Updated January 31, 2022. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown
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If there’s one area of equipment that most amateur golfers overlook with regularity, it is their golf grips.
Grips are crucial to maintaining consistency with your swing. It’s important to keep them fresh and tacky to deliver a consistent performance.
This is why I always recommend to change out your entire collection of grips every 18 months or around 40 rounds of play.
Here’s a list of the best golf grips available to get your swing started on a new feel and help you drop those scores and elevate your game to the next level.
In case you’re wondering, here’s how much it costs to regrip golf clubs.
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Table of Contents
Types of Golf Grips
Rubber Grip
Virtually all of the best golf grips nowadays are made of rubber, though some may have additional compounds added to help in various conditions or to provide different feels. After wool golf grips fell out of fashion, leather golf grips were the norm for a short time. But upon the founding of Golf Pride in 1949, the rubber grip revolution had become.
The Golf Pride rubber grip is still the most popular grip on tour and amongst amateurs, and they offer numerous different styles within their general product line.
Corded Grip
Cord grips are rubber grips with a brushed cotton fiber sticking out of the rubber, giving a coarse texture and offering moisture-wicking characteristics. Cord golf grips are available in a full-cord style, which has the cotton fibers inserted throughout the entire grip, and half-cord style, wherein the cord is only laid into the back half of the grip, opposite the thumbs.
Wrap Golf Grip
Historically, wrap golf grips were made of thin strips of leather wrapped tightly around the top of the golf shaft, much like old tennis club grips. This style of golf gripping has fallen out of style, but wrap-style grips are still available from Golf Pride (the Tour Wrap Grip) and Winn (the Winn Excel Wrap Grip).
These “wrap” grips are actually one-piece rubber grips, but they are styled and textured to feel as if they’re the leather-wrapped grips of old.
Lightweight Golf Grip
Lightweight golf grips are made of rubber but, as you can probably guess from the name, are lighter than traditional grips. Golfers looking to eke out every little bit of extra swing speed they can find would find lightweight grips right up their alley.
Putter Grip
Putter grips differ from regular golf grips in that they’re typically not simple, round grips that taper in thickness from top to bottom. For a long time, most putter grips had a flat front where the thumbs anchored, and thick tops tapering to thin bottoms. In recent years, the putter grip market has positively exploded.
What to Consider
Material/Type
Grips are made from rubber material of differing qualities.
Lower-priced grips are made from cheaper rubber, providing durability but offering a weaker response and feel. These grips are typically thin and become slicker in a shorter time frame, forcing the golfer to replace them more often.
The best grips on the market offer a mix of high-grade rubber and premium cotton cord to reduce wear and tear. These top-grade grips provide better performance when compared to their lower-priced competitors.
Putter Grip
There are multiple types of putter grips to consider, but the most popular are standard, pistol, and oversized. All offer a flat front to keep the putter face square through the stroke, but the differences lie in the size of the grip.
The standard grip provides golfers with a thinner shape that offers a solid feel and a smooth response.
The pistol grip offers a more ergonomic shape with a comfortable feel in hand. The oversized grip has become the standard on the PGA Tour, offering pros the ability to stabilize the putter with a comfortable hold.
Color
For golfers that want their grips to match the color palette of their bag or club head, manufacturers offer a wide variety of colors.
Among the top manufacturers, all offer the traditional colors such as black or gray, but also provide the opportunity to purchase multi-color grips that add more personality to your clubs.
For women golfers, such colors as pink or light blue and other pastel colors offer an assortment of choices that match their clubs and accessories.
Size
Typically, grip manufacturers offer a few sizes to accommodate variable hand sizes. For golfers with short fingers, the standard grip works well. However, those with longer fingers or larger palms will find that the thicker grips work the best to provide stability throughout the swing.
Some golfers that grip their clubs will increase the tape underneath to add more girth without needing a bigger grip.
Firm vs. Soft
When comparing firm versus soft grips, you should first look at how you want the club to respond in your hands. Most golfers want immediate feedback that provides an answer to how their shotmaking is currently performing.
A firm grip offers minimal protection against vibration but does give you a quicker response that rewards a clean, centered strike on the clubface. A softer grip provides a dampened response with less feel but a more pleasing experience.
Durability
The durability of golf grips is essential, but with the caveat that you should replace your grips every 40 rounds or roughly every couple of years to prevent a loss of performance.
When looking for the most durable grip, finding a name-brand manufacturer with a reputation for long-lasting performance is a great place to start.
For infrequent golfers, finding a more durable grip can help prolong the period between regripping, making the upkeep cheaper and more affordable.
Feel
When it comes to feel, golfers differ between wanting a thinner, firmer grip and those weekend warriors that prefer a thicker, more cushioned option.
The thinner grip provides more response with higher degrees of vibration but with more immediate response. Conversely, the cushioned grip dampens vibration but offers less feel and response.
Both grips offer plenty of benefits, but in the end, the golfer’s preference remains the most important factor.
6 Best Golf Grips In 2023
Here are the best golf grips for most golfers in 2023.
- Best golf grips for most golfers: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Golf Pride MCC Plus4 Golf Grip
Best Grip for Low Handicappers
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Pros
- All-weather surface keeps the golf grips tacky even in wet conditions
- Incredible texture on the surface helps with wear and performance
- Nice blend of softness for the bottom hand and durability for the upper hand
Cons
- Dual composite grip is definitely geared for advanced golfers
The Golf Pride MCC Plus4 from Golf Pride is a marvel that blends composite material to craft a feel that works extremely well for both hands.
This Golf Pride MCC grip is an outstanding upgrade for any golfer that needs new golf grips and is looking for another advantage on the golf course making it our top pick for the best golf grips!
Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G Golf Grip
Best Grip for Mid Handicappers
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Pros
- Raised ridge on the bottom of the grip allows for repeatable hand placement
- Pebbled texture enhances control and stability of club
- Best golf grips come with alignment technology that keeps the club square at address
Cons
- No texture on the top of the grip, makes it excellent entry-level grip for warm weather golfers
If there is a grip that Golf Pride is known for it is the Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G. With the classic look and hybrid construction, the 2G grip also features an alignment marker that makes sure you always are square at address.
If you are seeking a grip that has a pebbled surface that adheres to the skin of the hand, allowing the golfer to feel a synergy that promotes feel and response, then the Golf Pride Tour Wrap certainly checks a lot of boxes for exceptional performance.
Winn Excel Wrap Golf Grip
Best Grip for Beginning Golfers
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Pros
- Contoured grip helps fingers find grooves to promote better stability throughout the swing
- Performs admirably in wet weather with better traction throughout the swing
- Soft and cushioned, the grip provides comfort on every swing
Cons
- More accessible grip is best for beginning golfers who want contoured grip without high cost
The Winn Excel Wrap Golf Grip features the best of the company’s patented woven design that has made their golf grips popular among amateurs and professionals alike.
What Winn does well is create golf grips with a cushioned, welcoming feel that allows for the fingers to easily wrap themselves into place without the need for pressure to stabilize the swing.
Great for beginning golfers who want a contoured grip with an additional cushion, the Winn Excel Grip is an affordable option that brings a classic upgrade to your clubs.
Golf Pride MCC New Decade Golf Grip
Best Hybrid Grip for Mid Handicappers
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Pros
- Constructed from two materials to provide durability and softness where needed
- All-weather control texture on grip for help in wet environments
- Fantastic durability for long-lasting life, even with the soft material
Cons
- Hybrid grip that is crafted for advanced golfers who want better feel, perhaps not ideal for beginning golfers
The Golf Pride MCC New Decade is a magnificent model that utilizes two rubber halves to make a composite grip that offers an extraordinary experience for the golfer.
With a tougher top half that is lined with a cord for more grip and a bottom half that is softer and offers more control, this Golf Pride MCC model is one of the best for golfers looking to advance their equipment to a higher level.
Winn Dri-Tac Wrap Grip
Best Grip for Low Handicappers
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Pros
- Shock absorbent through the padded grip that is woven for maximum stability
- Classic wrap design provide an elegance and high performance for refreshing your clubs
- Non-slip material is also weather-resistant giving the golfer confidence in the worst
Cons
- For golfers who like textured grips, the Winn Dritac is a smoother model
The Winn Dritac Wrap Golf Grips is a highly versatile grip that excels at reducing the thrashing the hands take over the course of a round and instead, offer shock absorption at a level that is rarely seen in affordable golf grips.
Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360
Best for High Handicappers
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Pros
- Shock absorbent through the padded grip that is woven for maximum stability
- Well-balanced grip that provides spot-on alignment with no-slip tackiness
- Golf Pride Tour Velvet is one of the best golf grips for durability and strength
Cons
- More of a workhorse grip with less finesse than some other Golf Pride models
The Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 is a workhorse, perfect for the high handicapper that wants to change their clubs, but needs a grip that is long-lasting and highly affordable. The well-balanced Golf Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip isn’t flashy or constructed in a way that screams luxury, but it gets the job done and is easy to apply to your clubs’ shafts.