Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Get Fresh Grips

The summer season has drawn to a close and now is the perfect time to replace your current grips with fresh ones ahead of the winter period.

Golf grips are often an overlooked area of the golf bag, but they're literally used on every single shot so it's crucial that yours are fresh and suited to your hands and swing.

A huge 80% of golfers don't replace their grips each year, and research shows that those players are losing out on performance. The grip is the only point of contact between you and the golf club, so make sure it's correct and in good condition.

A study by Golf Pride, the number one grip in golf, involving a significant number of golfers showed that ball speed and carry increased by 1.3mph and 2.3 yards on average with fresh grips vs used grips. It also showed that dispersion suffered due to the possible slippage or rotation in the hands.

Eighty two percent (82%) of the participants felt the new grip was secure to very secure, with the main conclusion being that golfers who replace their worn grips with new Golf Pride grips would see an increase in consistent face impacts leading to performance gains.

So want to hit the ball maximum distance and more accurately? Make sure your grips are fresh!

New vs old grips - what the numbers said

• Increase of ball speed by 1.3mph
• Carry length increase by 2.3 yards
• 82% confidence of study participants with fresh grips

As well as helping you hit better shots, new grips also give some added freshness to your clubs. A brand new set in your favourite style and colourway is an affordable way to breathe new life into your clubs and make them feel new again.

Now is the perfect time to replace your grips after a season of golf where they'll have been well used throughout rain, changing conditons and the hot, sweaty summer period. There's plenty of reasons why the end of the season is a good time, mainly due to the fact that your grips will be worn from lots of use.

Changing weather as we get into the autumn and winter seasons, and more rain for instance, calls for corded grips for example, and the winter is also the time for working on your swing - you don't want to be working on your technique with worn-out grips.

That could lead to sub-optimal performance and even poses the danger of bad habits creeping into your golf swing.

Which grips to go for?

If you're unsure of which grips will be best for your swing and technique, Golf Pride can help with their 4-4-2 selection method. The popular brand has plenty of different options but it's fairly simply to find the right option for you thanks to their handy tips and pointers.

CONSIDERATIONS:

1. Size

The perfect size golf grip is where your middle finger is just touching the pad of your thumb when holding the grip in the glove hand. If you've got bigger hands, you might want to opt for a mid-size model or more wraps of tape. Getting the right size grips is arguably the most important decision to get right!

There are four sizes (standard, midsize, jumbo, and undersize - which are also available in certain models, significant for female and junior golfers) and additional layers of tape can also help to get the perfect sizing. The wrong size won't allow you to use your hands correctly through the strike, whereas the perfect size will help you hit better shots - it's as simple as that. Everyone has different sized hands after all, so be sure to choose wisely.

2. Conditions

If you often play in the rain or your hands get sweaty during hot weather, you'll need to factor that in when selecting a grip. If that sounds like you, a half cord or full cord option might be the best choice. If you're someone who plays without a glove or doesn't suffer from sweaty hands, a rubber grip may be the route to go, which will offer you a more muted feel through the strike.

3. Surface texture

Golf Pride's grips come in all different textures to suit the needs of a wide range of golfers. Do you want a smooth grip? A rougher texture with pronounced patterns for added traction? Or just somewhere in the middle? 

4. Firmness

Did you know that a firmer grip will give greater feedback and vibration at impact? A softer feeling grip will dampen those vibrations through the strike, while also offering slightly more comfort and less stress on your hands.

GRIP TYPES

• 1. Velvet and smooth - Tour Velvet
• 2. Soft and tacky - CPX
• 3. Hybrid or half cord - MCC
• 4. Full cord - ZGRIP

ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

Once you've picked your favourites, there's a couple of added extras you can go for to really fine tune them to your preferences.

Golf Pride is at the forefront of technology in grips, and there are two in particular that golfers are enjoying using on their clubs. Might they be for you?

1. ALIGN Technology

Golf Pride's hugely popular ALIGN grips feature a visible raised red ridge on the back of the club to help lock in the hand position at address. This might be for you if you're currently going through a grip technique change or just want the peace of mind to know your hands are in the exact same position every time. It also helps with clubface awareness to help deliver the club square at impact.

2. Plus4 Technology

The Plus4 system simulates the feel of four extra wraps of tape in the lower half of the grip to reduce the taper. This encourages a lighter grip pressure to promote less tension in the hands and therefore create more fluidity and power.

For more information on golf grips, visit golfpride.com