We’ve spent the last few weeks chatting about weight. I hinted at this one, and explained how selecting a grip can influence swing weight and static weight. By that point in the post, you were probably starting to doze off, and thinking yeah, but… does it really matter that much? Perhaps, or perhaps not, but if you’re going to take the time to fit someone, why stop short of completing the fitting?

So, here you go – the grip edition.

We can start with something that doesn’t get enough love in the fitting world—grip type and grip weight. There is one point where the club connects to the body. Just one. It’s in the hands. Which are placed on the grip. When you think about it that way, it is kinda important, isn’t it?

You’ve got guys obsessing over head weight, tipping, tipping again, frequency, swing weight… but they’re rolling with whatever grip was on the club when it came out of the box. That’s like putting racing tires on a truck and wondering why the ride feels weird.

Yeah, that little number stamped on the inside of your grip that you’ve probably never looked at. It matters. A lot. So, why does grip weight matter? Repeat from last week… Because it changes how a club feels, swings, and performs—without you even realizing it.

Let’s break it down:

• Standard rubber grips usually weigh between 48 and 52 grams.
• Tour Velvets, Crosslines, Decades, etc.—they live in that range.
• Lightweight grips? Think Winn Dri-Tac Lite or some women’s/ junior grips—those can dip into the 30s.
• Heavy grips? Over 60g, sometimes into the 70s.

Now here’s the deal—grip weight affects swing weight – you know that. That magical number we use to describe how heavy the clubhead feels as it moves. For every 4 grams you add or subtract from the grip, you shift swing weight by about 1 point. Not huge, but noticeable—especially for a good player.

We touched on this last week—swing weight is not overall weight. You can make a club lighter overall but heavier in swing weight, or the other way around. Grip weight plays a sneaky role in that balance. A lighter grip makes the head feel heavier. A heavier grip? Makes the head feel lighter. And suddenly the whole club just feels… different.

And it’s not just about feel. Changing grip weight can subtly influence:

• Face control
• Timing
• Tempo
• Even launch and spin

Crazy, right?

But it’s not just weight. It’s grip type, too. What it’s made of. How it feels. How it responds.

Let’s look at a few:

• Corded grips: Built for traction and control, especially in humidity or sweaty hands. They’re firmer, heavier, and have a more aggressive feel. Tour Velvet Cord, Z-Cord—these are built for players who want no surprises in the hands.
• Wrap-style grips: Softer, tackier, and sometimes squishier. They feel great, but tend to mute vibration and can feel a little more disconnected if you like to really feel the clubhead. Think Winn Wraps or Golf Pride CP2.
• Hybrid grips (like MCCs): Best of both worlds. Cord on top hand, rubber on the bottom. Great for players who want feel + traction.
• Soft/polyurethane grips: Great for shock absorption (arthritis, slower speeds, etc.), but much lighter and can throw off swing weight fast if you’re not careful.

Grip type ties into feel just as much as weight. Some players need more feedback. Some need less. Some want a certain texture or shape. And yeah, some just like a color. That’s fine—but the moment you change grip type, you’ve changed how the club behaves.

And while we’re here, and since you’re already fitting—grip size matters too. More than you think, and perhaps different than you think.

While this may be more of a myth, old wisdom tells us that bigger grips can quiet the hands, slow down the release, and reduce wrist action. That’s why you see oversized grips on players trying to fight hooks or stay connected. Smaller grips do the opposite—more hand action, more release, more feel (and sometimes, more left). Perhaps this is true, but I would tell you that it is more personal preference and doesn’t matter quite as much as you might think.

What grip size absolutely affects though is tension. If a grip’s too small, you’ll grip it tighter. Too big, and you might feel like you’re hanging on for dear life. Neither is good. You want something that matches your hand size and your delivery pattern. Too big = tighter. Too small = tighter too. Hmmmm. Now that’s interesting!! Looks like just right is the best answer. 😉

What we see in fittings

Sometimes we’re fighting to dial in swing weight or tempo, and the fix isn’t the shaft. It’s not the head. It’s the grip. Want to make a club feel smoother, lighter, faster, heavier—whatever? Grip weight can help us tweak without doing a full teardown.

And yeah—sometimes it’s just preference. Some players love the feel of a lighter grip. Others want something beefy. But preference doesn’t live in a vacuum—grip weight, type and size all affect balance, feel, and performance. It’s not about following a chart—it’s about how the club feels when it’s in motion.

But all my fitting shafts are not grip optional – meaning they have a grip installed, and I don’t have the option to interchange them. What to do? The best suggestion?? Read above – sometimes a player just has a preference. In that case, just stay with what the player has for the smoothest transition. Sometimes they want something different. Maybe they want something different, but don’t know what that different is. Regardless, you need to have the conversation with the player. Fitting for the grip is a key part of the fitting process.

Moral of the story?

Don’t ignore the grip. Don’t just pick a the standard grip – at least without having a conversation. Pick a weight, type and size that fits what your player is trying to feel.

Next time you’re building, regripping, or fitting, take a second to think about what that grip is doing to the whole club. You might find something you weren’t expecting.

Happy Fitting!!!

Jim Yeager, PGA