When you address the ball and your about to hit a shot, it’s important to be as comfortable as possible. An often overlooked aspect of that comfort is the golf grip. With all the golf grip options available today, it can be difficult to choose which grip will fit your game the best so how you do know what is the best fit for your preferences? In this article, we’ll look at the various styles and sizes of golf grips on the market and how they may benefit you. We will also discuss how often you should be changing your grips in order to maintain proper feel. Grip firmness and texture are important to take into consideration when looking for that perfect feel.

SIZE

There are four sizes that you’ll typically see all grip makers conform to, Undersize, Standard, Midsize, and Oversize. Grip size is important because it can have a direct impact on the outcome of your swing. If your grips is too small, you will notice yourself pulling the ball because your hands are getting too quick. On the other hand, a grip that is too large can cause a push because of a lack of hand rotation.

In order to decide which grip you should be using, you can use your hand size as a determining factor. For example, youth golfers or women with small hands would likely perform best with undersized grips which are slimmer and will give them more control. Men and women with average size hands will likely use standard grips for their best results. Finally, someone with larger than average hands will likely feel most comfortable with oversized grips.

MATERIAL

Most companies make their grips out of synthetic rubber which makes them long lasting and durable. The synthetic rubber creates a tacky feeling in your hands and will allow you to keep the club face steady throughout the entire swing. This material is great until it starts to get wet. For instance, if you’re playing in the rain or moist conditions, the club can begin to turn in your hands during the swing causing accuracy issues. As a solution, most companies offer a cord grip option. The cord grip offers a rougher feeling and allows for more grip during wet conditions.

TEXTURE

Golfers have the choice between smooth grips and textured grips based on their feel preferences. Someone who wears a glove may prefer a smooth golf grip that has no texturing in order to have that tacky feeling in the glove and hand. Players who don’t wear a glove will likely prefer a textured grip for increased feel and decreased sliding in the hands during the swing. You can get the best textured feeling from a cord grip.

COLOR

Although this won’t affect your swing, choosing a color for your grips will make your set of clubs stand out. Every grip company has their own color options for you to choose from and there is just about every color imaginable available online. For example, GolfPride offers a large variety of color options with their most popular model being the two toned New Decade grip.

PUTTER GRIPS

All of the grip options for irons, wedges, and woods, is nothing compared to the amount of options available for the putter. Since the putter stroke is short and compact, the grip on the putter can have a great effect on the results of the stroke. A standard putter grip is slim with a flat front side in order to improve the accuracy of the stroke. The standard grip is not used currently like it used to be. New putter grip trends that improve accuracy and feel are being used by players of all skill levels.

The most recent trend in putting is the oversized grip which was made rapidly popular by SuperStroke during Jordan Spieth’s incredible run a few years back. A larger grips allows for more control of the clubface and deters the face from twisting during the stroke. For example, the SuperStroke Flatso putter grip that Jordan Spieth uses, has a spine along the backside that allows the putter to rest comfortably in the creases of his hands. SuperStroke is the most popular putter grip brand in the world and there large putter grips have changed the game.

If you don’t like the look and feel of an oversized grip, another popular option would be the pistol grip. A pistol grip is typically slimmer on the bottom and features an arch along the top of the grip which makes many players more comfortable at setup. The shape and curve of this grip allows you to get the putter flat at address and encourages a steady stroke.

The best way to discover which grip type is the best for you, head over to your local golf course and look at the putters they are selling. You will likely find many different grip options and shapes, each one offering its own set of benefits. There is no right answer, use the one that feels best for you to lower those scores.