Equipment
WRX Spotlight: Lamkin Sonar Tour and Sonar Wrap grips
Products: Lamkin Sonar Tour and Sonar Wrap grips
Pitch: From Lamkin: “Designed for high-performance playability, the Sonar Tour features Fingerprint Technology with a uniform micro-texture pattern and traditional taper profile. Made with patent-pending Genesis material in a slightly firmer durometer for enhanced torsion control and a consistent feel in all weather conditions. Logo-down design inspired by Tour player preferences. New Sonar Tour Wrap: Straighter, reduced-taper with a slightly larger lower hand promotes lighter grip pressure for greater consistency and control.”
Our take on the Lamkin Sonar Tour and Sonar Wrap Grips
Expanding on the popular Sonar line of grips, Lamkin has introduced two more offerings in 2019. The Sonar Tour was designed with direct input from top PGA Tour professional Justin Rose. This features Lamkin’s Fingerprint Technology, a more uniform texture pattern and traditional taper profile.
Do you realize that half of all aftermarket grips sold by the United States largest grip retailer are wrap-style grips? Lamkin certainly does and has introduced the Sonar Wrap, offering traditional wrap grip fans a technology-packed option, available in multiple weights and sizes.
Lamkin prides itself on being a rubber company first and foremost, so expect these to wear very well, unlike some other options in the crowded grip marketplace. Also, these will retain their feel and tack in variations of weather and temperature due to the materials used.
Last year, GolfWRX Members tested the original Sonar and were largely impressed. Holding these grips, you do notice the microtexture “Fingerprint Technology” immediately.
According to the company, “new Fingerprint Technology distributes intricate and highly detailed micro-textures on the grip surface. The result: a more comfortable high-traction feel for greater confidence with lighter grip pressure. It eliminates the need for cars and aggressive textures typically used in grip surfaces to deliver increased traction.”
Where some found the original Sonar “too busy,” the Sonar Tour addresses this in a more handsome, traditional-looking package. Kudos to Lamkin for making “logo down” the standard for these, which is preferred by better players. If you do install logo up, note that the paintfill is black, eliminating distraction. The texture is the same on the grip either up or down.
The Standard Plus size Sonar Wrap is noticeably larger than the Sonar Tour. It has a nice tacky feel as you would imagine. The Midsize Plus will look and feel quite large in comparison to the Sonar Tour.
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Whats in the Bag
Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)
- Chesson Hadley what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)
Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5
- The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!
3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X
Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
View this post on Instagram
I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.
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Professor
Apr 11, 2022 at 9:33 am
Any review of grips should include how much the grips weigh. It’s amazing to me how much changing grips can throw off the club’s swing weight.
Parskey
Sep 26, 2019 at 3:58 am
Looking at a the new P790 and taylomade doesn’t even list the sonar tour as an option not even as an up charge option. Good to know logo up or down doesn’t matter so why does Lamkin say they’re designed to play logo down. And what’s standard plus, is there a standard as well before midsize?
CrashTestDummy
Apr 5, 2019 at 9:59 pm
Lamkin grips are good, but my only problem with them is that they have too much taper. They should make some grips with less taper.
kevind
Apr 8, 2019 at 8:47 am
did you even read the article? these grips have less taper.
Travis
Apr 5, 2019 at 8:15 pm
When are these going to be released? I don’t see Sonar Tour on their website.