Equipment
Bob Lamkin on the wrap grip reborn, 90 years of history
2015 marks the 90th anniversary of Lamkin Golf Grips. The longest-standing gripmaker in the golf industry is fresh off the success of the UTx and R.E.L. grips in 2014 and is poised to unveil something even more exciting in the year ahead.
“The Wrap-Tech is our ‘hero launch’ for 2015,” said Bob Lamkin, third-generation president of the company. “And it’s part of the puzzle when you see the products that are going to be launched in 2015 and beyond.”
According to the president and CEO, “The grip has had rave reviews from everyone. We’re very excited about the initial feedback that we’ve had. That’s resonated through our focus groups, retailers, PGA Tour professionals.”
Wrap-Tech
- Revolutionary new wrap-style grip with dual surface patterns for superior comfort and grip traction.
- Made with the patented ACE compound engineered for unmatched tackiness and shock absorption.
- Exceptionally tacky grip surface in all weather conditions.
- Slightly softer material ideal for players who prefer not to wear a glove.
UTx
- Proprietary Tri-Layer Technology: Softer ACE foundation for enhanced feel. Moisture-wicking full cord fabric weave. Firmer, incredibly tacky top layer
- Unmatched performance in all climates and weather conditions.
- Exceptional torsion control & grip stabililty.
- Promotes the ideal light pressure grip for longer, more consistent shots.
R.E.L. Ace
- Made with super-tacky ACE synthetic rubber.
- Patented shock-absorbing technology dulls painful vibration without dulling shot feedback.
- Extremely comfortable grip ideal for a wide range of golfers.
- Unique surface pattern maximizes surface contact with a golfer’s hands for added control and stability.
- Golf’s widest assortment of size and color options.
Lamkin’s offering for 2015 will also include stalwarts such as the Crossline, i-Line, and X10.
The CEO of Lamkin Grips was kind enough to talk a little about the family business and what’s ahead for the grip company.
On what’s coming down the pike
You’ll see line extensions on UTx. You’ll see this type of material technology move into the putter grip category. The end goal for us from the consumer perspective: develop products through material surface patterns.
What we’re really centering on in each one of the grip categories is performance. Performance materials, performance surface patterns; the combination of [the two] will increase playability. Performance for me equates into competence.
Golfers who regrip their golf clubs consistently stay within a product category. Instead of trying to convert them, or have them jump ship, what we want to do is have that same Ace material and the performance characteristics in all the product categories, whether it’s a putter grip, or a cord grip, or a wrap grip.
On the purpose of the grip
Get golfers to have a very light grip pressure and have confidence in the material and surface pattern where you don’t think you’re going to slip.
If you’re able to have a secure, tension-free swing from your elbows down, that really is going to be able to help the golfer…help a golfer make a full turn, generate swing speed.
If you’re really choking the grip because you don’t have confidence, it’s really going to impede your ability to freely swing the golf club.
On the company’s 90 years of history
I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve had three generations of evolution in the grip category. We’re the longest established grip company…from 1925 on. I have to applaud my grandfather and my father for instilling the core principle of continuous improvement.
We changed from when all grips were made of leather. My father came in and said we need to be able to offer a rubber material. My grandfather, it took a little while for him to warm up to the idea. We went into cord, and synthetic rubber, and then colors came out.
The dynamic changes from a manufacturing perspective to keep pace and to continue to develop new grips and new materials…a huge undertaking…new materials…new equipment…a constant learning…how to improve and get better…
We’ve brought a team of engineers together to really look at the materials side of the category and improve…with Wrap-Tech and the Ace material compounds.
It’s not just color. It’s not just cosmetic driven. People like the colors, but color doesn’t mean it’s a better product. Through the Ace materials, we’ve been able to combine the cosmetics with the functionality of a new material.
Each generation is a rebirth. It’s like a new company, and that’s been instilled in us through the generations.
We’re a privately held family business. We’re very proud of how much we’ve accomplished. Our management team, we have over 500 employees. It’s a collaborative effort worldwide. [We have a] singular goal: make it better each year.
On the company’s future
We keep bringing better products to market that are hopefully going to help golfers play more consistently or at least enjoy the game more. If we can do that, we’ve achieved our goal.
If you don’t improve, and you don’t keep trying to make the product category better, somebody else will. All we do is make golf grips, so our core focus is on that continuous improvement model in the materials side.
Lamkin indicated the company is doing extensive focus-group research globally to determine the optimal grip characteristics for, say, the United States’ West Coast versus the coast of Scotland.
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- Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
5-wood: Ping G (17.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 X
Irons: Wilson Staff Model CB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Wilson Staff Model (48-08, 54-08), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-L @59)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (48), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (54, 58)
Putter: Scotty Cameron TourType SSS TG6
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Kevin Streelman’s clubs here.
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The year was 2012. Gangnam Style ruled supreme, its infectious beats and ludicrous horse-riding dance moves hypnotizing us with their stupidity. Everyone was talking about the Mayan calendar, convinced that the end of days was near. Superheroes soared on the silver screen, with the Avengers assembling in epic fashion. Katniss Everdeen survived The Hunger Games. And the memes! The memes abounded. Grumpy Cat triumphed. We kept calm and carried on.
In much the same way that automotive enthusiasts love classic cars, we at GolfWRX love taking a backward glance at some of the iconic designs of years past. Heck, we love taking iconic designs to the tee box in the present!
In that spirit, GolfWRX has been running a series inspired by arguably the greatest fighting game franchise of all time: Mortal Kombat. It’s not “choose your fighter” but rather “choose your driver.”
Check out some of the standout combatants of 2012 below.
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Nike VRS
Often harshly critiqued during its years releasing golf equipment (right, Phil Mickelson?), Nike’s tenure in the club-and-ball business gets a gloss of nostalgic varnish, with many of its iron and putter designs continuing to attract admirers. Among the company’s driver offerings, the 2012 VRS — or VR_S, if you will — drew high marks for its shaping and toned-down appearance. The multi-thickness, NexCOR face was no joke either.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway’s first foray into moveable weight technology (married with its OptiFit hosel) did not disappoint. With a carbon fiber crown, aerodynamic attention to detail, and variable and hyperbolic face technologies, this club foreshadowed the tech-loaded, “story in every surface” Callaway drivers of the present, AI-informed design age.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Cleveland Classic 310
Truly a design that came out of left field. Cleveland said, “Give me a persimmon driver, but make it titanium…in 460cc.” Our 2012 reviewer, JokerUsn wrote, “I don’t need to elaborate on all the aesthetics of this club. You’ve seen tons of pics. You’ve all probably seen a bunch in the store and held them up close and gotten drool on them. From a playing perspective, the color is not distracting. It’s dark enough to stay unobtrusive in bright sunlight…Even my playing partners, who aren’t into clubs at all…commented on it saying it looks cool.” Long live!
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Titleist 910
While there’s no disputing Titleist’s “Titleist Speed” era of drivers perform better than its 2010s offerings, sentimentality abounds, and there was something classically Titleist about these clubs, right down to the alignment aid, and the look is somewhere between 983 times and the present TS age. Representing a resurgence after a disappointing stretch of offerings (907, 909), The 910D2 was a fairly broadly appealing driver with its classic look at address and classic Titleist face shape.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
TaylorMade RocketBallz
The white crown. The name. You either loved ‘em or you hated ‘em. TaylorMade’s 2012 offering from its RocketBallz Period boasted speed-enhancing aerodynamics and an Inverted Cone Technology in the club’s titanium face. Technology aside, it’s impossible to overstate what a departure from the norm a white-headed driver was in the world of golf equipment.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Ping i20
Long a quietly assertive player in the driver space, Ping’s i20 was more broadly appealing than the G20, despite being a lower-launch, lower-spin club. Ping drivers didn’t always have looks that golfer’s considered traditional or classic, but the i20 driver bucked that trend. Combining the classic look with Ping’s engineering created a driver that better players really gravitated toward. The i20 offered players lower launch and lower spin for more penetrating ball flight while the rear 20g tungsten weights kept the head stable. Sound and feel were great also, being one of the more muted driver sounds Ping had created up to that time.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
GolfWRXers, let us know in the comments who “your fighter” is and why!
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/29/24): Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Krank Formula fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft.
From the seller: (@well01): “Krank formula fire 10.5 degree with AUtoflex SF505. $560 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Golfraven
Dec 5, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Glad for the comments folks. I was about to try the UTx on my driver first but need something that will last me longer than couple of months. will either stay with the Tour Velvet Cord or try the Golf Pride Multi-Compound Platinum – love the look of Platinum/White.
Jeff
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Revolutionary new style grip? For Lamkin, yes. But it’s not revolutionary or new for golf. It’s just an updated version of the Sand Wrap offered by Royal Grips (remember them?) back in 1994. That being said, I’ll probably give them a try.
Steve
Dec 3, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Wow, I love their new grips. The updated logo and the new wrap seems like a winner.
Companies don’t make it 90 years by doing the SOS forever. Congratulations to Lamkin. They have been a part of the fabric of the game.
Shallowface
Dec 4, 2014 at 6:35 am
Seems a lot of us here think the SOS is just fine.
Chuck
Dec 7, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Lamkin makes dozens of different grip models. If they want to introduce new innovations, I think that’s great. If they want to put a new logo on every new model as it is introduced, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Just don’t make changes to existing models that are working beautifully and are part of equipment choices that I don’t want to change or re-adapt. And don’t even think of discontinuing a truly classic product like the Crossline.
tom
Dec 3, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Hated the feel of the UTx. Ordered my Z545’s with Tour Velvets instead.
FTWPhil
Dec 3, 2014 at 11:25 am
Bring back Crossline Black it’s one of our best sellers! Why was the crossline pattern changed on the standard crossline? It is much smaller now.
tom
Dec 3, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Agree. Love the Crossline black.
Tim
Dec 4, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Cross line and corded cross line are the most timeless grips, and very reasonably priced as well. Great grips for all weathers, have used them for years and multi compound for years, but the lambkins are about half the price of the golf prides.
No bueno
Dec 3, 2014 at 1:00 am
Crossline is the only decent grip in the whole line that lasts any length of time. The rest are too soft and doesn’t last at all.
jonno
Dec 2, 2014 at 11:51 pm
all of the ace compound grips wear out too fast, utx lasts like a month on the driver
Dave
Dec 2, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Have used Lamkin for years. I don’t understand why most of their grips are available only in .580 when most shafts have a butt size of .600. I guess they think everyone needs oversize grips. I’d like to hear the reason for the .580 size.
obo
Dec 2, 2014 at 9:27 pm
The UTx are absolute garbage. They didn’t even last a year. Cords break down way to fast and the color will stain your golf glove and bare hand. Back to iomic for this guy.
ron
Dec 3, 2014 at 12:17 am
iomic is trash
CM
Dec 8, 2014 at 7:22 pm
They do wear fast but like the firm tack. I can’t grips to last 5-6 months. No grip last a year with heavy use.
Dbuck
Dec 2, 2014 at 8:05 pm
I have used Crosslines for several years on virtually everything and am glad they are keeping them in the line.
I will be trying the Wrap-Tech when it is available.
FTWPhil
Dec 8, 2014 at 10:23 am
I’m very interested in the wrap grip color options as well. I currently use Golf Pride Tour Wrap blue. The different texture is pretty interesting.
Shallowface
Dec 2, 2014 at 7:40 pm
I will never understand why they did away with the distinctive Lamkin logo as shown on the grip that’s in the picture of Mr. Lamkin, in favor of a white block letter logo that reminds one of Golf Pride.
Big fan of the Crossline as well as older products such as the Perma Wrap and the Sure Tac 85th Anniversary grip from 2010. I’ve tried a couple of the ACE products, but didn’t like the feel of them as well as the Crossline.
The old Sure Tac grips from the 80s were a remarkable product. Wilson used those on some of their Staff irons, and I have found some of those that were still playable after a light sanding and cleaning with soap and water. Incredible for 30 year old grips.
Jafar
Dec 3, 2014 at 9:39 am
Perhaps money and manufacturing costs.
A small design change could save millions possibly.
Shallowface
Dec 4, 2014 at 6:31 am
Don’t see how it could make any difference. The logo is part of the mold, is it not?
Chuck
Dec 4, 2014 at 10:32 pm
Yes; keep the old logo!
At the very least, PLEASE keep making the old Crosslines the exact same way, including the old logo.
I will never understand why it is so hard to get a matching set of grips with options for rib and round. It’s hard enough finding any rib grips anymore.
I’ll keep buying .580 rib and round Crosslines as long as they keep making them. (Ribs on Driver thru PW, Rounds on GW and SW.)
David Gebhardt PGA
Dec 2, 2014 at 6:12 pm
Have used Lamkin for years,love the feel and durability of the Crossline. As a company you have always provided great r&d, but you are missing a growing market. Your wrap has been the best, except – it is righthanded. Try a model reversing the wrap for us lefties.
joey
Dec 2, 2014 at 3:21 pm
great article haven’t tried the new lamkins yet have golf pride tour wraps on and they are great