Written by Michael VanDerLaan
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Every golfer is unique, and every one of us has different preferences. Finding the best golf grips for your wedges, irons, and woods can be an intimidating task. Some golfers, like myself, prefer to use the same grip for every club. Others find that specializing their grips to each club helps them feel and perform their best.
Our goal at Golf Gear Advisor is to help you find the best solution to every question you have about the game we love. We take the time to test products, and give you honest reviews that are meant to guide you to the best choice for your own game. Golf grips are one of the most important pieces of equipment that we test and review, and we wanted to bring you a comprehensive list of all the best grips we have tested.
Take a look at what we have found.
Editor's choice
winn dri tac
Best Jumbo
JumboMax JMX
Best Golf Pride
Golf Pride Tour Velvet
RELATED: Performance Golf ONE Wedge Review
The Complete List
- Winn Dri-Tac - Editor's Choice
- Golf Pride CP2 Wrap - Best Golf Iron Grips
- JumboMax JMX Ultralite - Best Jumbo
- Golf Pride Tour Velvet - Best Golf Pride Grips
- Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound - Best Midsize
- CHAMPKEY Traction-X - Best Cheap Grips
- Tacki-mac Itomic IT2 - Best Value
- Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord - Best Corded
- SuperStroke Cross Comfort Golf Club Grip - Best Rated
- Lamkin UTx Cord - Best For Wedges
- Lamkin Sonar+ Wrap - Best Soft
Reviews And Recommendations
As you are reading these reviews, please keep in mind that everyone has preferences. What works for one golfer may not be the best for another. We took our combined over 60 years of experience playing golf and tried to be as objective as possible.
Editor’s Choice: Winn Dri-Tac
The Winn Dri-Tac has long been a favorite of ours. While there are other grips that may outperform the Dri-Tac in different areas, we find this one to be the most well balanced. When you use this grip, you will feel how soft it is from the very first shot. Golfers who have more sensitive hands will immediately love the material.
The texture and tack of the Dri-Tac make it a perfect choice for golfers with sweaty hands, too. This is one grip that truly minimizes the chance of the club slipping during your swing. It even holds up to rain and heavy humidity!
And the best part of the Dri-Tac? You get a high quality grip at a reasonable price. The all around performance and affordability of the Dri-Tac truly make it one of the top golf grips you can buy!
What We Like
What We Don't Like
While the Dri-Tac may not be the best competitor in every single category, it is by far the most well balanced. You will enjoy a soft, tacky feel. It will last a reasonable amount of time. And you won't break the bank to replace it!
Best Golf Iron Grips: Golf Pride CP2 Wrap
What makes a good iron grip? Thinking about iron shots, you are more likely to experience mishits that send shocking vibrations up the shaft into your hands. We believe that there needs to be an increased shock absorption without sacrificing feel or quality.
Having said that, our favorite grips for irons are the Golf Pride CP2 Wraps. If you have any experience with golf equipment, you know a little bit about Golf Pride. They manufacture the most trusted grips in golf, and they earn that moniker with the quality of their product.
The CP2 is wonderfully textured and tacky, creating a great connection with the golf club on every shot. What puts the CP2 above and beyond as an iron grip is the softness of the material. Because of the way it is built, this grip contains a thicker layer of material that dulls the shock of those thin shots that we all hit. We were amazed with how well the CP2 kept our hands comfortable without sacrificing any kind of feel or durability.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Most of your full swings will be iron shots. It's important to find a grip that feels good for you and that makes your irons more comfortable to swing. The reliability of Golf Pride, along with the shock absorption and feel of the CP2 Wrap is truly an ideal combination. This grip is the perfect place to start if you are searching for your new favorite iron grip.
RELATED: Best Golf Grips For Small Hands
Best Jumbo: JumboMax JMX Ultralite
Through lots of trial and error, we have found that a soft, oversized grip takes a lot of tension and stress out of the joints and reduces both the pain and inflammation over the course of a round of golf. The biggest thing that oversized grips help with is grip pressure. By reducing grip pressure, the overall wear on the hands is reduced significantly over time.
The JMX Ultralite from JumboMax brings exactly the characteristics that we were looking for in a golf grip for seniors. JumboMax has become more popular in recent years as the oversized grip trend has broken out in the game. They make some of the best putter grips available. The JMX Ultralite is the perfect balance of soft, textured, and tacky. It also provides the right size to help those of us with achy hands without changing release patterns or grip feel too much.
RELATED: Best Driver For Seniors
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Senior golfers and those with joint pain will love the relief from an oversized grip. While changing to a bigger grip takes some time to adjust, the added comfort and less worry about pain after the round is well worth it.
Best Golf Pride Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
As we have mentioned, Golf Pride products carry with them the reputation of one of the longest standing and most trusted companies in the grip market.
The Tour Velvet brings a superior combination of softness, feel, tack, and texture. It also comes in a variety of styles to match your specific preferences. Tour Velvet really lives up to its name in the initial feel, with a soft first touch without sacrificing the fine control that tour players desire.
If you prefer a corded grip, a grip with a rib for alignment, or an oversized grip, Tour Velvet has an option for you. If you are trying to put together the highest quality set of clubs, we highly recommend you give the Tour Velvet a try!
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Golf Pride is the most trusted grip in golf. The Tour Velvet and its different variations are the best grip that Golf Pride makes. It's really that simple. If you are looking for a grip that feels great, looks amazing, and will be consistently the best quality, try the Tour Velvet.
When you use the Tour Velvet, learning how to clean your grips will also give you one of the longest lasting, most durable feel that you can find! This grip will have you looking forward to your next round as soon as you walk off the golf course!
Best Midsize: Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound
So what is the best midsize grip? Well, a lot of that answer is going to depend on what feel you like, but our favorite after rigorous testing is the Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound. The aspect of the Multi-Compound that put it over the top for us was the variable texture that creates an amazing mix of comfort and control on every shot. It is a tacky grip with a corded upper section to help with your lead hand control, and a softer rubber lower section to grant comfort to your trail hand that does not have a glove.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
A midsize grip can be a game changer for all different kinds of golfers. The Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound tops the list. You will feel the control, the different textures specifically designed for each hand, and the Golf Pride quality from the moment you put them on your clubs!
Best Cheap Golf Grips: CHAMPKEY Traction-X Golf Grips
Golf is expensive. For those of you looking to save a little money on your golf equipment, a quality grip for a lower price is a great thing. For the most part, you get what you pay for when it comes to grips. The exception to the rule is the CHAMPKEY Traction-X.
What you get when you use the Traction-X is a well textured, comfortable grip holds up to the stresses of an active practice routine.
One of the things we love the most about the Traction-X is the angled pattern that helps both put them on straight, and can be used as an aid to grip the club consistently. The Traction-X will keep your hands feeling great throughout the day, and is a perfect option for the beginning golfer!
What We Like
What We Don't Like
While CHAMPKEY is not a brand you normally consider when you think about the best golf club grip, their Traction-X grip is a great option at an incredible price. Whether you're looking to save money on grips because you have more important things to spend on, or you simply don't see a point in over-spending on them, we think the the Traction-X is the grip that will satisfy all of your needs!
Best Value: Tacki-mac Itomic IT2 Golf Grips
Whether you are looking for a temporary grip option that is going to perform well, or you aren't particular about your grips, the Tacki-mac Itomic IT2 is a really good option for you. The Itomic features competitive tack and texture to provide you with a secure connection to the golf club on every shot.
What we found when testing the Itomic is that it gets dirty and wears down very quickly. When it was fresh out of the package, it felt great. However, without cleaning it consistently the grip became slick and it was difficult to hold on. We also saw minor signs of wear from a relatively light workload
As cheaper grips go, the Itomic IT2 will give you a good experience. It is soft enough to protect your hands from excessive shock, and will help you to hold onto the club even in wet conditions. In the long run, we always prefer the best golf club grip we can get, but the Tacki-mac Itomic IT2 is perfect as an affordable option!
What We Like
What We Don't Like
While we always prefer the highest quality grips, we know that not all golfers see the reason in spending up to $20 per grip or more. Tacki-mac brings you an affordable option that will keep you on the golf course and having a blast time and time again. At less than $6 per grip, the Itomic may be the wallet saver you have been looking for!
Best Corded: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Another home-run from Golf Pride, the Z-Grip Cord is a favorite of players at all levels. But what specifically sets the Z-Grip apart? When you combine the high quality materials of Golf Pride manufacturing with the defined texture patterns of both the grooving and the cord, you get a grip that is virtually unmatched for a variety of players.
The reason such a well-designed grip isn't more prolific is the softness, or lack thereof. The Z-Grip Cord provides exquisite feel on every shot imaginable, but it is particularly harsh on both your skin and glove. In our testing, the Z-Grip caused more skin irritation and glove ripping than most of the other grips. This was particularly notable given the callouses we have built up from hundreds of hours of practice and testing.
You will never have a more secure connection with the golf club than with a corded grip, and the Z-Grip Cord is the best one on the market. If you're interested in upgrading your feel with a corded grip, this is the perfect place to start.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Corded grips aren't for everyone. Players who tend to use them are high level amateurs and professionals, as well as any other golfer who prefers to have less material in between their hands and the club. If you are willing to keep up with your cleaning and don't mind a grip that isn't designed to protect your hands, we highly recommend the Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord.
RELATED: How To Clean Golf Clubs
Best Rated: SuperStroke Cross Comfort Golf Club Grip
You can't go wrong with a brand trusted by players like Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, and Jason Day! The SuperStroke Cross Comfort is an incredible grip, especially for the price point. With a soft, textured outer layer that gives your hands a comfortable experience and provides traction for all conditions, you will love playing golf using this grip.
Our favorite part of the Cross Comfort is the shock absorbent inner layer that dramatically reduces vibration on mishits without lending the grip a thick feel. This amazing product from SuperStroke is so highly rated because of the way it combines comfort and performance, while keeping you in your budget.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
You might think of SuperStroke as primarily a putter grip brand, however their full swing grips are every bit as good. We absolutely loved the soft feel of the Cross Comfort that absorbed shock as well as any other grip we tested. They were easy to replace and are extremely affordable for the quality of the product, making them the perfect balance for any golfer.
RELATED: Proper Golf Grip
Best For Wedges: Lamkin UTx Cord
Some golfers like to have the same grip on every club in their bag. However, there are others who prefer to change the grip based on the requirements of the club. Wedges are used more often for partial or "feel" shots than full shots with a lot of torque. With that in mind, the Lamkin UTx Cord is a perfect grip for your wedges.
Since you are going to be making more small swings and less full swings with your wedges, things like softness and comfort aren't necessarily as important. There isn't going to be enough force in most of the swings to irritate or hurt your hands.
The UTx is a slightly more firm grip with a wonderful cord and texture combination that is intended to maximize feel and control. With this installation in the Lamkin grip family, you will never have to worry about the club twisting in your hands and causing some of those funny shots that seem to come out of nowhere. You will also increase your ability to feel the club head. By extension, this gives you finer control over how hard you are hitting those in between scoring shots!
What We Like
What We Don't Like
If you want the most control and consistency in your wedge game, you want the Lamkin UTx Cord. Hitting wedges is about precision and control rather than speed and power. The UTx will create a connection between your hands and the club that helps you to control the club to your highest potential. That means more birdie opportunities, par saves, and lower scores!
RELATED: Does Shaft Flex Matter In Wedges?
Best Soft Golf Grips: Lamkin Sonar+ Wrap Golf Grips
If your main focus looking for a new grip is to find the softest, most comfortable one possible, the Lamkin Sonar+ Wrap is for you. The Sonar+ takes the quality of Lamkin grips and puts it together with the softness of a good wrapped grip.
What makes this grip so soft is the build up of material on the ridges of the wrap. You will feel like you're holding a cloud when you put the Sonar+ on your clubs. What's more, the shock absorption quality will have your hands thanking you every time you mishit a shot.
What we love the most about the Sonar+ is the tack. Most wrapped grips tend to get slick in humid or wet weather. Lamkin provides a grip that stays secure in your hands, even in wetter conditions. We tested a lot of grips that claim to be the softest on the market, and the Lamkin Sonar+ Wrap rose to the top with confidence.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
A soft grip can make all the difference between having a blast on the golf course and going around with sore, irritated hands. No matter whether you're a casual golfer or a serious player, the Lamkin Sonar+ Wrap will help you stay at practice longer and enjoy the game more!
Things To Consider When Choosing Golf Grips
RELATED: How To Choose Golf Irons
What Conditions Do You Normally Play In?
The conditions that you play in make a big difference when deciding what the best golf club grips for you will be. If you are someone who only plays in perfect conditions, then it doesn't matter whether you have a grip that holds up well to wet conditions. If you live and play in higher humidity, you are going to want a tacky grip with good texture.
Most casual golfers play primarily in what we would call "perfect" weather - somewhere between 50 and 90 degrees with either sun or light clouds. We recommend finding a grip that you like that has some tack and texture to it on the chance that you end up caught in the rain.
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Do You Prefer A Soft Feel Or Firm Feel?
Soft versus firm feel is more of a personal preference. Some golfers love the feedback and finer touch that comes with a firmer grip, while others prefer the comfort of a softer one. The easiest way to figure out what you like is to go to your local golf store or pro shop and put your hands on the different options.
Keep in mind when you are testing them out that the firm grips will not absorb shock as well. If you hit a lot of shots low on the club face or have sensitive hands, a soft grip is probably the better choice for you.
Soft feeling grips can also facilitate lighter grip pressure, which is a big plus for those of you that squeeze the club.
Do You Wear A Golf Glove?
If you are a golfer who prefers not to wear a glove, the best grip choices for you are going to shift a bit. Since you don't have either the traction or the cushion of a glove on your lead hand, tack and texture become even more important. The best golf grips for no glove golfers follow similar guidelines to those for wet weather.
Golf Gear Advisor founder, John VanDerLaan does not wear a glove when he plays golf and he swears by the Winn Dri-Tac.
Do Your Hands Sweat?
Playing golf with sweaty hands can be both difficult and frustrating. Luckily, there are grip options that help. The best golf grips for sweaty hands combine texture and tack, while also using materials that help to wick the sweat away and maintain the best possible connection. The deeper textures of grips like the Winn Dri-Tac and the Iomic Swinger Square Sticky aid with traction and make sure the club doesn't slip.
Do You Have Arthritis Or Joint Pain?
Gripping a golf club with arthritis or joint pain can be daunting. Every movement and every vibration of the club can be painful. A grip that helps manage grip pressure and takes some of the stress off of the joints can be a huge help.
Finding an oversized grip with a feel that you like might make a big difference for you. We recommend you start by trying the JumboMax JMX Ultralite. Keep in mind if you are moving from a standard sized grip to an oversized that your swing and release pattern may change. Give yourself time to adjust before you decide whether you like the grip.
RELATED: What Are Game Improvement Irons?
Do You Have Big Hands Or Small Hands?
While the hand size plays a much bigger role in deciding between the interlock and overlap grips, it also makes a difference in the size of the grip you will need on your golf clubs. Since most grips come in a variety of sizes, we recommend finding the best golf club grips for your game based on other characteristics of your game and then finding the size that is best for you.
If you're not sure what size grip you need, don't be afraid to ask your local golf professional. We have included the chart below to give you a starting point!
RELATED: Straight Stick Review
If your glove size is:
- Small - Including Cadet
- Medium/Medium Large - Including Cadet
- Large - Including Cadet
- Extra Large - Including Cadet
Your grip size should be:
- Undersized
- Standard Grip
- Standard with extra wraps or Midsized
- Midsized or Jumbo
Best Place To Buy Golf Grips
Oftentimes, you will find the best prices and selection for your grip of choice online - particularly on Amazon. For your convenience, we have included links to Amazon via the buttons under each grip in this article.
RELATED: How To Spot Counterfeit Golf Clubs And Grips
We often find that pro shops and golf stores have a limited selection, and the grips they do stock are often low inventory. You can absolutely go in person to test what different grips feel like in your hands. However to ensure that you are getting the best price and that you are able to buy enough for your whole set, we highly recommend you buy them online.
RELATED: Numbers On Golf Clubs: When To Use Which Club
FAQs
What brand golf grip is best?
The brand typically thought of as best is Golf Pride. We see a large portion of players using their product. Golf Pride offers a variety of feels, textures, and styles to match the needs and wants of almost any golfer.
With that said, there are some brands - such as Grip Master and Winn - who make products that rival Golf Pride. We tend to believe that the biggest difference between Golf Pride and its competitors is the simple fact that they have been around for so long. As technology continues to catch up to their head start, we think you will start to see less of a skew towards any one brand in particular.
What golf grip do most professionals use?
The vast majority of touring professionals use some form of Golf Pride grip. Golf Pride offers both a reputation of quality and a wide variety of products to match the preferences of every style of golfer.
Players that use Golf Pride include Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa, among many others.
RELATED: How Much Do Golf Caddies Make?
What grips does Rory McIlroy use?
Rory McIlroy is one of the many golfers who chooses Golf Pride. His specific model of choice is the Multi Compound Cord, and he uses the black color option.
RELATED: Golf Driver Buying Guide
Are thicker golf grips better?
Thicker golf grips are better for golfers with larger hands and those who struggle with joint pain. They are often softer and have a wider diameter, making them fit well into large hands.
The main problem that occurs when golfers switch to thicker grips is a change in release pattern. When your hands are not able to close as much around the grip, it limits the ability of your wrists to pronate and supinate. This means that, until you have practiced and adjusted to the new grips, you are more likely to hit a slice.
RELATED: How To Get Better At Golf Without Lessons
Final Thoughts
Beginning with characteristics like firmness, tack, and texture, you can narrow down the best golf club grips for your game. Then, consider your own features and preferences. What is the size of your hands? Do your joints often hurt after a day on the golf course? Do your hands blister easily?
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