Does Grip Size Really Matter??

There are various factors at play when it comes to choosing the right golf grip size.  In addition to measuring your hand size or glove size in proxy, you should also consider your current shot pattern, swing mechanics etc.  Learn more.

There are a few indicators which can be used to determine your golf grip size such as hand measurement i.e. from the wrist crease to the tip of the middle finger, and glove size.  The 4 grip sizes are:

• Undersize or junior (43g) - for hand measurements of less than 7 inches (about 17.8cm) or approximately using men’s S-sized gloves or using women’s M/S-sized gloves or youth players in general;
• Standard (49g) - for golfers whose hand measures 7 inches to 8 ¾ inches (about 17.8cm to 22.2cm) or approximately using men’s L/M-sized gloves or using women’s L-sized gloves;
• Midsize (57.5g) - where the hand measures 8 ¼ to 9 ¼ inches (about 21cm to 23.5cm) or approximately using men’s XL-sized gloves;
• Oversize or jumbo (88g) - for hand measurements larger than 9 ¼ inches (23.5cm), or approximately using men’s XL-sized gloves.

There is an assortment of golf grips nowadays from which you can choose the right golf grip size.  For a specific golfer, the golf grip may be big nearer the butt but has a rapid taper, so the golfer may feel that the grip is big in the right hand and not so much in the left.  There are also golf grips with less taper or hardly any taper at all.  We can customise golfer preferences on these grips for comfort as well.

In addition to comfort, one segment of golfers actually wonder if choosing the right golf grip size actually makes a difference to the ball flight while a large segment think that smaller grips hit hooks and bigger grips hit slices. 

In the former case, if the golf grip is too small, the club could twist and cause the golfer to tighten his/her grip and squeeze the club at impact which will close the clubface and cause a hook instead of the ball flying straight.  In the latter instance, a golf grip that is too big will likely cause an open clubface which creates a slice. 

This goes to show that without choosing the right golf grip size, you’re definitely more likely to hit your shots on either side of the target instead of right on line.

When it comes to swing patterns, if yours is from the inside to outside, you are more likely to hit hooks; increasing the grip size will promote a slice or fade and help straighten your shot. 

On the other hand, if your swing pattern is from the outside to inside, you are more likely to hit shots that slice or fade away from the target; here, you should consider changing to a smaller grip size to straighten your ball flight.

Going through the custom fit process, choosing the right golf grip size becomes really important because it helps to give you the control on that clubface and during your swing to influence the ball in the best possible way. 

Even for some golfers who don’t play enough to want to fit their clubs, they should also get their grip thickness fixed simply because that’s the easiest to rectify. 

Just remember that when grip sizes are changed, they can take a little time to get used to – someone with a M-sized glove may need a standard grip with a couple more layers underneath or different levels of tape under the top hand and bottom hand etc.

Between the undersize and standard golf grips, the typical feedback has been that the difference is subtle in the hands and there’s little or no noticeable difference in the swings.  But the difference is discernible as we get larger on the grips, e.g. from standard to midsize.

This is because a larger grip is heavier and can affect the club’s swing weight. 

Swing weight is how heavy the club head feels when you swing it; for the techies, it’s how much the club tips towards the club head when you balance the club on a fulcrum. 

So this would affect the timing of the golfer’s swing given that with a larger golf grip, the balance of the golf club has changed such that it has shifted higher up in the club and it no longer feels as head heavy.

For example, a jumbo grip weighs significantly more at 88g; in this instance, this will cause the club to be the lightest swing weight club vs one with the undersize grip (43g) which will end up being the heaviest swing weight club. 

Jumbo grips are good for example when building a club for someone who’s taller and perhaps using some heavier and longer built shafts with swing weights in the higher D range, which can be offset with a bigger grip such that the swing weight is more acceptable perhaps around the mid-lower D range.

On a side note regarding club swing weight, it is referenced with an alphanumeric code from A0 being the lightest to G10 being the heaviest.  So the greater the letter or number, the heavier the swing weight of the club.  For example, a golf club with a D1 swing weight is heavier than a club with a swing weight of C1, and a D4 club has a slightly heavier swing weight than a D2 club.

With variables in play, including golfer preferences, we just have to fit the right components into the equation when building properly balanced clubs, to (ironically) tilt the scale in your favour for your best shot yet!

Let our Master Fitter help you find the perfect grip size.  He's fitted thousands of golfers around the world, including some of the best, such as Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh! 

👉 Click here to book your 1 on 1 fitting here ⛳️