet Golf Grip
There’s a reason the Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip is the No. 1 model played on Tour, helping secure 608 worldwide wins over the past decade. Featuring a state-of-the-art rubber-blend compound and non-slip surface pattern, you don’t have to worry about inclement weather ruining your round. Providing comfort and moderate feedback, this grip wicks moisture away from the surface to allow for consistent traction.
Materials: Rubber.
Dimension: 1.52 centimetres core.
Weight: 49.5 grams.
Most durable golf grip
Lamkin Crossline Golf Grip
Boasting Tour-performance and a classic look, the Lamkin Crossline has been one of the brand’s bestselling grips for more than 20 years, Its also a favourite on the PGA Tour. Offering more of a firm feel, these golf grips, which are available in three sizes, have a distinctive densely-spaced surface pattern to aid in stability and traction. The Lamkin Crossline will definitely give you your money’s worth for years to come.
Materials: Synthetic rubber.
Dimension: 1.47 centimetres core.
Weight: 50 grams.
Softest golf grip
Golf Pride CPX Golf Grip
Heralded as Golf Pride’s “softest grip yet,” the CPX—which stands for Comfort Performance Extreme—features the brand’s EXO diamond-quilted pattern, an innovation that will put your hands and mind at ease. This grip’s soft and tacky material features a 45-degree pattern inspired by BMX bikes to maximise your contact area with the club.
Materials: Rubber.
Dimension: 1.52 centimetres core.
Weight: 52 grams.
Best hybrid golf grip
Golf Pride MCC Grip
Unsurprisingly, as the top grip in golf, Golf Pride features a number of its products on this list, and the MCC (New Decade MultiCompound) is no exception. It’s the top hybrid grip on Tour. It fuses brushed cotton cord on the upper hand area for firm all-weather control with performance rubber in the lower hand for feel and responsiveness. The grip also comes in 20 colour options.
Materials: Rubber and cord.
Dimension: 1.52 centimetres core.
Weight: 46.5 grams.
Best wet-weather golf grip
Winn Dri-Tac Golf Grip
Known for boasting “the best grips in fishing,” Winn is the first manufacturer to use premium polymer into golf. The Winn Dri-Tac provides a non-slip grip with engineered tread pattern to optimise playability in all weather conditions. This soft-yet-sturdy design comes in three sizes and multiple colour options, all while providing excellent shock absorption.
Materials: Polymer.
Dimension: 1.52 centimetres core.
Weight: 48 grams.
Best Putter Grip
Ping PP58 Midsize Putter Grip
Utilised and trusted by Tiger Woods, the Ping PP58 Midsize is a classic, no frills grip that lets the results do all the talking. Designed to help steady your wrists for a true stroke, this putter grip’s corded pattern offers additional control, regardless of the weather conditions. Indeed, there’s a reason the Ping PP58 Putter has been around since the 1970s.
Materials: Natural and synthetic rubber.
Dimension: 1.47 centimetres core.
Weight: 80 grams.
Most stylish golf grip
Sweet Rollz Putter Grip
If you’re looking for a putter grip with a little pizzazz and personality, look no further than the offerings from Sweet Rollz. Founded in 2017, the company was launched to “breathe new life and style into golf,” starting with the putter grip. Featuring eye-catching colours and patterns—from fluorescent green to pink flamingos and hibiscus flowers—the extensive range of styles are also available in midsize and skinny sizes. They truly embody the mantra, “Look good, feel good, play good.”
Materials: Polyurethane outer, rubber inner.
Dimension: 3 x 26.4 inches.
Weight: 107 grams.
Most technological golf grip
Lamkin Sonar+ Tour Golf Grip
While the Lamkin Sonar+ Tour won’t help you determine distance on the surface or underwater, it will listen to your golf game through hand gestures. Engineered with features—from Fingerprint Technology that combines feel with high traction, giving you a relaxed hold and easy swing, to its hybrid compound Genesis Material that delivers durability and performance regardless of the conditions—this grip is certainly more than a piece of rubber.
Materials: Patent-pending Genesis Material hybrid compound.
Dimension: 26 x 3.2 inches.
Weight: 53 grams.
Most colourful golf grip
Pure Pro Golf Grip
Looking to add boost of personality to your golf clubs? Look no further than Pure Pro Grip, which is available in 11 hues, including four neon colours. Offering a firm, tactile surface, the brand’s top-selling grip has a uniform traction engineered to provide maximum feedback and control. While these grips may be too firm for some, there’s no denying that they’re extremely durable.
Materials: Rubber blend.
Dimension: 1.5 centimetres core.
Weight: 48 grams.
This story was first published on Robb Report USA
