What size grip should I get?

I have been doing golf fittings for over 15 years now, and this is the second most asked question I get. (The first being what flex should I play.) There are two schools of thought. The first is the traditional method and the second is the PGA Tour way. The two different methods both work incredibly well, especially when you are buying new clubs. (If you are regripping and changing size, you might have a different issue, which we will get into later.) So let's dive in!

A Little Background

When dealing with grips, we must understand what different sizes there are: undersized grips, standard grips, midsized grips, and oversized grips, otherwise known as jumbo grips.

Above are pictures of the Golf Pride MCC+4 Grip, one of the most popular grips on the market. This is a great hybrid grip with a half cord grip and half-soft rubber. It also features a reduced taper, so your bottom hand produces less pressure. In one picture you can see the difference between a bigger diameter grip on a midsize grip and a smaller diameter standard size grip. In the other, you can see two of the many colors they can come in.

Traditional Method

When using the traditional method, we are looking for comfort and proper grip size, as evidenced by how the ring and index fingers fit into the pad of your hand. The proper fit for the grip would be to have those two fingers barely touch the pad of your hand.

If the grip is too big, your fingers are not going to touch the pad. If the grip is too small, your fingers will dig into your pad. We are ultimately trying to control your grip pressure. This can make a big difference in how you hit the ball and will help you hit your best shots.

Can you guess which grip fits me best? Answer coming soon. (Just to give some reference, I wear an extra-large glove.)

The first picture shows a Golf Pride Tour Velvet undersize. My fingers are digging in pretty hard - guess I will not be using the wife’s clubs! The second picture is the Lamkin Ace in standard. This is better, but my fingers are still digging. The third is the Tour Velvet +4 midsize. If you guessed the third picture you are correct. My fingers are barely touching the pad of my hand.

PGA Tour Method

With the PGA Tour method, we are looking more towards what a golfer needs. Tour players are always trying to hit a particular ball flight or prevent a certain shot. They know how to give proper grip pressure on any club and have their own personal preferences.

I personally use this method to help fit golfers because this method ensures you’re finding the right grip size for your needs. If you are hooking the ball, make the grip a little bigger. If you are slicing the ball, look at more of the smaller grips.

Use my bag as an example. My wedges are midsize because I want to hit more cuts and fades. My irons are standard as I am trying to work the ball left and right. My woods are slightly larger than standard, which is accomplished by adding wraps of tape under the grip, as I am trying to hit them high and straight and if I miss it should be a little draw.

Extra Extra…A Note on Regripping

The above methods work great with new clubs being custom ordered. When the club builders get your order, they weigh the club and usually modify hosel weights to adjust swing weight to counteract the weight of the grips.

If you are regripping your clubs, you need to be mindful of the grip weight, as you can adjust swing weight and make your clubs feel different, especially if you are going to larger grips. If your clubs do end up coming out lighter, you can always add lead tape to increase head weight back to the head. You will just need to balance the lead tape when adding it to your clubs. Most golf shops will have options for you and can help you out with regripping your clubs.

If you have sore joints or arthritis, you should check out soft grips and lean more towards oversize grips to keep the impact light on your body. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one of our Golf experts for free, personalized advice and recommendations!