Golf Grip weights

[CBC9019]

I currently play mp-15s with X100 AMT shafts in them. I recently cut my irons .25 because my wrist to floor angle said I should be playing .25 shorter irons which made sense. I likeh the length however the feel of my irons are heavy, I’m 31 and I’m starting to feel a little pain in my left elbow, and I can’t see to play multiple rounds back to back. I currently have z cord golf pride grips in my irons and they are pretty harsh feeling they also are 50grams I believe. I was thinking about just upgrading clubs and possibly getting mp-20 mmc or the new mizuno pro 223s. But if I really like my current irons why switch, so I’m making the necessary changes to my current irons so that I can get the feel I desire. I plan on tweaking the loft 1 degree stronger for getting the distance and height I want but for the feel, what would you guys recommend so that I can lighten up the club? I’m curious about the Winn grip lites which are 22 or 23grams. Golf pride also has a tour 25 which is 25 grams. Are these grips too light and would change the swing weight drastically, or would I get the feel I want? Also any other recommendations would help.

[Billfitz]

The further weight is from the hands the more effect it has. The closer weight is to the hands the less effect it will have. With the grip weight being as close to the hands as it can get, and iron heads weighing between 225 and 275 grams, a difference of 25 grams in the grip would be barely noticeable, if at all. Softer grips tend to be lighter, because what makes them softer is less density. I wouldn't give the weight a second thought, do it for the comfort.

[CBC9019]

Interesting..never looked at it that way. I’ll give it a shot 

[Stuart_G]

Agree that grips should be picked for comfort, not weight.   Better padding (GP CP2's or Lamkin Comfort plus come to mind) might help a little with the elbow pain but not sure I'd expect a whole lot.  I would try prosoft inserts first for that.  And if that doesn't help with the pain, it may mean having to switch to graphite shafts.

 

Poor fit for grip size can also effect the forearm tension and potentially aggrivate elbow tendon issues.

 

On 12/11/2021 at 1:29 PM, Billfitz said:

The further weight is from the hands the more effect it has. The closer weight is to the hands the less effect it will have.

 

That's true for swing weight but not for static weight.

 

So the OP really has to try and find out if the problem is the static weight or the swing weight. 

 

It's also possible for there to be a very cloudy relationship between shaft stiffness and weight feel - so that's another possible factor that might need to be considered and could be a major contributor to the harsh feeling - more so than the grips.

 

Easy test is whether it's static or swing weight is to test the clubs choked up 1/2" or even 1".   If that gives an improved weight feel, then the problem is swing weight.  If it doesn't, the problem is the static weight.

 

Solving a swing weight problem really needs to either reduce the playing length (maybe move to 3/8" club length increments) or find a way to reduce the head weights.

 

Solving a static weight problem really means finding a lighter shaft weight.

 

So lots of possibilities here but not really enough info to pin down what the contributors really might be and therefor what the best fix might be.

 

[CBC9019]

I was playing with a guy in Jamaica who was 6’6 and had KBS c taper shafts and his irons were way lighter than mine. I did like the feel, so possibly a shaft change might be in order. For someone who has always played dynamic gold shafts and now playing x100 amts what would he a good switch? I like x stiff shafts for the tighter dispersement and would like to keep a mid trajectory

[Stuart_G]

51 minutes ago, CBC9019 said:

I was playing with a guy in Jamaica who was 6’6 and had KBS c taper shafts and his irons were way lighter than mine.

 

Do you know which flex?  Unlike TT, KBS shaft weights vary with flex.  e.g. c-taper x-stiff are 130 gm, stiff+ are 125 gm, stiff are 120 gm, etc...    C-taper lite's are going to be different.

 

AMT's range from close to 127 in the short end of the set and 115 in the long end.   Do you notice if the heavy feel is 1) equal throughout the whole set 2) more pronounced in the short irons or 3) more pronounced in the long irons?

 

Although keep in mind that w/o also knowing the swing weight of those clubs, that still may not tell us where the problem might be.

 

 

51 minutes ago, CBC9019 said:

 

I did like the feel, so possibly a shaft change might be in order. For someone who has always played dynamic gold shafts and now playing x100 amts what would he a good switch? I like x stiff shafts for the tighter dispersement and would like to keep a mid trajectory

 

IF the problem is the static weight, there is no way to make a recommendation until we know what shaft weight is going to be a good fit for you.  Only trial and error testing will answer that question.

 

Also keep in mind that 1) DG's (even the AMT's) are low not mid trajectory shafts and 2) IF you are playing shafts that are stiffer than what might be typical for your swing speed and loading tendencies, even a mid profile shaft will play as a low profile shaft.   A shaft will only play as a mid/high launch shaft IF and only IF you can load the shaft - which can be contrary to wanting a stiffer shaft for better control.  Also, that increase in control is not automatic when playing stiffer shafts - everyone is different in how they react to stiffness feel changes.  For some it can actually make it worse.  So base the choice on actual results validating that the control has improved - not the many generalizations you might read about shaft selection.

 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Stuart_G

[CBC9019]

10 hours ago, Stuart_G said:

 

Do you know which flex?  Unlike TT, KBS shaft weights vary with flex.  e.g. c-taper x-stiff are 130 gm, stiff+ are 125 gm, stiff are 120 gm, etc...    C-taper lite's are going to be different.

 

AMT's range from close to 127 in the short end of the set and 115 in the long end.   Do you notice if the heavy feel is 1) equal throughout the whole set 2) more pronounced in the short irons or 3) more pronounced in the long irons?

 

Although keep in mind that w/o also knowing the swing weight of those clubs, that still may not tell us where the problem might be.

 

 

 

IF the problem is the static weight, there is no way to make a recommendation until we know what shaft weight is going to be a good fit for you.  Only trial and error testing will answer that question.

 

Also keep in mind that 1) DG's (even the AMT's) are low not mid trajectory shafts and 2) IF you are playing shafts that are stiffer than what might be typical for your swing speed and loading tendencies, even a mid profile shaft will play as a low profile shaft.   A shaft will only play as a mid/high launch shaft IF and only IF you can load the shaft - which can be contrary to wanting a stiffer shaft for better control.  Also, that increase in control is not automatic when playing stiffer shafts - everyone is different in how they react to stiffness feel changes.  For some it can actually make it worse.  So base the choice on actual results validating that the control has improved - not the many generalizations you might read about shaft selection.

 

 

 

[pup142]

The only clubs I use light weight grips on are the XXIO clubs. The XXIO Prime woods come with a real light grip and when I replace them I put on the Golf Pride Tour 25 grips.