Adam you’re the only fitter I’ve seen talk about grip firmness and its importance to this extent

This is a highly highly underrated channel

All I can say is WOW. In all the years of playing golf I never heard this. Thank you for the video. Makes me want to try it!

Fantastic. I moved from Stiff to Regular during a fitting in October. Clubs arrived with the fairly softish grips I specified, and just never felt right…not like during the fitting. Switched 7iron to a grip similar to what the fitter had in studio, and boom! I’m with you: never even thought about this before.

Loved this video. As soon as you started the vid, I had a hunch where headed. But like you, I had never thought about it with my clubs. And the fact that you could test for it was great. Thank you! Ironically, as a former motorcycle racer & builder, I obsessed over suspension and frame tuning and how it important it was to take into consideration tire compounds and the traction / wear tradeoff. It was not until later did we begin to really factor the compound and flex into broader suspension dynamics. Like your frequency test, the differences were subtle but very real. This feels similar to the golf ah-ha moment you described. Thanks again and thanks for all your great content.

Fantastic demonstration. Simple and accurate, nothing else. Great job❤

never would thought about it, and yet, it makes perfect sense. Now I understand than when I added 1 inch to my clubs and put those same harder (and heavier) grips, my clubs felt stiffer and heavy (both static weight and swing weight had increased a lot), so much less easier to swing than before the change

Nice video, AJ! Never would've crossed my mind the difference, nor have I had anyone explain this before. Thanks!

FASCINATING! I’ve intuitively figured this out over the years when using different grips, but never considered the reason….this makes perfect sense and one more thing to add to my toolbox!!

Was considering moving from regular to stiff shafts but these makes me think I can just save some cash and regrip to a more firm grip! Awesome explanation!

I have played golf for 40+ years and this explains why I never change the grip type. I have tried softer grips like GP CP2 because I am getting older but immediately realize they change my sensation of the club and this explains that sensation.

I have always used Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 on my woods and wedges and Golf Pride MCC+4 on my irons. Recently I put the Tour Velvet 360s on my irons and I like the softer feel. The Royal LinkTech and M-Taper 360 grips are the best budget grips out there.

Excellent video, never knew that! Not sure if it was already brought up but the other thing to be aware of is grip weight. They can vary by ~15g depending on size/type.

Wow! I have been into golf for so long and have never even thought of this. Maybe this is why I have never liked soft spongy grips. Glad this came up on my algorithm. I subscribed. Very eye opening info!

This is huge, I appreciate that you went so far as to prove it. Got a subscription from me, thanks.

Very cool test and video. Appreciate it, makes a lot of sense! Thx!

I agree. I already hit my irons fairly high. I bought some softer golf Pride grips early 2023 to hopefully take it easy on the joints of hand, and let me tell you the ball flight was so much dramatically different- TOO HIGH. Like rocket spaceship high and more spin with mid irons. I had to go back to reg Golf Pride justbecause the squishiness as you referred to.. did so much to the flight. So I would recommend softer grips for ppl who struggle with getting the ball airborne.

Very good!!!! AJ, another scenario I just encountered is between a grip in good condition and one that is pretty worn out; same grip model. I bought two used hybrids and the club with the worn out grip feels stiffer. Now we know!!!

This was really insightful. Thank you for sharing as I am about to purchase new irons!!!

Great info and help me understand a lot of the things I've tried

I've always liked softer grips ( when I played as a kid) didn't realise or had never noticed that the softness or hardness of a grip was a spec you could look up. I always liked those Swingrite Griprite rubber grips with the "V" pattern on them I recently started playing again 6 months ago after not playing at all for well over 25 years I literally just re-gripped my cheap Callaway x12 irons with some fake Golf Pride +4s. They do seem to have made the clubs feel stiffer but I thought I was imagining it. There's definitely more "Feel" when you shank one.

Thank you. This is great. I don’t have change shafts, just grips. This saved me lots of $$$

That's crazy and eye opening. Would never have thought grip would effect shaft stiffness. 👍👍

Amazing video. Not only is this severely overlooked in fitting but most fitters (even big brand facilities) have work GP Tour Velvet grips that are slicker than oil.

Great info . We had a Gem here in Virginia . Mickey Russel would use that machine and built some really great feeling clubs . I now have 2 sets of ZX5s one with pure , and one with golf pride . I’ve been asking qualified folks why one feels different . I think this demonstration showed the “ why behind the what “ .

That’s very interesting and I would not have believed it without seeing the CPMs. Thanks

This is really interesting and makes you ask so many questions. Enlightenment has occurred.

This is VERY interesting! So if I am looking to be something like an R+ on the shaft, I could prob use R and add a firm grip to modify the frequency. For someone like me that is “between” flex (R/S). This would be a way to help tighten up the performance or at least the feel of the shaft. Really great information! Thank you for doing this video. 🎉

Very interesting! On my new irons double tape, I had the golf pride half cord grip put on and I hit the ball great. I recently changed the grips to the golf pride tour wrap same double tape, which is a softer grip and a more sticky grip. I don’t seem to hit the ball as consistent anymore. I was thinking of switching back. What this tells me is I like the feel of a firmer grip than a softer grip! Who knew. I would be interested in doing the frequency test with these two grips to see the difference. The shaft is a Raijin 85g shaft with various flex from top to bottom. Out of all the shafts I hit, these felt the best and had the best numbers.

This is an interesting result that I will attempt duplicating in my own golf ship. Great topic and well researched!

Grips are everything ! Just as shafts are too ! And matching them according to our personal golf preferences is a unique art ! It is really awesome because this union of shaft and grip defines the feel , accuracy and overall performance of the golf swing and strike ! I’ve always used graphite shafts on my irons and found that a firm grip gave me more control , accuracy and spin ! However I am thinking of switching grips on my driver adding an extra wrap and going to a golf pride CPx for a more relaxed hand interaction ! I still don’t want spongy feel but a bit softer with more tacky material ! Golf sure is fun and scientific too !

Good stuff The hands work as the vice,so the same club will feel and respond differently with respect to the size of the golfer’s hands. Shorter hands,more flexible, larger hands, stiffer feel. I learned this the hard way when the whole Brunswick cpm shaft measurement system came out. Clubs were being built with different clamp lengths giving different flexibility profiles for the same club. Brunswick was using a 2 1/2” clamp and others used 4 and 5” clamps. Hopefully some day soon, club fitting will be standardised to fit the golfer and not just sell a set of clubs.

awesome video ! i prefir a softer mid size grip as my skin is very dry and i dont feel like i have to squeese as much . my hands feel more relaxed.

I used to use full cords back in the day but when GP came out with cord top rubber lower..I never went back because of the feel..great video

Subscribed. Very insightful information

Very interesting and informative. Thanks

I love the Golf Pride CP2 Midsize. I have used them on the last 3 sets of clubs.

Makes sense why some didn’t like the firmer new decade mcc grip with build up tape on the bottom hand on a particular shaft, compared to the same exact shaft in a MCC plus 4, or even the much firmer z cord. I didn’t ever think much about it but it seems obvious now that you brought it to my attention. In my case the grip rubber in a plus 4 reducing the taper rather than the tape gave me more feel for the loading and unloading of the shaft. It seemed to make tempo and delivery changes from day to day and different ball flights easier to notice and correct vs The firmer grip

Wow, great stuff, very interesting, thanks!

I stumbled upon the soft grip theory by accident, I use jumbo grips on stiff flex graphite irons. Mainly to stop limb vibration. I use DRi-tech LT over size with 5 layers of masking tape plus 3 layers more on the lower to 2 layers plus grip tapes. Zero vibration great for home sim room golf. Even with a strike matt strip. My first reaction was the flight, spin looked fine, feel wasn't that of stiff shafts. I just never discussed with anyone as club set up is p[personal thing.

Great Video! Thank you 🔥👏💪🫶

I was fit into Titleist T200 irons with AMT RED stiff shafts and I had my set built with Golf Pride CP2 midsize grips. That combination was the perfect mix for the performance and feel that I was looking for in my new set.

Just moved over too midsize cpx , feels much softer than my plus4's. Helps with my damaged joints...

The softer grip is likely reacting differently to the metal clamping force during the test. I suspect the effect of the much softer hand to grip contact would minimize the difference significantly. That being said, I greatly prefer a softer grip. Much less harsh.

Awesome information, I am a plus fore MCC golf pride guy. I also recently cut down my shafts for control. I was doing this with a fitter to see if a 44.5 inch driver shaft TSR2 11 degree was better than the Burner….it was but he mentioned my swing speed dropped to 92 MPH on my driver from 97 but we got the same distance … less height less spin and only 5 yards carry distance but 20 more roll with a PRO V X. I wonder if some that speed is my grip … shorter shaft more the grip can effect it ?

Ah Ha! Very, very interesting. Thanks for this AJ. I'm struggling to choose between two shafts in my new clubs - a 106g stiff or a 111g regular, so was considering soft-stepping the stiff. But with this info, maybe a simple change in grip choice could resolve my dilema. Cheers.

AJ, this just proves that fitters need to consider this grip variable when fitting clients, if not, they are not giving you the best fit possible. It’s already tough enough finding a good fitter you can trust who’s not trying to upsell you into some exotic shaft and other add ons, now you have to make sure you’re getting a “full and complete” fitting, which most of us don’t know what that is. It’s a shame that we’re at the mercy of fitters without knowledge. Cheers.

Wow, I also have never heard about this before. I've almost always played firm grips (victory cord, crossline cord, Royal sand) due to the feel.

This is very interesting. I would assume that a midsize, stiff grip would have an even great effect on the overall stiffness. Defiantly something to think about on my next fitting.

Never thought about it. But I have firmer full cord on my woods. MMC mids on my irons. And MMC mids + 4 on my wedges.. makes sense.

Hey AJ!!! Great video!! (As usual) A point of consideration on perceived flex and grips. The difference between grip weights from one style to the next can be negligible (2 grams) to significant (20 grams). Wouldn’t the adjusted swing weight of the club have a greater impact on the player’s ability to properly load the club than the firmness of the grip influencing flex? Thank you for all of your contributions!!!!

Out of all the grips I’ve tried. I finally tried some cheap ones from Temu and they are absolutely game changing. The best grips I’ve ever had.

Great video!

This is brilliant. My shafts are too stiff, so now all I have to do is make grips out of silly putty!

Because my hands are bigger than average I had midsize grips on my Callaway Apex forged blades. Wasn't hitting them consistently. Was getting too much variability. Then decided to switch to GolfPride regular size softer grips but they are less tapered than standard. So it's thicker than regular on the lower hand(right). It was like hitting a whole different set of irons. More distance, consistency and I could work the ball either right or left. The proper grips make a significant difference.

Light bulbs exploding!!! ;D Thank you for sharing!

Lamkin UTX, the green ones I first saw on golfwrx last year or so, that's what I'm slowly switching to lately, like the green but those Lamkin could be little darker shade of green, lol. Tried GP tour velvet 360 white...felt nothing like tour velvet grips to me, kind of slick so off they went. Royal Linktech grips, not the cord version which is a bargain really for cord grips, feel okay, Lamkin crossline black on an older set of irons. For me it's how my hands respond to the texture, soft grips on a full swing and I feel like I actually lose some control of the club, my hands actually increase in grip pressure. Price of grips is also a factor, those UTX's aren't coming off for a while! I lIke some taper to the grip for my right hand....grips are such a personal preference aren't they.

That explains alot... Thanks

Using GP 360. I never like code grip. They always felt to hard. Great video.

Does switching from a regular grip to a midsize grip also result in a more firm flex? I know it further complicated because the heavier grip will change the club to a lighter swingweight. I have preferred a softer grip because I felt more “feel”.

Im happy that GP released the V55 again. I grabbed some for memories. I just went from MCC Align to Tour Velvet Align for added feel. Firmer grip = stiffer butt section

great video!

Great and informative video. For years I have always used Lamkin Crossline grips with True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts with the S300 stiff flex for any clubs I would build or rebuild for myself. Lately have been considering Lamkin's Calibrate grips with the guide ridge to help with hand placement. This will help narrow down whether I want a grip closer to the firmness of the Crossline or a softer feel. I had been thinking my swing speed is starting to decrease as I get older and that I should consider dropping my shaft flex down to Regular. A softer grip may get me half way between for much less cost and effort. Will visit my local Dick's store this week and see if I can get a swing speed test done to help me decide. Thanks.

I figured this out using mc+4 plus grips on my Regular flex and standard grips on my stiff shafts and was dumbfounded until i realized the grip was changing the harmonics and they all feel the same.

Very informative video, I currently play PX 6.5 but previously played PX 6.0 shafts so I am fully aware of the difference in stiffness between them, I have played Tour Velvet Plus4 grips for a few years but have thought about testing the new Lamkin UT+ grips so if you have hit both of these grips how do they compare in firmness?

Very good advice. I transition the club slowly. CP2 pro grips with a stiff shaft work great, softening the feel. A suggestion for another video. As a sweeper, narrow sole traditional blades (use pxg 0211st blade) are more forgiving as I catch the sweet spot more consistently (a couple grooves low with gi irons) Additionally more confidence with added loft with players club. Can you do a video on this?

Can you do a video on shaft selection and questions we should be asking in a fitting?

Interesting! I wonder if more material makes it stiffer like midsize to standard just like more material makes a shaft stiffer?

I was thinking about something. Some pro prefer add wraps instead playing a large grip. Does the wraps have the same effect than a stiffer grip? What’s the difference between standard soft grip with one or 4-5 wraps? I know the grip becomes less softer because of the wraps but what about the club’s rigidity ?

Amazing video

Wow, mind blown!!!

Choosing the right golf club grip is very important, it will affect your stroke performance and comfort.

Good stuff.

This is really interesting.

Very good.

I’m using a mid sized grip on my irons right now. I don’t like to feel vibration on miss hits when sticking the ball I am a 16 handicap golfer.What grip should I use, soft or firm grip.

thank you

Just back playing golf after a few years off, was using the 6.0 shafts with a firmer grip. So really I was playing extra stiff all those years ago 😲 I couldn't get any distance out of the clubs for the two rounds that I played, now I'm bk playing again. so I went and bought another set of clubs with regular shafts thinking it was all down to me just getting old. So, some new grips will be the next stop and hopefully not lost too much money on selling the newer set. I wish I seen this video last week 🤦

It’s very small I guess it’s possible that fitters may trick this up in certain situations. I doubt the average joe would know that. Good video on this ❤

Feel yes, but how do they perform side-by-side, since the shafts are obviously different flexes. Interesting video - thanks!

What is the Golf Pride CPx Jumbo Grip considered ?? It feels spungy to me ?? How would this grip effect the Mitsubishi MMT 80 stiff

I have thought about this before from an energy transfer standpoint. I have considered "wouldn't a soft grip absorb some of the energy that I'm transferring to my club? Why would I want that?"

Play the CP2 midsize with my KBS $taper shaft. Great combination

Very interesting but what if you used a defection board instead of measuring cycles to measure stiffness with the different grips?

another valuable tweek!

This is why I’m giving my daughter 15 grips to try. Cause it’s all about feel. I think it can also change the sound of the club

Is there jumbo stiff grips? I like softer grips and switch from midsize to jumbo.

Such great information and something I haven’t really seen anyone address. It’s a whole new wrinkle now. Do you recommend in fittings to change the grip one way or the other is someone is in between flexes? Or is this a case of weight means more than flex?

The grip really only effects the feel of the butt section. I used softer grips with xtra stiff shafts for a the handle feeling with tip stability.

thanks

Curious how does a "harder/stiffer" Medium size grip differ compared to a standard size affect the frequency...etc?

Same can be true for switching std to midsize grips I’m sure, thicker grip would be more restrictive

Now how would this variable play in a hard/soft step?

What does a thicker midsize grip do Senior flex shaft

Wow, this is a great consideration. I'm in between flexes (S/X) but went with S on my new takomo irons. So now maybe if i feel this flex is not quite right I can lab with outher grips instead of changing shafts 👍. Does this apply with driver shafts as well or is it only steel shafts? 😊

Ok you had me at "frequency". Anything you say at this point is correct. 😂

Thanks for the video… what do you think about „overgrips“… I added an overgrip tape (like for tennis rackets) to my wedges and was surprised about the feel… now I no longer use a glove when putting and with my wedges… did you ever test that?

I think this illustrates the reason why measuring cpm's has fallen out of style. When a shaft is held firmly by a vise, its easy to see the difference between shafts. However, the human hand is much softer and the psi a hand can squeeze is far less than a vise, even with a shaft protecor. What is a ten cpm difference in a vice may result in a far less difference in a human hand. It would be diminishing returns (ie, less of a difference in cpm's) when swung by a person and is likely the reason why it hasn't had much impact on actually hitting a golf ball and why the concept is falling by the wayside.

I prefer a cord grip in Florida, because of sweating during our very humid months.

Lamkin Sonor Tour standard grips till I die! (or they get discontinued) The light gray ones, best grip ever made.