Grip Tips ::

Grip Tips

introducing gripes grip cleaning wipes

Finally! A quick, easy and super convenient cleaning solution for keeping your golf grips looking and feeling like new. Lamkin developed GRIPES grip cleaning wipes after being bombarded with golfers asking, “how do I keep my new white and color grips clean?”. Despite dozens of possible cleaning options for golf grips (with varying degrees of complexity), most golfers didn’t even think about grip cleaning until the recent explosion of white and colored grips hit the market. And while it is important to keep your grips LOOKING great, there is another very important benefit derived from regular grip cleaning: reactivating much-needed surface tack to keep them FEELING great! It’s easy to hide dirt and grime on black grips, but it’s still there and likely causing your grips to lose their surface tack.

GRIPES grip cleaning wipes are the easiest way to keep your grips looking and feeling like new. Each pack ($5.99 SRP) includes 15 large-surface wipes created specifically for golf grip cleaning. The wipes offer superior, fast-drying cleaning strength ideal for rubber and synthetic rubber grips. The convenient resealable pack fits easily into your golf bag and, when sealed properly, will last for more than a year! GRIPES will be available in November at select green grass, golf specialty shops and online retailers. Click here to find an authorized dealer near you.

Sneak Peek at Lamkin’s new 2013 Golf Grips

TIPS FROM THE PROS: You’re Probably Using the Wrong Size Grip & It’s Costing You Strokes

We recently interviewed Stephen Hutton, PGA Professional, and Head Golf Professional at Geneva Golf & Country Club, about the importance of playing with a properly sized golf grip. Thanks, Steve, for all of the great insights.

Common Problems, Simple Solutions

When a student or member is having trouble with their game, one of the first topics I discuss is the importance of using a correctly sized golf grip. At Geneva Golf and Country Club, we offer every member a complimentary grip fitting consultation. Our philosophy is pretty simple: in order to perform well, a player must be using the right grip. It’s amazing how many mechanical problems stem from a player using a golf grip that’s either too small or too large. Golfers are very aware of the benefits of custom club fitting, but very few have given any thought to their grips, and that’s the only part of the club that is in direct contact with a player’s hands!

Our process for grip fitting combines hand and finger measurements, with an in-depth “size trial” to determine if special circumstances warrant additional customization. For many players, simple hand measurements will help guide a player to their ideal grip. However, there is a large group of golfers that may actually benefit from a grip that’s either larger or smaller than their hand measurement dictates. For instance, a senior golfer might have difficulty with grip strength. These golfers may benefit from a slightly larger grip because it demands far less grip pressure and strength. A grip that’s smaller, even if it’s the ideal measurement, may require too much strength to effectively grip the club.

Despite the obvious benefits of using properly sized golf grips, and replacing worn-out grips, it’s likely that 80-85% of golfers are not using their ideal grip and, therefore, missing out on an immediate performance boost. That equals a staggering number of players who can immediately improve their game with a simple (and relatively inexpensive) grip change.

Custom-Fit Grips = Three to Four Stroke Game Changer

I recently worked with a senior member on a grip fitting consultation. He was a 15 handicap and had trouble generating the necessary club speed to get a decent ball launch. Based on his needs, and hand size, we recommended an oversize Lamkin Perma-Wrap grip. After using that grip on just one club, for just one round, he came back and had all of his clubs regripped. The larger size allowed him to grip the club with more strength, resulting in longer shots off the tee. While his hands were a “standard” size, this player didn’t have the strength to properly hold a smaller grip. Switching to the oversize wrap grip immediately shaved three strokes off of his game.

Another common grip fitting problem occurs with female golfers. Nearly every premium club manufacturer uses an undersize (stock) grip on their Ladies Clubs. These are great for an average female height of 5’5 or shorter, but are typically too small for ladies who are slightly or well-above average height. This was definitely a problem for a new female member at our club. She is 5’8” and had been using stock, undersize grips on all of her clubs. No one ever mentioned anything to her about grip size and grip fitting. We upsized her grips to a Men’s Standard and she immediately starting playing more consistently. Because she was improving and more comfortable with a slightly lager grip, she’s now playing golf more frequently… leading to even more improvement. A simple grip change was a huge catalyst to a significant change in her game.

Three Most Common Sizing Mistakes

1.) Seniors: It’s so important for senior players, or any player with medical conditions that impact grip strength, to spend time with a PGA Professional or Custom Club Fitter discussing proper grip fitting. Many senior golfers are starting to switch to a larger grip and they’re noticing an immediate improvement in their performance and enjoyment of the game.

2.) Ladies: If you’re a female golfer who’s taller than 5’5”, work with a professional to get properly-sized golf grips. There’s a very good chance you (and your game) is suffering with a grip that’s just too small for your hands.

3.) Juniors: There are a myriad of problems with the equipment used by junior players. Most juniors should be playing with at least an undersize (Ladies) grip, possibly even a standard or midsize grip. Unfortunately, most juniors are playing with hand-me-down clubs (usually with worn-out grips) that were built for a smaller player or for a bigger adult. Juniors might also have trouble with grip strength and, therefore, may benefit from a slightly larger grip. If a young player isn’t using the proper grip, they aren’t swinging with the confidence and comfort needed to really enjoy the game. Every junior player deserves the opportunity to play with properly fitted equipment.

Custom Grip Fitting: Getting Started

Finally convinced that custom grip fitting is something worth considering? What next? It’s important you find a professional who understands grip replacements and grip fitting. Check with your local professional and ask about the size and condition of your grips. If they are knowledgeable about grip replacement, they will likely be able to help you find the perfect grip for your game. There are thousands of qualified PGA Professionals across the country, for a complete listing visit http://www.pga.com/pga-america/find-professionals.

Tips from Bob Lamkin: Five Ways a Golf Grip Can Impact Your Game

Bob Lamkin, CEO Lamkin Grips

1. The Wrong Size Golf Grip Will Hurt Your Game

I recently read an article on Golf.com that estimated more than 50% of golfers are using the wrong size grip. If you’re reading this and haven’t yet measured your hand for the proper grip size, or been fitted by a professional, then chances are pretty high that you’re using the wrong size grip… and it’s probably costing you about five strokes!

Lamkin is proud to offer the widest assortment of grip sizes in the industry. We have made this investment in our portfolio because properly fit grips lead to better performance and increased enjoyment.

For players using a grip that’s too large, hand movement is often restricted and can impact swing speed and shot distance. On the other hand, if a player is using a grip that’s too small, hand movement is too pronounced which leads to inconsistent shots and difficulty hitting the ball straight. In addition to hand size, players may consider physical limitations and swing mechanics when determining their ideal grip size.

For more information on grip fitting, visit your local PGA Professional or use the Lamkin Interactive Grip Selector.

2. Tacky, Tacky, Tacky

This seems to be the adjective used most often to describe a really great golf grip. From Tour players to weekend warriors, just about every golfer wants a golf grip that feels really tacky. Golf is one of the very few contexts in which “tacky” is used as a glowing endorsement.

Let’s take a step back, though, and consider exactly how a tacky golf grip impacts a golfer’s performance. The key benefit of increased grip tack is that it provides a stable, controlled connection between a player’s hands and their clubs. Essentially, it helps the club “stick” to a player’s hands. Without grip tackiness, a golfer uses increased grip pressure to try to create that stable connection.

What happens when a golfer is gripping their clubs too tight? Too much grip tension leads to too much tension in a golfer’s wrists and forearms, prohibiting proper shoulder movement which inhibits swing speed… and shot distance.

In essence, it is the tackiness of a grip that helps promote a light-pressure grip. With a light-pressure grip, a player’s hands, wrists and forearms are relaxed and ideally positioned to generate optimal swing speed and ball distance.

3. The Consistency Lesson

One of the most common regripping mistakes golfers make is replacing just one or two grips at a time. There is a good reason why Tour players are emphatic about the consistency of their grips. Getting just a couple of clubs regripped creates a dramatic “feel” difference between your clubs. That difference typically requires a gripping adjustment from club to club, which can lead to inconsistent shots and inconsistent performance.

To maintain swing consistency, it’s important that the condition of a player’s grips are consistent. In addition to size, texture and firmness differences between grips, there is often a substantial difference between the feel of a new grip and an older grip. Because of ozone and UV exposure, older grips are typically harder and more slick. Newer grips are generally much tackier with a softer feel. A player is more likely to apply more pressure to their clubs with older grips, and then less pressure to their clubs with newer grips. Inconsistent grip pressure between clubs leads to inconsistent swing mechanics and then to inconsistent shots.

The advice I offer to all of my golfing buddies is to regrip all of their clubs at the start of each golf season. Even with professional installation, a new set of grips costs about $80. A very worthwhile investment considering the grip is the one and only connection between a golfer and their equipment.

4. Beware of Super Soft Grips

I’m often asked about the grip choices of top Tour players and other low-handicap golfers. While there is a tremendous spectrum of preferences among “better” golfers (some prefer full-cord grips, others may like a wrap-style, etc.), there is one commonality among nearly all low-handicap players: they don’t use super-soft grips on their swinging clubs. Not a single PGA Tour player uses a super-soft grip for their swinging clubs.

Why? Lower handicap players usually have higher swing speeds. With a higher swing speed, it’s critical that there is no lateral movement (“torque”) in their grip. At higher swing speeds, even minor torque can lead to major variances in ball flight. Softer grips are much more likely to cause hand/grip movement during a player’s swing. Firmer grips are simply more rigid, and that rigidity leads to reduced torque.

Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not a low handicap player, so it doesn’t matter if I use a super-soft grip”. Actually, that’s not quite the case. The tendency for any player using a super-soft grip is to squeeze harder on the grip (“bottoming out”) to establish a confident, slip-free connection with the club. Once again, the more tension in a player’s grip, the more distance is inhibited.

For players with arthritis or other joint problems, the solution isn’t necessarily a softer grip, but perhaps a larger grip. A larger grip allows a player to use increased grip strength without unnecessary grip pressure.

5. Old Grips = Higher Scores

Despite the numerous benefits of grip replacement, I’m amazed at the number of golfers who continue to use worn-out golf grips. Forget about the game-changing impact of using a correctly sized grip, let’s just focus on the millions of players who continue to use old grips.

The most common problem of worn-out grips is they’ve totally lost their tack. Maybe they’re also cracking and have visible wear spots. Most players don’t realize that their grips have become slick because of ozone and UV exposure. Without grip tackiness, a player must grip with more and more tension to create solid connection with their clubs. Remember what happens when a player is gripping their club with too much pressure? Too much tension in the hands, wrists and forearms leads to a limited back swing motion and limited shot distance.

Regripping once a year, or every 40 rounds, can easily take several strokes off a player’s game.

Big Win For Lamkin Grips at 2012 Nordea Masters in Sweden

Congratulations to the first, second and third place finishers at the 2012 Nordia Masters event in Stockholm Sweden. The European PGA Tour stop delivered a hat trick win for Lamkin with the three players atop the leader board all using Lamkin golf grips.

Leading the pack, the winner of the tournament at Bro Hof Slott golf club played impeccably from tee to green all week, aided by the Lamkin Crossline Full-Cord grips he has fitted to his woods. The Crossline Full-Cord is one of the most popular grips used on both the PGA and European PGA Tours. It’s recognizable pattern of intersecting “cross” lines delivers incredible traction and torsion stability. The integrated cord fabric delivers exceptional wet-wather performance and slip-free confidence. Plus, the Crossline Full-Cord is the industry’s only full-cord golf grip available in a midsize option.

Gary McCord Shares Golf Grip Tips in New Lamkin Videos

Golf analyst and author Gary McCord, whose irreverent and self-deprecating style has earned him fans worldwide, has recorded a four-part video series designed to help players maximize Lamkin Grips’ new Performance Plus 3GEN Wedge golf grip. The witty and knowledgeable Champions Tour player loaned his expertise to Lamkin’s online education program that breaks down wedge play into quick, easy to understand lessons.

Comparing club shafts to pencils and hammers, McCord demonstrates how users gain greater control the further they choke down on whatever is in their grasp. By adding an inch to its grip length and maintaining a wider grip base, McCord shows viewers how Lamkin’s new Wedge Grip promotes a choked down grip to improve short-game play. Throughout the video series, McCord also elaborates on concepts including hand action, swing power, grip size, as well as the differences between soft and firm grips (and when to use which). Lamkin’s new video series featuring Gary McCord can be seen on the company’s channel at www.YouTube.com/lamkingrips.

Is The Wrong Size Grip Hurting Your Game? Probably

Industry experts estimate that more than 85% of golfers are probably using the wrong size grip. If you’re using a stock grip (the grip that just so happened to come with your new clubs), then chances are really good it’s a “standard” size. Imagine buying and wearing “standard” size shoes. Crazy, right? All golfers have different sized hands and fingers, so one “standard” size most definitely does not fit all golfers. Using the wrong size grip can be extremely damaging to your game. If you’re having trouble generating enough swing speed to hit the ball farther, or if you’re constantly pulling and slicing the ball, check your grip size before you do anything else. Switching to properly sized grips might very well be the easiest and cheapest way to improve your golf game. Click here for the full story on proper grip fitting.