How to pick a Grip

[ktkn]

Other than feel, does torque matter?

How do you pick golf grips? Is it strictly on feel? Does swing speed matter? I used to read the different grip manufacture websites as before a lot of them had certain grips compatible with different swing speeds. The faster you swing, the less torque or twisting of the grip you want, so some of the really soft grips were only for slower swing speeds.

However, I've noticed that a lot of the sites have gone away from that and do not even ask your swing speed when they select a grip for you (ie: grip selectors on websites based on certain questions). Usually, the firmer the grip, the less torque it will have better suited for faster swing speeds. Does this matter?

How do you read and compare the specs between specs. I use the iomic sticky 1.8 which has a torque rating of 2.7. How would this compare to other manufacture's grips and is lower or higher better? for example, the Iomic Xgrip or Xevolution have a torque rating of 3.0.

[HateTheHighDraw]

Seems like most pros play corded grips (most, not ALL), so I suspect that these firmer grips provide better feel and less torque which is compatible with higher swing speeds. Other than that, it really boils down to experimentation. I've tried everything and recently discovered the Tour Velvet 360 grips, which are my favorite.

[craniac24]

I've never heard of a grip having torque before.

[Zurb]

Torque from a grip? they are rating that now? Interesting. Sooo... I'm a 5 hcp with a high swing speed... I am 6'3" with relatively big hands so I use the Winn Excel in oversize.

http://www.winngrips.com/soft-grips/excel

They are soft.. and I have NO issues. In fact, I enjoy them because I don't play with a glove and the larger grip helps me quiet my hands through the hitting zone.

Don't over analyze your grip choice. Pick something that you like. My only consideration is how my grips feel when damp from either heat/humidity or rain.

Good luck!!!!

[zoomzoom]

[quote name='Zurb' timestamp='1337365258' post='4938608']
Torque from a grip? they are rating that now?
[/quote]

+1, although it seems the grip would be more subject to twisting than the shaft.

[turnbowm]

[quote name='craniac24' timestamp='1337345612' post='4936874']
I've never heard of a grip having torque before.
[/quote]
Iomic has done research on grip torque, the results of which are summarized in the link below.

http://www.iomicgrips.co.uk/technology.html

[FLGOLFJUNKIE]

Very cool video from IOMIC!!

[jdotconnor]

I have always just asked friends to let me swing or chip with their clubs/grips to try them out. That's how I came across the Golf Pride VDR's in midsize. won't try anything else for a while.

[ezmorningrebel]

Got a wedge off ebay that had a lamkin crossline and liked it so that's what ive stuck with.

[FLOGMR]

[quote name='turnbowm' timestamp='1337379556' post='4939778']
[quote name='craniac24' timestamp='1337345612' post='4936874']
I've never heard of a grip having torque before.
[/quote]
Iomic has done research on grip torque, the results of which are summarized in the link below.

[url="http://www.iomicgrips.co.uk/technology.html"]http://www.iomicgrip...technology.html[/url]
[/quote]

Yeah...this from a company that claims their grips are "Negative ion charged" so the neg ions help to calm your swing....

All grips will twist slightly with enough force....softer ones more and harder ones less.......this is not rocket science....don't get lost in the tiny details.....If you were good enough to have it make a difference, you would not be on here asking that question. Buy what feels right in your hands and go with it.

[ktkn]

[quote name='Zurb' timestamp='1337365258' post='4938608']
Torque from a grip? they are rating that now? Interesting. Sooo... I'm a 5 hcp with a high swing speed... I am 6'3" with relatively big hands so I use the Winn Excel in oversize.

[url="http://www.winngrips.com/soft-grips/excel"]http://www.winngrips...oft-grips/excel[/url]

They are soft.. and I have NO issues. In fact, I enjoy them because I don't play with a glove and the larger grip helps me quiet my hands through the hitting zone.

Don't over analyze your grip choice. Pick something that you like. My only consideration is how my grips feel when damp from either heat/humidity or rain.

Good luck!!!!
[/quote]


Actually, they WERE rating it before when I started out just 2 or 3 years ago. I really liked the Winn grips and how soft they felt. However, their website actually stated the grips (really soft ones I liked) to be for slower swing speeds and not recommended for higher swing speeds. Now, I don't see anything of the sort.

I was just wondering if it's something one should pay attention to. It's almost like choosing flex for your driver shaft, except that fitting for shaft flex is widely accepted and almost deemed as a neccesity. I am not saying that the grip fitting is of the same importance or has anything significant at all, but it was just interesting and it does make a little sense, especially, when it was on the grip manufacture's website.

Do any tour pros use really really soft grips that have really high level of torque? If not, it might be something to think about! Again, Just curious, and hoping to get a knowledgable answer... or maybe it's all marketing!

[ktkn]

[quote name='FLOGMR' timestamp='1337384773' post='4940072']
[quote name='turnbowm' timestamp='1337379556' post='4939778']
[quote name='craniac24' timestamp='1337345612' post='4936874']
I've never heard of a grip having torque before.
[/quote]
Iomic has done research on grip torque, the results of which are summarized in the link below.

[url="http://www.iomicgrips.co.uk/technology.html"]http://www.iomicgrip...technology.html[/url]
[/quote]

All grips will twist slightly with enough force....softer ones more and harder ones less.......this is not rocket science....don't get lost in the tiny details.....[/quote]


That's exactly my question... softer ones generally twist MORE than harder ones, like you said. Now given that.. shouldn't a super fast swing speed use grips that twist less that resist twisting? So the question is does twisting matter at all? If I understand correctly, you said there are different levels that grips twist (torque), but then you said just pick a grip, suggesting twisting doesn't matter?

[zoomzoom]

Let me say first that I'm not one to worry about torque in the shafts or the grips.

Following out the discussion, it seems to me that, if torque matters, grip torque should matter more because the grip would have more of a tendency to twist than the shaft due to their flexibility and the manner in which they are affixed to the shaft. Torque figures on shafts are widely promoted, but grip torque figures are not -- which would seem to matter more.

Am I missing something or is shaft torque a completely insignicant figure?

[Howard_Jones]

Shaft Torque means ZERO to performance, so why should grip Torque ?
- Get the head square at impact, then forget the rest.

There is at least 50 other parameters were a serious headache might come to play, but grip torque is NOT one of them, its a "No issue" in fitting and club performance.

Comfort, Traction, Size, Taper or not, or how much, and Grip weight is whats important with grips, and those parameter do influence, but grips toque does nothing at all.

[FLOGMR]

[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1337528381' post='4945898']
Shaft Torque means ZERO to performance, so why should grip Torque ?
- Get the head square at impact, then forget the rest.

There is at least 50 other parameters were a serious headache might come to play, but grip torque is NOT one of them, its a "No issue" in fitting and club performance.

Comfort, Traction, Size, Taper or not, or how much, and Grip weight is whats important with grips, and those parameter do influence, but grips toque does nothing at all.
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more!!! Unless we all work on the premise that the grip manufacturers don't know squat about grip design ..... Any good quality grip from a reputable makers will work for you...find what is comfortable in your hands and go with it....If you are hitting the ball near the center of the face twisting is NOT an issue and if your are missing hitting really badly no grip is going to make it better.
These kind of discussions remind me of the customers who are struggling to break 100 for the first time and want to talk about molecular properties of certain iron heads.....OUCH!!!
If any one grip was so superior to the rest everyone on Tour would be using the same grip....take a look along the range at any Tour event and you will see a myriad of different grips....from rock hard to spongy soft

[zoomzoom]

Thanks. That makes sense. Good to know torque is not a significant issue for either shafts or grips. I'll go back to working on my swing.

[turnbowm]

[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1337528381' post='4945898']
[b]Shaft Torque means ZERO to performance, so why should grip Torque ?[/b]
- Get the head square at impact, then forget the rest.

There is at least 50 other parameters were a serious headache might come to play, but grip torque is NOT one of them, its a "No issue" in fitting and club performance.

Comfort, Traction, Size, Taper or not, or how much, and Grip weight is whats important with grips, and those parameter do influence, but grips toque does nothing at all.
[/quote]
I actially find the Iomic test results on grip torque to be credible. If you have data/test results to the contrary, however, please share it with the rest of us.

As for shaft torque, UST Mamiya conducted two years of research on the effects of shaft torque on control, distance and feel, the results of which are contrary to the "legendary" Callaway report.

http://www.clubmaker-online.com/ust.vts.research.html

[ktkn]

[quote name='FLOGMR' timestamp='1337534643' post='4946260']
[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1337528381' post='4945898']
Shaft Torque means ZERO to performance, so why should grip Torque ?
- Get the head square at impact, then forget the rest.

There is at least 50 other parameters were a serious headache might come to play, but grip torque is NOT one of them, its a "No issue" in fitting and club performance.

Comfort, Traction, Size, Taper or not, or how much, and Grip weight is whats important with grips, and those parameter do influence, but grips toque does nothing at all.
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more!!! Unless we all work on the premise that the grip manufacturers don't know squat about grip design ..... Any good quality grip from a reputable makers will work for you...find what is comfortable in your hands and go with it....If you are hitting the ball near the center of the face twisting is NOT an issue and if your are missing hitting really badly no grip is going to make it better.
These kind of discussions remind me of the customers who are struggling to break 100 for the first time and want to talk about molecular properties of certain iron heads.....OUCH!!!
If any one grip was so superior to the rest everyone on Tour would be using the same grip....take a look along the range at any Tour event and you will see a myriad of different grips....from rock hard to spongy soft
[/quote]

I'm not saying grip torque or twisting matters, because it could be so marginal it really has to real life effect, but then again, I don't know. Grip manufacture's like Winn DO know about grip design I'm sure and they DO (or did) recommend certain grips for faster swing speeds, just like stiffer shafts for faster swing speeds for shafts. Again, this all relates to my original question, on Winn's website directly, they actually have a grip selector and tell tell you which grips were better suited for faster swing speeds, so if you swing 110mph, there are a lot of grips that are not recommended, which again are the softer ones.

However, simply saying it doesn't matter based on experience doesn't actually mean it doesn't matter. It's like a room full of people "not in the know" talking about how the golf ball doesn't matter either and the cheap ones are just as good as the premium ones. Yes, certain cheap ones might perform similarly and anybody whose really good will make both balls work well!

The main point of interest for me is that the Winn used to have that on their site, regarding the importance of torque, etc. However, on the website today, there is no mention. Maybe it didn't do them any good, because part of the reason I bought the iomics is because they were soft and tacky, AND had very little torque. I really like the feel of some of the winn grips but did not buy them because on the the OFFICIAL Winn website, ** They Did NOT Recommend ** the grips I liked for faster swing speeds... and this was coming directly from their website!!!

Just wondering if they took it off because it really doesn't matter, OR maybe it does but from a marketing standpoint, they're losing potential customers like me, who like really soft grips and like to learn and research things like this. It really wasn't much of a research since it was Winn that said I shouldn't buy their soft grips... I'm guessing anybody who went to their site and read about their grips on their website, who also has a fast swing speed was very put off about buying one. If the manufacture doesn't endorse it, it's really hard to go against them to buy it...

I'm surprised nobody has commented on other websites that had it as well. I can't say for certain for other sites like golfpride, lamkin, etc, because I was only interested in the winn and really liked the iomics as well. I am certain for the Winn website, but not too much for the others as I wasn't too interested in them but I'll be surprised if they had no mention of this issue, ever.

[strungoutt1]

I just started trying out every grip I could get my hands on. I always tried to give my playing partners clubs a few swings. Also during each regripping I would try out new grips. I finally settled on Iomic. Love the feel and classic look.

[Mattco]

When Winn came about, I used their tour wrap grips and loved them. After a couple years, they started making their wraps really bad, bad when wet, bad wear patterns and just plain wore them out too fast.

I decided to drop the cash for the Tour Velvet cords and fell in love. I have used them for a long time now and while reshafting I decided to give the new Winn Dritac a try. The Dritac is a very good feeling grip but I don't think I will keep them when I regrip again.