The grip is the only part of the club you touch. Its size and condition affect how firmly you hold the club and where the ball goes. This guide explains how to choose grip size and material, which grip suits your putter, when it’s time to replace your grips and how to regrip your clubs at home, step by step.
Why the grip matters
Everything your hands do reaches the club through the grip: grip pressure, wrist action and the rotation of the clubhead during the swing. A grip of the right size that doesn’t slip lets you hold the club without tension. When it slips, you start squeezing without realising it, tension spreads into your forearms and shoulders, and the swing loses its flow.
Grips wear slowly, so you often don’t notice the change. Yet replacing them is a job you can do at home with a few simple tools.
Golf grip size: how to choose
Grips come in several thicknesses. In the golf grips category you’ll find them under the “Grip Size” filter. The table shows who each option roughly suits; manufacturers differ in the details.
| Grip size | Roughly suits | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Undersize/Ladies | smaller hands, usually women’s gloves or men’s S | slimmer profile, more wrist action |
| Standard | medium hands, men’s gloves around M–L | the stock size on most men’s clubs |
| Midsize | larger hands, men’s gloves around L–XL | roughly a standard grip with four extra layers of tape |
| Jumbo/Oversize | large hands (XXL) and players who want to hold the club with less effort | the thickest, restricts wrist action the most |
| Junior | children | smaller diameter for children’s hands and junior clubs |
Glove size is only a first pointer; if you don’t know yours, the golf glove size guide will help. A simple hand test is more reliable and settles it even when you’re between two sizes:
- Hold the club in your top hand (the left hand for a right-handed golfer) the way you hold it for a shot. If you play with a glove, put it on.
- Watch the tips of your middle and ring fingers.
- If they lightly touch your palm, the size is right. If they dig into your palm, the grip is too thin. If they don’t touch it at all, it’s too thick.
How grip size affects the direction of your shots
A thin grip encourages more wrist action. The clubface then closes more easily, and a right-handed golfer will tend to hook or pull the ball to the left. A thick grip, on the other hand, restricts the release of the hands, and the ball tends to go right. For left-handers, it’s the mirror image.
Treat this as a tendency, not a rule, because crooked shots often come from the swing or from the way you hold the club. But if you keep fighting the same miss and the finger test points to the wrong size, it’s worth changing.
Building up a grip with tape
You can fine-tune the thickness with layers of tape under the grip. Each extra layer increases the diameter by roughly 1/64 inch, or about 0.4 mm. Four layers turn a standard grip into roughly a midsize. Some players add tape only under the lower hand so that the grip doesn’t taper as much towards the clubhead.
Grip types by material
Besides thickness, the material matters. It affects the feel at impact and how well the grip holds in damp conditions and with sweaty hands.
| Type | Feel | A good choice if |
|---|---|---|
| Rubber | soft, absorbs shock at impact | you play mostly in dry weather and want a comfortable feel |
| Cord | firm and rougher, with textile fibres worked into the rubber | you also play in the rain or your hands sweat |
| Hybrid (multi-compound) | cord at the top for the upper hand, rubber at the bottom for the lower hand | you want security in the rain and a softer feel at the same time |
| Polymer | very soft, slightly tacky surface | you want as much cushioning as possible; also common on putter grips |
Golf Pride and Lamkin, for example, make both rubber and cord grips, while soft polymer grips are typical of Winn. Full cord can feel harsh on a bare hand; if you want cord only under your gloved top hand, choose a hybrid.
If you have no strong preference, a rubber grip in the size the finger test suggests is a sensible first choice. You can switch type at your next regrip.
Putter grips
Putting is a short stroke, and the aim is usually to keep the wrists as quiet as possible. That’s why putter grips have their own shapes and are often thicker than the grips on your other clubs.
- Pistol – a traditional, slimmer shape that fits the hand much like the handle of a pistol. It suits players who want to feel the putter head in their fingers.
- Paddle – a wider grip with a flat front where the thumbs rest. It helps you hold the putter the same way every time.
- Oversize – wide grips with almost no taper, typically from Super Stroke. The hands hold the putter evenly and the wrists get less involved.
- Counterbalance – a heavier, sometimes also longer grip moves the club’s balance point closer to the hands, which tends to make the stroke steadier. The head then feels lighter, which is why these grips are often paired with a heavier head.
The Rules of Golf make an exception here. The grip on every club except the putter must be circular in cross-section, although a straight, slightly raised rib along the full length is allowed. A putter grip may have a non-circular cross-section, typically with a flat front. A flat grip on an iron or a driver would therefore not conform to the Rules.
Grip shape is only one part of the choice; head type, length and balance are covered in the guide to choosing a putter. It’s worth comparing two or three grip shapes on the putting green.
When to replace your grips
As a rough guide, once a season or after about 40 rounds; if you practise a lot, count your time on the driving range too. Rubber also ages without play, through heat, sunlight and time.
Signs that it’s time for new grips:
- the surface is shiny and smooth and slips even when dry
- the grip has hardened and no longer gives when you squeeze it
- cracks have appeared
- there are worn patches under your thumbs
- you catch yourself squeezing the club harder than before
If a grip is just slippery, try washing it first with lukewarm water, a little mild soap and a soft brush, then rinse it and let it dry. A shiny, hardened or cracked grip, however, can’t be saved by washing.
How to regrip golf clubs at home, step by step
You will need:
- a hook-blade knife
- double-sided grip tape, such as Longridge double-sided grip tape
- a solvent made for grips
- a vice with a rubber jaw that protects the shaft
- new grips and a tray or rag to catch the solvent
- Clamp the club. Place the shaft in the rubber jaw of the vice just below the grip and tighten it only enough to stop it turning.
- Cut off the old grip. Run the knife lengthways along the whole grip, always cutting away from yourself. On a graphite shaft, cut only the rubber and don’t cut into the shaft – even a small nick can weaken it.
- Remove the old tape. Strip it off along with any residue so the shaft is clean and smooth.
- Apply new tape. Wrap double-sided tape around the shaft along the length of the grip, leaving about 1 cm overhanging the end. Twist the overhang and tuck it into the shaft. If you are building up the grip with extra layers, wind those on first.
- Add the solvent. Peel the backing off the tape. Plug the hole in the grip cap with a finger or a tee, pour a little solvent into the grip, cover the opening with your palm and shake. Then pour the solvent out over the full length of the tape.
- Slide on the grip. Push it on in one smooth motion all the way, until the end of the shaft sits against the end of the grip. If you go too slowly or use too little solvent, the grip can get stuck halfway.
- Align it. While the solvent is still wet, rotate the grip so its markings are square to the clubface. On a putter, make sure the flat side is exactly on top when the face is square.
- Let it dry. Follow the drying time specified by the manufacturer of the tape and solvent used. Golf Pride recommends at least 4 hours after regripping; leaving the grip to dry overnight is practical. Do not play with the club until it has dried.
Work in a well-ventilated room and follow the instructions on the solvent packaging.
When you regrip, it’s worth checking the length of the club as well. Shortening and lengthening are usually done at the butt end of the shaft, where the grip sits, so both go hand in hand with a new grip. The golf club length guide explains how to find the right length.
Summary
- The grip is your only contact with the club; the wrong size or a worn grip shows in your grip pressure and the direction of your shots.
- Choose the size roughly by glove size and confirm it with the finger test of your top hand.
- A thin grip encourages wrist action and, for right-handers, shots to the left; a thick grip restricts it and encourages shots to the right.
- Rubber is soft, cord holds in the rain and hybrid combines both; putters have their own grip shapes.
- Replace grips roughly once a season or after about 40 rounds, sooner if they are shiny, hard or cracked.
- At home you need a hook-blade knife, double-sided tape, solvent and a vice; ideally let the new grip dry overnight.
Once you know the size and type you want, choose from our golf grips.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you change golf grips?
As a rough guide, once a season or after about 40 rounds. If you play only a few rounds a year, they will last longer, but check them anyway, because rubber ages even without play. It’s the condition that counts, not the calendar.
Do all clubs have the same grip?
Drivers, woods, hybrids, irons and wedges usually have the same grip model and size, so every club feels the same in your hands. That’s why grips are usually replaced on the whole bag at once. The exception is the putter, which has its own grip shape.
Can a grip be made thinner?
A grip that is already fitted can’t be made thinner. If there are several layers of tape underneath, you can use fewer when you regrip; otherwise choose a slimmer option, such as Undersize/Ladies. The other way round is easier: you can also get a thicker grip by adding layers of tape.
Who are jumbo grips for?
Jumbo (oversize) grips are chosen by players with large hands and by those who want to hold the club with less effort, for example because of sore joints. Bear in mind that a thick grip restricts wrist action and is usually heavier, so the head feels lighter in your hands.
You’ll find more topics in the overview of our golf guides.