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Top 5 golf grips of all time

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Tour Velvet Cord Golf Grip

Grips might seem simple, but there is a lot that goes into making good ones. From formulating compounds, and adding color, to creating tooling to make sure they hit all of the required specs. Grips are often the most overlooked part of a golf club, and they shouldn’t be. The grip is the singular connection you as a player have with your clubs, and it should offer equal amounts of control and comfort, depending on how often you play and the weather conditions.

Yes, golfers generally pay a lot of attention to their putter grip,s but when it comes to the rest of a set, many golfers will just say “give me whatever is stock,” which is not a great idea.

These are the top-five grips of all time.

Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Tour velvet Cord Grips

How could we begin to talk about great grips without starting with the Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord? It’s the gold standard of durable all-weather performance. A soft rubber infused with a tight-weave cotton twill fiber (cord) adds additional traction that you just can’t get from an all-rubber grip on its own. It’s the most-used cord grip on tour and a favorite of golfers needing weather defying traction. (Honourable mention the classic non-corded Tour Velvet)

Winn Grips Excel

Winn Excel soft golf grip

The Winn Excel might not be the most durable or best all-weather grip ever made, but I challenge anyone to find a grip that offers greater comfort for fair-weather golfers, or players needing maximum shock absorption. The Winn Excel is Winn’s number-one selling grip of all time by a large margin, and speaking from experience, I have installed my fair share of full cases of these back in my big box retail golf days. From Winn “The Excel grip has been hailed by arthritic and hand fatigue sufferers as the reason they can still play golf.” With that in mind any product that is able to help golfers enjoy the game more belongs on the list!

Lamkin Crossline Cord

Another cord grip might seem like an odd addition to the list, but hear me out. Grip aficionados will tell you right away why they prefer the Lamkin Crossline Cord over others on the market. The taper is slightly different, the cord is a bit rougher, and for those in need of anything bigger than a standard grip—the Lamkin Crossline Cord is the ONLY full cord grip on the market that comes in an oversized option (weighing in at a whopping 76g). That alone makes it unique and earns its spot in the top five.

Iomic Sticky

Iomic Stick Golf Grips

Bold, colorful, and tacky are all words best used to describe the Iomic Sticky grip. It was one of, if not the first, mainstream grips in North America to offer a HUGE selection of color options and there’s a scientific reason why. Iomic grips are made from an elastomer resin, which is neutral in color: this means that any change to the color won’t change the weight of the grip, and that means you can mix and match up your set without having to worry about changing feel. It also gives grip designers endless freedom to come up with wild combinations too. According to Iomic, the elastomer resin offers a number of distinct advantages over rubber which includes lower torque, greater durability, and all-weather traction.

Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound

Golf Pride New Decade golf grips

Easily making its way into the top five is the Multi-Compound or as many call them the NDMCs. This grip was a game-changer for Golf Pride and the industry as a whole. It made grips “show up” on TV and got regular golfers to rethink their grip buying habits from just plain rubber to multi-material colorful options. From a performance perspective, the NDMC offers the best of both worlds, cord on the top (gloved hand) and a softer material under the bottom hand for additional traction and comfort.  Still considered a premium option, you can find New Decade grips on a lot of OEM stock products.

What do you think GolfWRXers? Are their any grips you think belong in the top five that aren’t included? Any that are included you don’t think should be?

 

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Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

79 Comments

79 Comments

  1. Bob Hunter

    Mar 17, 2021 at 11:07 pm

    Softie cord
    Royal diamond cord

  2. Rich Douglas

    Nov 4, 2019 at 11:26 pm

    The Winn Excel is my favorite grip ever. Because it’s so soft, I can maintain a firm grip with less pressure, easing tension though my wrists and arms. I don’t really care about the dampening effect. Caution, though: these grips are light (42g) and can add a couple of swingweight points if you’re coming from a heavier grip. Some players feel that doesn’t matter; they don’t notice. But I do. I can’t feel one, but I CAN feel two.

    Yes, they wear out quickly. So change them.

  3. TheGreek33

    Nov 2, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    LAMKIN CROSSLINE ALL THE WAY. HOPE THEY NEVER GO AWAY

  4. Jose

    Nov 2, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    Amazing GP Victory or Tour Wrap wasn’t on this list. #NotMyList

  5. Jimmy Ray

    Oct 29, 2019 at 9:20 am

    I’m just glad nearly everyone in the thread has crushed the writer for not including GP Victory, Victory Cord, or Velvet. I’m surprised he didn’t include the GP Dimple in that list or the Avon Chamois!! Happy to see Royal called out, their rubber was superior, but I’m gonna toss one out to jog everyone’s memory: Avon Nexus, “made from car tire rubber”. I installed one on a 2-iron back in the mid-80’s and I swear it was tacky until I put a hybrid in play 20 years later. As far as being available today, I just installed the Lamkin Player’s Cord on my entire set, pushing out the Lamkin UTX. IMHO, far superior to GPVC.

  6. David Bergsvik

    Oct 26, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    Why are Tour Velvet grips #1, because they are the cheapest? My personal favorites are GP MCCs and the V-50 Victory Cord grips (50th Anniversary for GP). I wish they still made the V-50…

  7. Dave Smart

    Oct 25, 2019 at 11:07 pm

    Lamkin UTX…tacky,cord and long lasting. I’ve never seen an Iomic grip in play in 25 years of golfing. Where did that come from?

  8. Speedy

    Oct 21, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    Tour Velvet, Green Victory, New Decade, and a couple of Lamkins after that.

    Golf Pride rocks, always has.

    • Funkaholic

      Oct 24, 2019 at 1:45 pm

      Honestly I have used both and GP and Lamkin and the difference is minimal, for the price I prefer Lamkin crosslines.

  9. Ray Jenks

    Oct 20, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Surely the BASIC Golf Pride Tour Velvet must be light-years ahead of any grip ever manufactured – and that’s before taking into account the undisguised basic Tour Velvet grips that Golf Pride have customised with OEM names … Ray J.

  10. Gary Nelson

    Oct 20, 2019 at 12:49 am

    As others have mentioned leather wraps are number one. Winn grips are the worst I have ever played they are slippery after a round or two and they don’t hold up very well. Tour wrap are really good grips for durability and playability.

  11. Craig

    Oct 19, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    This article is click bait.

  12. Jim

    Oct 19, 2019 at 8:30 pm

    They left out the Lamkin Permawrap full cord. Sadly no longer made, but my favorite grip of them all.

  13. Jim

    Oct 19, 2019 at 7:58 pm

    I think they stopped making my favorite grips some time ago, the Lamkin Permawrap full cord. Been playing 50 years, tried many others and they’re still my favorite. I’ve now gone to the GP New Decade Multi-compound which is a decent substitute.

  14. Bobby

    Oct 19, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    Golf Pride Victory grip must be included

    • cody

      Oct 20, 2019 at 12:14 am

      I was going to say the same thing,, Ryan you completely dropped the ball on this one. This should be top of the list.

  15. Seal Golf

    Oct 19, 2019 at 1:49 pm

    This is strictly a case of “History began the day you were born.”

    Golf Pride Victory, cord and non-cord, has to top the list. In my 44 years in club repair, I have never had anyone ask for an Iomic grip.

  16. RONALD

    Oct 19, 2019 at 1:33 pm

    Why no mention of removal of black Excels that were on clubs left in a hot trunk?
    The sloppiest re-grip of all time.

    • Rich Douglas

      Oct 25, 2019 at 2:10 pm

      Hopefully, it got you to stop leaving your clubs in a hot trunk. Good thing to do before the epoxy on a head loosens and it goes flying up against your playing partner’s head during a practice swing.

  17. BeachBum

    Oct 19, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    Can’t believe Pure isn’t on the list. I’ve used everything and Pyre Grips are the best for me.

  18. Ray Liwanag

    Oct 18, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    I only play forged grips

  19. Dave r

    Oct 18, 2019 at 12:35 pm

    Where’s the new one that adds 20 yards ? What’s the name again smasher grips. Got to get me some.

  20. Billy

    Oct 18, 2019 at 12:02 pm

    tour wrap half cord or full cord!

  21. john

    Oct 18, 2019 at 12:01 pm

    i wonder how much wrx got paid for this ad

    • JP

      Oct 18, 2019 at 8:24 pm

      All the golfwrx staff get free grips for the next 5 years.

  22. James

    Oct 18, 2019 at 10:41 am

    All time, eh? 2 if them would hands down be GP Victory and Tour Velvet non-cords. Poor research.

  23. Scott Ostler

    Oct 18, 2019 at 4:08 am

    Must be a slow news day.

  24. Brian

    Oct 18, 2019 at 1:13 am

    How did Green Victory with or without Cords and The Classic Tour Wrap not make this list? I remember regripping Irons and Putters with Leather Wrap too! Ping has some GOAT grips too..

    • Craig van Nieuwkerk

      Oct 19, 2019 at 6:28 pm

      Would have been my nomination. Not as popular now but the default for about 25 years.

  25. I Get It - Kuch Sucks

    Oct 17, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    I am Lamkin guy and think Kuch is a d-bag too.

  26. Peter

    Oct 17, 2019 at 10:25 pm

    Super stroke has a pretty decent grip.

    • Tim

      Oct 18, 2019 at 10:07 pm

      This is about grips of all time. Super stroke would and should not be on this list.

  27. ProjectX

    Oct 17, 2019 at 10:06 pm

    Winn Grip Excel…gtfo. 90+% of aftermarket grips I see on the course are Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2Gs. I NEVER see a cord grip on the course and have seen the Iomic grips on the course once in my entire life and the guy playing them said they were the single biggest waste of money and in his bag. This list is hot garbage.

  28. cu2morrow

    Oct 17, 2019 at 8:45 pm

    75% of the clubs I see in stores have Tour Velvet

  29. Tom

    Oct 17, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    No Tour velvet = ZERO credibility… What about Tour Wrap??? The Green Victory grip .. probably the top 3 grips of all time..

  30. Winsome

    Oct 17, 2019 at 6:56 pm

    Tour Velvet not on the list? what a joke this article is.

  31. LamkinAreBest

    Oct 17, 2019 at 4:59 pm

    No doubt, Lamkin makes the highest quality grips, especially cords. Golf Pride cords are POS, so slippery and not durable. Lamkin are twice as grippy and last twice as long. Golf Pride is a cult of crappy grips that needs to be put down.

    • Bob Pegram

      Oct 19, 2019 at 2:02 pm

      I use Lamkin Crosslines (non-cord). They last longer than Tour Velvets and grip better than Tour Velvets when wet. Probably because their rubber is slightly firmer than Tour Velvets. Can’t use cord. They tear my hands up, especially as they get older, although the newer cord grips aren’t as rough as old ones many years ago.

  32. Jack Meawf

    Oct 17, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    Winn grips are cheapest grips there are. Its one of the biggest scams in the industry. Cant get them wet, squishy, the wrap layer moves around over the underlisting, material flakes off after about 3 rounds, and you have to change them out soon after. Only thing they are good for is peeling off the cheap wrap and use the underlisting for wrapping leather around. I would venture to say that the knockoff Champkeys last longer. Get that trash off the market and ban everyone from golf that buys that garbage.

  33. Matt Stovall

    Oct 17, 2019 at 4:10 pm

    Yes..the old Neumann calfskins were on more bags than all these combined as well as the classic “swingrite/griprite” Golfpride victories-pre the velvets listed above. Still have a box of them.

  34. ba ba booey Jr

    Oct 17, 2019 at 3:33 pm

    unfortunately the writer just reached age 18, so doesn’t remember neumann golf grips, Jack’s favorite and truly one of the best.

  35. someguyinboise

    Oct 17, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    If this story is really about “all time” then there are several glaring omissions. Start with plain old leather wrap. Rubber is still a relatively recent addition to the truly ancient game. How about the Golf Pride Victory (“Grip Rite Swing Rite”) or even the original Tour Wrap? Those grips were everywhere.

  36. Jeff E

    Oct 17, 2019 at 3:30 pm

    What about royal grips? They used to have a wrap grip that was super rough, and worked great in the Florida humidity

    • Poppa Shank

      Oct 17, 2019 at 5:00 pm

      It was called the royal diamond cord. Great grip, I wish they would bring it back.

      • Mower

        Oct 17, 2019 at 6:57 pm

        Yeah, it’s bizarre no one’s making anything like the wrap-full-corded grips like Lampkin (Golf Pride too) did in the 90s. Henrik Stenson played those on his clubs.

      • InJapan

        Oct 17, 2019 at 8:49 pm

        I can still get those.

      • Jeff E

        Oct 21, 2019 at 12:45 pm

        Yep. Those were the ones. When I played in college, everyone who hit my clubs said the grips were rough, but I loved them because you could still get a decent grip in rainy or humid conditions.

    • Jose Pinatas

      Oct 18, 2019 at 10:30 am

      Royal Sand Wrap??? Awesome grip.

  37. James Lue

    Oct 17, 2019 at 3:10 pm

    PURE DTX and Lamkin Crossline (blacked out). Grips last forever and don’t get all slick after six months, like Golf Pride.7

  38. kumat63

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    Tour Velvet is way better and more popular on tour and among better players than TV cord (Eldrick Woods notwithstanding).

  39. Dan

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:33 pm

    Grip Master Roo grips? Sure 2 kangaroos had to die for me to get mine but totally worth it.

    • MikeB

      Oct 19, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      Have had Grip Master kangaroo grips since I purchased the JPX900 when they came out. A quick scrub with warm water and soft bristled brush, and they are like new. Yes they can be expensive, but playing easily 100+ rounds a year, it’s worth it not buying and replacing grips one or two times each year. Plus the tackiness here in Florida is priceless. Warm them up a bit, and 40psi on the compressor, they slide right on.

  40. DukeOfChinoHills

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    Winn Dry-Tac standard because they have a little cushion, aren’t heavy, and are pretty durable.

  41. Jason B

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:23 pm

    I’ve played everything on this list except the Iomics. Golf Pride Tour Wrap 1/2 cord ribbed crushes everything on this list by a mile. And current ribbed grips are so weak they might as well be full round. It’s sad.

    • Simon

      Oct 18, 2019 at 3:09 am

      Well said .. the full cord with reminder rocks too

  42. Joe McManuis

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    I would suggest that anyone looking for a cord grip should consider the Lamkin Players Cord grip as as an alternative to the both the Tour Velvet Cord and the Lamkin Crossline cord with the Players cord being available in both standard taper and reduced taper and being less rough than the Crossline Cord

  43. Whitney

    Oct 17, 2019 at 2:01 pm

    I’m amazed that Pure grips are passed over so much. Been playing them since they came out in 2008 and I think I’ve only had 4 sets. I don’t play every day, but these are THE best compound I’ve ever played, they last practically forever, I only changed to get a diff color but reused the older ones on another set! .
    Not a huge fan of Winn, played a bunch since inception of them but some decent putting grips.
    I liked the NewDecade Multi – but guess what, they wear out before a season is over, when new good feel.
    When I switched to Pure, I’ve never looked back, and they go on with an air gun! How innovative, you don’t really need tape. Change and ready to play instantly, what’s not to love about these, I will never change again!

    • Bob Pegram

      Oct 19, 2019 at 2:17 pm

      Any rubber grip including cords can be installed with air. Makes it easier, less messy, and quicker. Pure are designed to be installed without tape. With others I use two wraps of masking tape which is equivalent to one wrap of double-sided tape. They go right on and never slip. Also easier to replace when worn out. Double-sided tape doesn’t work with air – the grip sticks part way on.
      Using air with Winns often separates the “skin” from the underlistiong so won’t work.

  44. Kevin Hefner

    Oct 17, 2019 at 1:55 pm

    Any list without the Green Victory is null and void

    • oaks

      Oct 17, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      Green Victory and Green Victory Cord have to be included.

      • fla fla flooey

        Oct 17, 2019 at 3:30 pm

        gotta include victory and the tacky mac/tour wrap style

    • Dan

      Oct 17, 2019 at 2:29 pm

      I cant believe Victory didn’t make the list.

    • Poppa shank

      Oct 17, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      Barath has 16 years experience and didn’t include the tour victory? Did he start club fitting at age 2?

  45. JB

    Oct 17, 2019 at 1:54 pm

    Completely subjective article.

    • A. Commoner

      Oct 17, 2019 at 3:28 pm

      Maybe…. or: owing to a disregard of history, it was meant to appear in this month’s issue of Comedy Revue.

  46. J

    Oct 17, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    All time? There’s like 2-3 leather grips that are significantly better than most ot the ones listed and that were iconic in the pre-rubber era. This looks like a list of the top 5 grips of today.

  47. hajenius

    Oct 17, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    Maybe the most sold (and what I have understood the most used on tour) grip i the world? I like them, nad a lot of people put them on as a replacement grip too/

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Whats in the Bag

Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)

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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)

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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

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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!

 

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A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

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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