The Conventional Wisdom
Unless your hands are unusually big or
small, you can get away with playing
standard-size grips. You can also use
a static fitting chart like the one below
to match grip size to your hand size.
Our New Theory
Finding the correct grip size has little to
do with the size of your hands, or even
personal preference. It has everything
to do with the dynamics of your swing.
How We Tested It
Twenty-four golfers (ranging in handicap
from +1 to 7) hit their own 5-iron
and five identical 5-irons (Titleist AP2s
with Dynamic Gold S shafts), each with
a different-sized Golf Pride grip (undersized,
standard, slightly larger standard,
midsized and jumbo). All markings
were covered to prevent any previous
size bias. While blindfolded, each golfer
was asked to choose the grip they preferred
simply by holding each club in
their hands. They were then measured
for grip size using a fitting chart.
After sufficiently warming up with their own 5-iron, each golfer hit two practice shots out to a target on the range, then hit 10 additional shots that were measured on a Trackman launch monitor. This was repeated for each club (assigned in random order), concluding with their own 5-iron, which served as a control club.
THE SHOCKING RESULTS!
After tallying the results of the pre-hit tests and the data collected
by the launch monitor, we know three things for certain:
1. Hand Measurements Don't Work
•16 of the 24 blindfolded
golfers (67%) preferred a
grip size that was different
than their measured grip
size in the pre-test.
•After hitting shots, 22 of the
24 players (92%) preferred
a grip size that was different
than their measured grip size.
•CONCLUSION: Determining grip size
through standard static fitting procedures isn't a
very good predictor of the grip size that golfers prefer.
2. Neither Does Relying on Your Feel Sense
•21 of the 24 golfers (88%)
had standard-sized grips on
their own 5-irons, yet less
than half of these players
(10 of 21) were measured
for standard-sized grips.
•Only slightly more than
half (11 of 21) preferred the
standard-size grips on their
5-iron after hitting test shots
with the other 5 test clubs.
•CONCLUSION: If you're playing off-the-rack
clubs with standard-sized
grips, there's only a 50%
chance that these grips match
what you'd be measured for in
a static fitting, or what you'd
actually prefer.
3. You're Playing the Wrong Grips!
•Only 5 of 24 golfers (21%)
hit their best shots with the
grip size that matched their
measured grip size in terms
of left/right accuracy. These
weren't always the grip size
the golfers preferred, either.
•Only 3 of these golfers (13% total) hit the best shots with
the grip size that matched
their measured grip size in
terms of distance control.
•Only 1 golfer (4%) hit
the ball straighter and with
greater distance control with
the grip size that matched
their measured grip size.
•CONCLUSION: Your grips are costing you at least 5 strokes per round.
How to Use These Findings
The only way to know
what size grips to use is
to experiment with as
many different sizes as
possible. When you decide
to make the change, ask
the professional who's
fitting you the following
questions. The answers
will go a long way toward
making sure the job gets
done right.
1. What size grips are currently on my set?
Part of a good trial
is comparing your
performance with new
grips against what you
brought to the fitting.
2. Can I hit the same club outfitted with different-size grips?
That's how we performed
the test, and it's the
only way to accurately
test your performance
with each size. Make
sure swingweights are
consistent — larger grips
will tend to make the
clubhead feel too light.
3. Can I measure my swings with each grip on a launch monitor?
It's hard to gauge your
results if you're hitting into
a net, so make sure the
shop has a launch monitor
or other shot-tracking
device. It's important
to base your decision
solely on shot data.
Money Well Spent
A set of 14 new grips
will run you anywhere
from $50 to $100, plus
$25 in labor. That's a
small price to pay for
increased performance
without making a
single swing change.
