Why you should pay more attention to the size of your golf grips

Every week, in collaboration with our sister-company and Top 50 Clubfitter True Spec Golf, our in-house team of equipment experts host the Fully Equipped podcast. It’s where we break down the most interesting equipment news in golf, from the most authoritative voices in the game.

New in 2021, we’re going to be highlighting many of those same Fully Equipped voices on GOLF.com as part of an expanded series of articles, sharing the best equipment insight around, and helping you play better golf as a result.

This week, our experts are talking about grip sizes, and the basics for what you need to know about them.

1. It can affect your shot shape

Jonathan Wall, Managing Equipment Editor: The simple answer is to grip your club and see if your hands feel comfortable. If your fingers are crowded or you feel as if you can’t control the club without increasing grip pressure, it might be time to consider a grip change. The simple answer is a grip that’s too small will engage your hands more during the swing, while a larger grip will reduce rotation and activate the larger muscles. That means a smaller grip could accentuate a hook if it’s your common miss or do the same for a slice if the grip is too big. I’ve seen some players go smaller to combat a slice and large to straighten out a hook, but it’s not a foolproof fix. I’d suggest getting a Top 100 Teacher involved to take a proper look.

2. It can change the weight of your club

Andrew Tursky, Senior Equipment Editor: Grip size effects how your hands fit together on the club, so it absolutely matters. It can also impact swing weight of the club, overall weight, and it can mentally impact how you’ll release the club. As J.Wall said, there’s a few guidelines to finding the right grip size, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to preference. Try a bunch of different grip sizes and see what works for you. My guess is that after trying different-sized grips, it’s unlikely the size grips you use currently are actually the right one for you. With so many options, the odds just aren’t in your favor.

3. They can help (or hurt) your golf swing

Luke Kerr-Dineen, Director of Game Improvement Content: Everybody grips the club, but nobody grips the club the same way. That’s because everyone is built differently, and are predisposed to swinging the club in different ways to suit their strengths and weaknesses. A good golf coach will help you match a specific grip to your body type.

If your grips aren’t the right size, you’ll struggle to position your hands on the golf club the way that’s best for you. So work with a good coach and get fit so you can avoid any issues.