60 replies to this topic

[J13]

I've recently been playing around with putter grips as I got on the train as did a lot of people with "fatter" grips to bring my shoulders more into play and wrists out.  Well i'm not sure thats necessarily the best thing.  It seems the best putters in the game use thin grips for utlimate feel.  So many pro's use the thin Ping Man grip still while others use other grips but still thin.   For me I was having trouble releasing the putter head and kept missing right.  So.... I finally decided to throw a normal thin grip with 1 wrap of tape on the putter and bingo.  Releasing the head and putted beatifully.  My lag putting also greatly improved.  Anyway wanted to hear what others have to say on the matter.

[502 to Right]

I use a Pingman.  So I think it's safe to say the answer is yes.

Edited by 502 to Right, 30 December 2011 - 08:38 PM.

[danattherock]

Great thread and one that deserves some deliberation. I have been toying with some ideas along the same lines. Used oversize Winn grips for years. Then got some mid-size Iomics. Loved them and may wind up using them again. Then last year I got two over size Gripmaster grips from Jay (glenwayputters on forum). Using them on two custom Sunset Beach Putters. Love them, but wonder about feel and in particular my distance control on 4-10 footers. On longer putts, love the Gripmasters, but wonder about feel on delicate shorter putts. This is where my Pingman and mid-size Iomics excel. The just a few days ago, I ordered one of the Super Stroke "slim" lite putter grips. Much smaller than the fatso Super Stroke, but bigger than traditional putter grips. Got it in the mail today and will put it on an older SC tei3 when it comes back from Kevin Colbert at Putterplating.com.  Mailed it out to him today for his northern lights finish. So basically, I have no idea if thin or fat grips help. Not sold on the sizes in the middle. Guess it all comes down to preference. For me, I am looking for distance control. Curious how the Super Stroke feels. I love the Gripmaster grips and need more time to form a firm opinion, but they are great. Could end up putting mid-size Iomics on all my putters. Who knows. Said all this to say this. I don't know the answer to your question. Ha ha..




-Dan

[MA golfer23]

I have gone back and forth on this the last couple of years. I have messed around with several grips, from stock scotty grips, to the super stroke ultra slim. I've found that for me I like smaller grips better, I just have more confidence, and right now I'm using the standard size Iomic putter grip. I do wonder if there is any merit to different size grips being better and what effect each different size will have.

[danattherock]

cpodkowka, on 30 December 2011 - 10:07 PM, said:

. I do wonder if there is any merit to different size grips being better and what effect each different size will have.

My thoughts...

Small thin grips offer more feedback. Literally, more feedback as more vibrations (from impact) are transferred through the shaft to your hands. This could lend itself useful to distance control. This is relative to the ability to place your hands properly on a small grip. At 6'6" 300 lbs, I can't do it very well with a good grip that is comfortable. Another potential downside, it is easy to get wristy with a small grip like a pingman. I suspect Tiger has sold more pingman grips than anything else. Had he used an Iomic growing up, guess the same could be said for Iomics.

Larger grips, especially the super stroke slim and such, offer some other benefits. They allow you to hold the putter with less grip tension which could translate into a smoother putter stroke. They are also known to quieten excessive wrist action that ruins so many putting strokes. KJ Choi and others use these large grips every weekend. Must be something to it. Perhaps not for the masses, but they are certainly tour proven.

Many pros and cons to small or large grips. Much to think about and this thread should be a good one.




-Dan

[Cwing]

There is no best for everyone. What works for may be bad for others.

[theshining]

thin putter grip + light head works best for me.

[RainShadow]

I like thinner grips as well. Best grips gridiron and ionic standard at the moment. I also like the GP tour tradition and the lamkin torsion control.

[pinseeker858]

theshining, on 30 December 2011 - 11:13 PM, said:

thin putter grip + light head works best for me.

same here, using titleist pebble grip

[Ping33]

Fatso here, I love this grip, shaved strokes immediately. One and two putting consistently now with my Ody two ball. I was a consistent 2 and or 3 putt before the change... Different strokes for different folks.

[puttingmatt]

Find what works !!! Fat or thin grip  is
personal preference.

[Hateto3Putt]

I used the standard sized grip on my Anser putter for years. On a whim I bought a midsized (Winn AVS Jumbo) grip.

Since then, (about 5 months ago) my putting has improved immensely. The lags have gotten closer, but the real money has been on the 4-5 footers.

I'm a convert. (the one on the left). It's not Gripzilla sized, but just right for my meathooks.

[J13]

danattherock, on 30 December 2011 - 10:17 PM, said:

cpodkowka, on 30 December 2011 - 10:07 PM, said:

. I do wonder if there is any merit to different size grips being better and what effect each different size will have.

My thoughts...

Small thin grips offer more feedback. Literally, more feedback as more vibrations (from impact) are transferred through the shaft to your hands. This could lend itself useful to distance control. This is relative to the ability to place your hands properly on a small grip. At 6'6" 300 lbs, I can't do it very well with a good grip that is comfortable. Another potential downside, it is easy to get wristy with a small grip like a pingman. I suspect Tiger has sold more pingman grips than anything else. Had he used an Iomic growing up, guess the same could be said for Iomics.

Larger grips, especially the super stroke slim and such, offer some other benefits. They allow you to hold the putter with less grip tension which could translate into a smoother putter stroke. They are also known to quieten excessive wrist action that ruins so many putting strokes. KJ Choi and others use these large grips every weekend. Must be something to it. Perhaps not for the masses, but they are certainly tour proven.

Many pros and cons to small or large grips. Much to think about and this thread should be a good one.




-Dan

I would agree.  Its been some time since I used a thin or "normal" sized grip.  What I noticed is the putter seemed to come alive for me again.  Taking me back to when I was younger and honestly a better putter.  I noticed the feel and feedback was greatly improved and my roll and stroke was more on path.  I took my stroke to the IPing app and it confirmed my handicap average with the thin grip was +4.3 with the same style putter and midsize with 3 wraps it was +1.7 and it was showing the toe was a bit open.  Amazing little app.  All in all played this morning and I'm having a lot of fun on the greens again.  Going onto the short grass with a lot of confidence and my speed is so much butter.  I"m using the Iomic ion minus grip with 1 wrap and it's great I highly recommend it.

[turnbowm]

Over the years, I've tried various size putter grips and have found that my distance control and feel suffers if the grip is too large. On the other hand, I have direction problems if the grip is too small. After a lengthy search, found the Iomic Absolute to be the perfect size... bigger than standard, but smaller than most midsize. Liked it so well that I put one on my backup putter. Expensive, but worth every penny!

[finalist]

Fat grips to help slow rotation if your stroke needs it.

[danattherock]

Today I got a Pingman put on a custom Sunset Beach. I also had the Super Stroke slim "lite" put on an older SC tei3. Both putters of a near identical head design. Both putters that I putt very well with. A level playing field and suitable test. Apples to apples.



Spent about an hour putting, half with each.


Fat grip, (Super Stroke slim "lite")

More accurate, especially on shorter putts. Lacked the distance control I would like. Didn't seem to have the same feedback. I like it in a way, but weird. Will need to invest more practice time before it goes in my bag. As of now, I could easily roll a 10' putt 4' past the hole. The good thing, and I mean GOOD thing, the wrist were very much out of the putting stroke. With the slightest effort on my behalf, my wrist were quietened. This resulted in more putts going on their intended target line. The distance control however suffered. I will practice more and expect this to improve. But it was unmistakably the biggest drawback of this semi-fat grip.


Skinny grip, (Pingman)

Pingman today, had much better distance control. Had the ball dying at the hole, my preferred MO. Took about 5 putts to adjust from the fat azz grip on the other putter. Felt much more wrist action, much looser for a lack of a better word. Wrist were oily. I could see the tendency to get wristy and had to focus harder on the flat left wrist I recently incorporated into my putting stroke. Upon doing so, wrist were less flimsy, felt the putter open and close more compared to the fat grip. I could easily pull or push a putt unlike the fat grip which made 3-5 footers much more easily. The biggest (only) advantage I found in the skinny grip was distance control. For me, I will take that over wrist breaking down, a technique flaw anyway.




-Dan

Edited by danattherock, 01 January 2012 - 06:01 PM.

[Scotty1140]

Don't know if this makes sense or not, but everytime I've tried any grip larger than standard size I seem to have trouble consistantly releasing the putter head. Everything goes a touch right.

[Tberry61]

I just switched to the Pingman grip, and I did have a mid- sized grip on it and personally I feel like I had much better feel with the mid-sized grip, I feel like with the Pingman I have to squeeze it tighter, just my opinion tho

[Jrolsen0425]

theshining, on 30 December 2011 - 11:13 PM, said:

thin putter grip + light head works best for me.

+1

[danattherock]

Tberry61, on 01 January 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

, I feel like with the Pingman I have to squeeze it tighter...

All relative to grip type (of your hands) and hand size. In some cases, most likely, a smallish grip will promote more tension. Larger grip, less tension needed to have good control over the handle. Pros and cons either way. Best thing to do is try both. Feel is subjective and we all have different putting strokes/flaws. I see mid-size Iomics going on most of my putters in the near future. Oversize numbs the feel a bit too much, even in the smallish Iomic sizing chart. The regular Iomic, pingman like, is too small for my hands. Midsize Iomics may be the perfect compromise (for me). Regrip It is a great website for buying Iomics in case this thread generates any interest. They sell only Iomics as I recall and have everything in stock it appears. They are the go to source for Iomics online. Killer grips. Funky colors as well for those so inclined.



-Dan

Edited by danattherock, 01 January 2012 - 08:04 PM.

[10of14]

The guys that get all over folks for asking what flex of a shaft they should use should be enraged with this post.  It depends on who is doing the putting, what type of greens do you play on and what type of putter are you gaming...playing around with the OP, but that really is the answer you get in other topics.  

For what it is worth, it is all about stats.  Keep track of your putts per round on one course and after a few rounds, change to the other grip consideration and see what the net results are.  I did that and found that the fatty was much more consistent for my stroke.  Bad putters tend to get "wristy or handy" and the big grips seem to eliminate that for me.  Good luck!

[Golfer4Life]

I use Ping grips or SC Studio Designs in most of my putters.  I started messing with the Pistolero and I really like the way it neutralizes the left hand action.  This is just my experience, most likely other people will have different experiences with it.

[xabia]

Interestingly enough I had a very thick Golf pride grip on my new machine putter, and just early this AM switched to my usual iomic standard size putter grip. I felt with the larger grip I couldn't control my pace well at all bc I couldn't feel the head very well. With the thinner grip I really had a much better feel in the putter.

1 round with the big grip I had 38 putts in regulation 12 / 18 times 4 3 putts and i was leaving myself 5 feet off on every look
round 2 w\big grip I had 35 only because I sank a few 15 footers
round 1 with thin grip was 33 but i had very few pressure putts a lot of 1-2 ft tap ins left

I should be able to get about 5 more rounds in with the thin grip so I hopefully this pattern continues

[ssp]

I have tried them all ..... I putt like 'C*&P' with all of them.

[Hateto3Putt]

xabia, on 01 January 2012 - 11:09 PM, said:

1 round with the big grip I had 38 putts in regulation 12 / 18 times 4 3 putts and i was leaving myself 5 feet off on every look
round 2 w\big grip I had 35 only because I sank a few 15 footers

Yup, something need changed there!

[xabia]

Hateto3Putt, on 04 January 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

xabia, on 01 January 2012 - 11:09 PM, said:

1 round with the big grip I had 38 putts in regulation 12 / 18 times 4 3 putts and i was leaving myself 5 feet off on every look
round 2 w\big grip I had 35 only because I sank a few 15 footers

Yup, something need changed there!

Haha yea I am not Steve Stricker but I can roll the rock better than that! Good news is my putting with the thin grip is getting better and better with 28 today at Slammer and Squire!

[danattherock]

Spent about 45 min today at the practice green with the super stroke lite slim. It is not for me. Distance control sucks. Just can't get a feel for this size grip.

Will be sticking with midsize Iomics, Gripmasters, and such.

[jabrch]

I wouldn't worry about what grips "great putters" use.  I'd worry about what grips you are able to putt best with.  You may not have the talent to be a "great putter", but you surely have the talent to be the best putter you can be.

[MadGolfer76]

Small grips are for people with small hands. Do you guys wear your shoes too tight as well?

[spires1020]

After trying a few different sizes, I liked the increased feedback with the smaller grips. The humungo grips seem like band-aids to me, but if it helps other guys then I think that's great. I put mine on without tape and like the feel so far, time will tell.