Midsize Golf Grips vs. Standard (Upgrade?)

Your golf club’s grip can affect every aspect of your swing. If your grip is too big, it can slip out of your hands, and if it’s too small, it can twist when you swing, greatly reducing your accuracy. There are many types of golf grips, with standard and midsize being the most common styles.

Midsize grips are usually about ⅛” (0.32 cm) thicker than standard grips. They tend to be a bit more padded, which improves their comfort. You should choose your golf grip based on how it fits in your hand.

In this article, I’ll discuss what you should consider when deciding whether to upgrade to midsize golf grips or stick to the golf grips that come with a standard set of golf clubs. Additionally, I’ll explain how to choose the grip that brings out your best.

Who Should Use Midsize Golf Grips?

People with bigger hands (here’s looking at you, Lana Kane) should choose midsize golf grips because they’re thicker than standard golf grips. However, they’re not oversized like jumbo grips. 

Midsize golf grips are great for people with joint pain because they have cushions that reduce the strain on your wrists while keeping them aligned.

Here’s how to know if midsize golf grips are right for you:

• If your fingers press into your palms while holding the grip, you should get a midsize grip. This is a clear indication that your golf grip is too small for your hands, which can have multiple negative consequences. For example, it can shift the club, preventing optimal traction and stopping you from driving the golf ball.
• I recommend getting midsize golf grips if you suffer from arthritis. The added padding is great for people who experience discomfort during their backswing and downswing. It also keeps you from having to squeeze too tightly, which lightens the strain.
• Midsize golf grips are suitable for people whose wrist-to-fingertip measurement is between 7.6” to 9” (19-23 cm). This is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to know if midsize grips are right for you. If you don’t have any joint or muscle issues, this is the range you should reference if you’re in the market for an upgrade.
• If you prefer oversized gloves, combine them with midsize golf grips to assist your hand and wrist positions. This is one of the rare circumstances in which a person who would normally go with standard golf grips should switch to midsize golf grips. Dense, thick padding changes your grip size and wrist-to-fingertip measurement.

The Champ Key Traction-X Golf Grips (available on Amazon.com) come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. They have mid-level traction, so they’re ideal for wind, rain, and sunshine. They’re only 47 grams (1.66 oz), so they won’t add too much weight to your backswing.

Each golf grip even comes with hand alignment symbols to help you correctly position your hands.

Who Should Use Standard Golf Grips?

Most people should use standard golf grips if it allows their fingertips to touch their palms without pressing them inward. Your fingertips should barely touch your palms. 

If there’s a gap, you should downsize to undersized golf grips, which are often used by growing teens and young adults with small hands.

Below are some criteria to help you decide whether to use standard golf grips. 

• Measure your hands and use standard golf grips if your wrist-to-fingertip distance is 6.6” to 7.5” (17-19 cm). This will ensure you don’t have too big of a grip. Measure the crease where your wrist bends below your palm to the tip of your middle finger. Then, wrap your hands around the grip.
• If you want to replace your stock golf club grip with the same size, you should choose a standard golf grip. Almost all golf clubs come with standard grips (hence the name ‘standard’). This will ensure your golf grip feels familiar when your current grips wear down or tear apart.
• If you need to improve your hand reaction time and club forgiveness, standard grips could be the right choice for you. There’s a lot more traction with standard grips for the average golfer. With more traction comes less chance of slipping or rotating your hands too much on your downswing.
• If you don’t want to replace their golf club’s grip, just stick with standard golf grips. You won’t find too many golf clubs with midsize grips, jumbo grips, undersized grips, etc. However, the majority of golfers will be fine with standard grips.

The SAPLIZE Golf Grips (available on Amazon.com) come in a wide color selection, and let you choose between standard or midsize grips. They have textured, non-slip grips and porous, breathable material, a combination that prevents sweating, slipping, and other issues. They also have pointers to show you where to place your fingers.

What To Know Before Picking Your Golf Grip

Before picking your golf grip, it’s important to know what size, length, and texture you’re looking for. While choosing the right brand matters, you should focus more on customer reviews. All golf clubs come with standard grips, but you can swap out the grip with many other sizes if your hands are smaller or bigger than standard sizes.

Ask yourself these questions to know which golf grips are right for you:

• How do your fingers fit on the grips? If your fingertips can’t touch your palms, you should downsize, regardless of your current grip size. You can go to junior or undersized grips if this issue happens with the club’s stock wraps or grips. You could also go up one size to midsized if your fingernails press into your palms.
• Is your club shifting or rotating when you swing? Your club shouldn’t move at all in your hands. You should be able to swing with your thumbs in the same position at the top of your backswing to the end of your downswing.
• Do you have wrist pain on your backswing or downswing? If so, consider going up a size. If you have a standard golf grip, go to midsize. If that’s too small, try a jumbo golf grip. You can also wear gloves if you don’t want to change your grips too much.
• Do you wear gloves when you golf sometimes? If you have oversized gloves, you might want to go down a grip size. Your club could fit completely differently when you wear gloves compared to using the grips with your bare hands. Your grips and gloves should always be tested together.
• Have you ever tried other golf grips? You might have luck getting a variety pack of grips to know which ones work best with your swing. Many golfers change their grips as they get closer to the green to optimize grip instead of distance.

Key Takeaways: Standard Golf Grips vs. Midsize Golf Grips

Although an eighth of an inch might not seem like a lot, it can change how you swing on the fairway and the green. Measure your hands, test your hand positioning, and test both grips on a golf course if all else fails. You can also use different grips on different clubs, depending on where you are on the course.