The golf industry would like consumers to think that is easy to “buy” a better game and hit shots straighter and longer and make more putts through pricey equipment. To this end, every year a new slate of “best performing ever” drivers, irons and putters hits the shelves at record high prices. To be sure, there have been incremental improvements in golf club technology, and you certainly need to upgrade every several years (but not every year). However, no clubs will help a basically unsound game and swing. The absolute best way to become a better golfer is to take lessons from a good professional, and then practice, then take more lessons, but not everyone wants to devote that amount of time, money or effort. So, for those who like shortcuts, what is the fastest, cheapest way to improve your golf game?
Get new grips.
Why Golf Grips Matter
It doesn’t sound very sexy, I know, but years ago at a golf academy I asked one of the highly experienced teaching pros what the biggest mistake he saw from amateur players across the board was, and he told me without hesitation, not replacing worn out grips. I was expecting something like “they swing too fast,” or “they set up poorly,” or almost anything else, but the grip tip stuck with me and I have made it my habit to get my clubs re-gripped every year. Like the clubs themselves, grips keep getting incrementally better, but they remain a bargain in the world of golf equipment. You can get a first-rate high-quality new grip for the cost of a single high-end ball, and you are unlikely to lose your brand new grip in the woods minutes after debuting it.
“It’s like getting a brand new set of clubs, it’s exciting, and you feel good, but it costs a LOT less,” said Peter Harris, a longtime PGA teaching pro in New Hampshire who spent years working for Titleist. “Plus, there are a lot of players who like the feel of a thicker grip and could benefit from being properly fit. But at the very least you grip it better and it feels better in your hands.”
Industry bible Golf Digest magazine wrote, “We beat the drum on re-gripping regularly. In many ways, grips are beginning to embark on a journey much like footwear did before it: being considered as a means of improving one’s game rather than simply an accessory.” They also noted that having the wrong size grip could consistently lead to missing shots right or left and wrote that, “Although almost all clubs come stock with a standard size grip, fact is only about half of all golfers fall into that category. Too big or too small grips can cause too much or too little wrist release, leading to reduced accuracy.”
Arnie Cunningham works for leading grip manufacturer SuperStroke and is the company’s liaison with the many PGA Tour players who use its groups, such as Jordan Spieth. You probably know SuperStroke best for its putter grips, which are extremely popular among both amateurs and pros, and were recently used by Tommy Fleetwood to win the TOUR Championship, along with 2025 Tour wins by Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and recent first time winner Steven Fisk, among many others. Cunningham elaborated on Harris’ thought process. “If you’re undecided on if you need a standard or midsize grip, it might be worth it to experiment with each and see which one you like better. Another newer grip feature to try is the modern taper where the part of the grip that fits the lower hand is built up and tapers less. So, you could test that. If you have bigger hands, a midsize or modern taper grip might be a big benefit.”
Grips are not exactly rocket science, especially compared with all the myriad variables in fitting golf clubs, but there are a few important factors to consider, such as size, with thicker grips recently becoming more popular, and the new tapered style Cunnigham described. Materials vary and have different feels and qualities. Traditionally manufacturers have added tiny pieces of string onto the grip material to create styles with increased traction, and these are called “corded” grips, which are a great idea if your hands tend to sweat a lot or you live in a hot climate destination.
I personally have always preferred corded grips and just switched to the SuperStroke REVL Element grip, which is a new first-of-its-kind hybrid design, combining a classic corded rubber upper section for maximum grip, even in the rain, and a second different kind of rubber at the lower part to increase feel and touch, which is especially handy on wedges. This is the brand’s grip of choice for all-weather traction, comfort and high-performance, but SuperStroke makes several other models, both in the new REVL lineup of hybrid dual-compositions and its classic single compound grips, corded, uncorded and semi-corded. They also make some of the new tapered grips, such as their Traxion Tour. The best way to figure out which is best for you is to go to a good retail shop and feel each grip and talk to the staff about the pros and cons. Other well-known brands include Golf Pride, Winn and Lamkin, which is now owned by SuperStroke.
To give you an idea, my new REVL Element is the most expensive grip SuperStroke makes, and it costs ten bucks a club. Many of their other tour quality grips begin at five. When it comes to golf equipment, getting your clubs regripped is a bargain, it’s quick and easy, and a full set of grips cost less than a pair of shoes.
“Most people who play golf on a regular basis should just make it a habit to regrip once a year, but there are definitely exceptions and other factors. Full cord grips tend to last longer than all-rubber grips, so there’s a little leeway if you use full-cord grips,” said Cunningham. “People who play a lot of rounds and hit a lot of balls should think about regripping more than one time per year but that’s usually pros or players who are on that far spectrum of playing a lot of golf.”
Golf Digest cautions that “Grips can become hard and slick simply by sitting in your car in extreme heat or cold,” and as a rule of thumb suggests, “Regardless of how much you play, if it’s been a year since you re-gripped, get it done.”
Another thing to consider is that the grips that came on your clubs might not be the right grips for you, yet a lot of amateurs simply use whatever grip came on their driver, irons, fairway woods and wedges, even though these can be all different brands, sizes and models. It is not uncommon for a recreational player to have two to four different kinds of grips in their bag, not counting the putter, and that’s a mistake, given that golf is all about consistency and controlling the things that are easily controlled. I recently wrote a very important story here at Forbes about why even recreational players and those on tight budgets should play only one single model of ball and went into great detail about the importance of consistency and easily controlled variables in that piece, so even before getting your clubs re-gripped, read this story if you want to instantly start playing better golf. For those living in colder climates, I also just wrote this travel feature on why Arizona is the perfect winter golf vacation destination.
The Fastest, Cheapest Way To Improve Your Golf Game
One of my personal gurus is Eric Woods, a former PGA Tour pro and now an excellent teacher who runs a high-tech teaching studio in Southern California called Golf Lab Academy and coaches high-level juniors (he’ll teach adults too). Woods employs a lot of technology and knows golf equipment inside out, and said, “Why would you want multiple grips sizes or styles on your clubs? All your grips should match. It’s a no-brainer, and I challenge you to find a Tour player that doesn’t use the same grips on all 13 clubs, putter excluded.”
“Grips are an inexpensive way to improve your game. There is a saying in golf ‘The harder I want to hit the ball, the lighter I grip the club.’ The goal is to have consistent grip pressure throughout the entire swing and ideally your hands are relaxed but firm. Slippery old grips are terrible for golfers, they make it more challenging to hold the grip without gripping tighter through impact.”
Go take a look at your grips. Golf Digest warns against grips that feel slick, look shiny, or have visible wear in the materials or paint. If they seem worn to you, you are probably right, and it’s time to replace them. Then you might well agree that it was the fastest, cheapest way to improve your golf game.