Equipment
Top 5 golf grips of all time
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
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
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
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
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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Whats in the Bag
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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Equipment
What’s the perfect mini-driver/shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Bob Hunter
Mar 17, 2021 at 11:07 pm
Softie cord
Royal diamond cord
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.
TheGreek33
Nov 2, 2019 at 1:16 pm
LAMKIN CROSSLINE ALL THE WAY. HOPE THEY NEVER GO AWAY
Jose
Nov 2, 2019 at 12:19 pm
Amazing GP Victory or Tour Wrap wasn’t on this list. #NotMyList
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.
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…
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?
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.
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.
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.
Craig
Oct 19, 2019 at 8:51 pm
This article is click bait.
Thomas A
Oct 21, 2019 at 10:30 am
Every article on the internet is click-bait.
John
Jun 12, 2020 at 1:29 pm
click bait
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.
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.
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.
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.
Installer
Oct 19, 2019 at 7:41 pm
Exactly!
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.
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.
Ray Liwanag
Oct 18, 2019 at 5:04 pm
I only play forged grips
Jeff
Oct 18, 2019 at 5:56 pm
I chortled reading that
MikeB
Oct 19, 2019 at 6:48 pm
As did I!!
Scott
Oct 22, 2019 at 9:34 am
LOL! Nothing but the best for a GolfWRX member
RAY
Jun 12, 2020 at 1:30 pm
haha!!
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.
Billy
Oct 18, 2019 at 12:02 pm
tour wrap half cord or full cord!
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.
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.
Scott Ostler
Oct 18, 2019 at 4:08 am
Must be a slow news day.
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.
I Get It - Kuch Sucks
Oct 17, 2019 at 10:38 pm
I am Lamkin guy and think Kuch is a d-bag too.
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.
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.
cu2morrow
Oct 17, 2019 at 8:45 pm
75% of the clubs I see in stores have Tour Velvet
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..
Winsome
Oct 17, 2019 at 6:56 pm
Tour Velvet not on the list? what a joke this article is.
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.
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.
luke
Oct 17, 2019 at 6:01 pm
I bet you’re fun at parties.
Jack Meawf
Oct 17, 2019 at 6:36 pm
Only ones your mother attends
Dan
Oct 20, 2019 at 9:23 am
“Mother” insults on a golf grip threat. Lol
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
LamkinAreBest
Oct 17, 2019 at 5:03 pm
+1 Golf Pride sucks!
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).
Scratchscorer
Oct 18, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Truth
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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/