Do you know what is the most crucial aspect of the game of golf? If you’re thinking grip, then you’ve hit the nail right on the head. How you hold your precious golf club affects almost every single thing that occurs during your swing movement. No doubt, the grip is more important than stance, posture, and alignment. That said, what are the oversize golf grips pros and cons?
One of the pros of oversize golf grips is that it gives players better control of their swing. In contrast, oversize golf grip is not ideal for small hand golfers.
Let me make this very clear before I dive deeper into the topic at hand. That golf fundamentals like grip are open to more than just one way of doing it right. Likewise, there are plenty of ways for doing it wrong as well.
That said, let’s talk about the benefits of using an oversize grip in golf.
Oversize Golf Grips Pros and Cons – Advantages of Using An Oversize Grip In Golf
Did you know that the greater part of players uses standard grips on golf clubs? Even so, there are many who prefer playing with grips that are larger than the regular size.
These oversize grips, by the way, are no recent innovations in golf. They have existed for a good many years. However, it’s the more present-day ones that are larger in size. In comparison to the older grips.
As for the USGA rules regarding grip size, they allow a diameter of 1.75 inches. That means twice the size of normal grips. Most golfers don’t care for such oversize grips. But then there are a few that benefit a great deal…
#1 Oversize Golf Grip Is Good for Arthritis
Why use oversize golf grips in the first place? These are extremely useful for golfers struggling with joint pain or arthritis. Even those with a weak grip prefer playing with the oversized version.
Let talk about the golf grip size effect here. A smaller diameter demands a greater amount of strength. For holding the club more securely during the swing movement. In that case, an oversize grip doesn’t require you to squeeze your club too hard. Therefore, providing pain relief if you have arthritis. This explains why the best golf grips for seniors are the oversized ones.
Also, the larger the grip, the higher the shock absorption. And that equals to minimal stress in case you have a weak grip or hands.
#2 Oversize Golf Grip Feels More Relaxed
It’s not only senior or arthritic golfers that struggle with pressure on the grip. With a smaller grip, you’re bound to hold the club very tightly. So much so that the forearm muscles tend to tense up quite a bit. And then you have nothing but your tight muscles to blame in case you fail to generate a relaxed, smooth putting stroke.
If you can relate to any of this, then turn your attention to the oversize golf grip. I won’t deny that most professional golfers don’t use oversize grips. But that doesn’t mean these large grips are no good. Especially when it comes to helping amateur players minimize grip pressure at the time of their full golf swing.
#3 Oversize Golf Grip Creates Straighter Shots
Are shot shape and trajectory directly related to the grip? YES! And here’s how…
Your grip size, when too small, is more prone to hooking the golf ball. If you cannot hold the standard grip properly. Then your chances of consistently hitting golf balls that either hook or slice are very likely. Simply because your golf club is positioned incorrectly. Or it’s moving during impact.
So, at such times, what helps the most to correct the error is using an oversize grip. No doubt, it gets rid of the problem. Merely by allowing you to enjoy a firmer, more secure grip on your golf club.
Moreover, oversize golf grips contribute drastically when it comes to straightening out your hits.
#4 Oversize Golf Grip Gives You Better Club Control
How you grip your club and how tight that grip determines the success of your every shot in golf. No two ways about that. So if you’re comfortable using an oversize or larger grip. Then you’re more likely to hit the golf ball squarely during impact.
An improvement in the grip also paves the way for extra distance and power on your shot.
#5 Grip Pressure
Small or adequately-sized grips may help a golfer to grab the club comfortably. They can feel the shaft, which could enhance their control of the ball.
Unfortunately, players with big hands and a too-small grip may increase their hold on the shaft. The tight hold with intense pressure may usher bad strokes. Moreover, holding the grip with extreme pressure minimizes strength in every swing.
#6 Wrist Action
An oversized grip with thick material reduces wrist action, which more often leads to a twisted swing. Once this happens, the ball direction and flight might be affected. Players with big hands and wrists should use thicker oversized grips to minimize wrist movement.
On the positive side, an oversized grip helps a golfer utilizes wrists exceedingly while hitting pitch and chip shots.
#7 Helps Ball Trajectory
Non-tight grips enable a golfer to grasp the club with confidence. High confidence may lead to better ball trajectory (higher), resulting in superior control. A finer ball trajectory gives you further distance, especially from the tee.
#8 Comfort and Pain Relief
Young golfers without joint pains and muscle inflammations may not feel the brunt of a tight grip. But they might develop such conditions if they always compress the grip with extreme pressure. Senior players with body aches or arthritis may feel more comfortable using oversized grips.
Seniors always tend to bend their fingers less often when wearing oversized grips. The fewer you twist your fingers, the lesser you feel the pain from arthritis. We see a lot of seniors utilizing oversize or mid-size grips, yet they perform well inside the golf course.
Some of the senior golfers we talked to swear that oversized grips make them more comfortable on every swing. They asserted that jumbo grips ease the pain from arthritis.
Oversize Golf Grips Pros and Cons – Disadvantages of Using An Oversize Grip In Golf
Now it’s time for you to come face to face with the potential drawbacks of using an oversize grip. Luckily, there are only two. Meaning the pros outnumber the cons.
- Oversize golf grips hinder the way you hold as well as release the golf club.
- Oversize golf grips create directional problems.
Allow me to elaborate.
An oversize grip in golf can be either an asset or a hindrance. It all depends on the fit of the grip. One that’s larger than it should be creates a death grip. Meaning you feel like you’ve got to hold on to the club for your dear life. Or you could run the chances of your golf club flying down that fairway.
Also, it’s highly likely for all the additional girth of the grip to keep you and your hands form releasing the club. And that inevitably paves the way for a slice. Along the same lines, if you don’t release the club at the right time, you might be forcing the clubface closed. Therefore, a hook is unavoidable at such times.
Another very useful piece of information here is that putter grips seem like a better choice. Simply because they have huge variances already integrated into them.
A normal size grip, oftentimes, doesn’t fit. Because the ring finger tends to dig into the thumb pad. So the solution is making sure the grip offers a gap of 1/8 inches between the thumb pad and your ring finger. If you ask me, these are the ideal oversize golf grips for irons.
But keep in mind that oversize golf grips work for some players. While they don’t for the others. That’s only natural. So there’s nothing wrong about them if they don’t fit you. Or work in your favor.
Not Suitable for Golfers with Small Palms
Players with small hands have small palms. They cannot hold the grip tightly, unlike those with bigger hands. It may result in minimal control resulting in poor accuracy.
When doubting whether you can use oversize grips, you can check the size of your golf gloves. If you use Extra Large or Large gloves: you can fit into an oversize grip.
Less Feel
Oversize grips are thicker than standards. The added offers a minimal feel on every shot you make. It may lead to less accuracy because of poor control of the ball.
Weight
The additional mass on oversize grips may interfere with counterbalancing your shots. Beginners, seniors, and even ladies may struggle to swing the club with oversize grips.
What are Oversized Golf Grips?
Large or oversize golf grips are sometimes called mid-size or jumbo.
The USGA defines a golf grip as a material added to the shaft for golfers to hold firmly. The association does allow a maximum diameter of 1.75”. Manufacturers and golf experts have recommended sizes for specific hand sizes. Know them later.
If you fit in the Jumbo (oversize) category, it happens that you have bigger palms or hands. It is more recommendable for you to use oversize grips.
Why Golf Grips Are Important?
Golf grips are very crucial to attain the ideal swing. Many golf experts advised players to fit the grips first before anything else.
They are probably right. The grips are your direct connection to the golf club. Once you pick the wrong design and size, your performance will suffer.
Why Do Oversize Golf Grips Improve Your Game?
There is nothing more special in oversized grips: It is probably nature in the works. Oversized grips help those with large hands to overcome the effect of tight gripping that may result in poor shots.
But you must not pick an oversized grip too big for your hands. It is still more efficient to choose the adequate size of grips, but not tight on gripping. Having an oversized grip, especially mid or long-iron clubs, improves your feel of the club before and after a shot.
But to know if an oversized grip fits your hands: you can try clubs with different grip sizes, and find what is the most comfortable for you.
Are Oversize Golf Grips For Everybody?
We cannot tell the specific golf grip size for everyone. We suggest that: if you have big hands, go for oversized grips. But this might not be the case for everyone.
What we experienced is that golfers wearing XL golf gloves tend to use oversized grips. It is more comfortable for them, especially when their hand aches due to arthritis and other similar causes.
In contrast, those who wear medium-size or standard golf gloves might suffer the consequences of jumbo grips. It might give them more disadvantages than satisfaction using bigger grips.
Do Professional Golfers Use Oversize Golf Grips?
If you think the answer is either a YES or NO. Then let me tell you that it’s not as straightforward as that. However, it’s not uncommon to see professionals not using oversize grips. And that’s mainly because they employ layers of tape that are placed strategically.
But you should also know that the tape strategy is the best way to replicate the most beneficial aspects of an oversize golf grip. Thus, minimizing its worse aspects. Such as the reduced feel.
Average golfers, on the other hand, don’t get or wish to use this kind of an option. Only those with a handicap very low go for it. And golfers who don’t mind testing or experimenting a little.
What Are The Options For Grips?
Golf grips give you the ultimate feel on the shaft. The Lamkin Grips suggest four types of grips: undersized or junior grips, standard grips, midsize grips, and oversize or jumbo grips.
Here are some facts you should know before you switch to oversize grips if ever you decide.
Why do oversize grips influence play?
Every experienced golfer knows this: the shaft grip affects how you play. It is the performance that defines your proper grip selection.
An oversize grip helps minimize grip pressure. It makes the golfer feel more comfortable when striking the ball. In many instances, a bigger grip improves putting.
Why Oversize Grips Influence Control?
Oversized grips keep hands and wrists locked in position during a swing. It reduces the tension in the wrists and hands, thereby striking the ball with more control.
Why Oversize Grips Influence Swing?
Since an oversized grip is a little heavy compared to standard ones, it makes your swing more balanced. The add-on weight neutralizes the club head giving you more power, even for fast swingers.
But less experienced golfers may find it hard to close the club face before impact because of thick grips.
Why Oversize Grips Influence Distance?
Thicker grips may affect your distance in both ways. It may add or lessen range depending on the comfortability of the player using big grips.
Oversize grips can boost your control to improve distance resulting in fewer off-center hits. If the oversize grip does not fit your hands, you might end up with a slice or a hook.
Who Should Use An Oversized Grip?
Senior golfers with arthritis should use oversize grips. It could lessen the joint pain they feel now and then. Also, golfers with big hands should consider using jumbo grips.
Are Oversized Grips Good For Irons?
Big grips have a good impact when striking iron clubs. However, players with small hands should avoid using jumbo grips on irons.
For big-hand players, hitting an iron with oversize grips give them the most benefits. Even in mid- or long irons, oversize grips improve the feel of the club before and after the strike.
Oversized grips for Wedges
A wedge with a jumbo grip, like in irons: delivers a better feel for large-hand golfers. Oversize grips on wedges prevent you from overusing the wrist in every shot. If you are uncomfortable with a standard grip on a wedge, it is better to utilize a jumbo grip.
Putter Grip Size
A jumbo grip on a putter will aid in keeping your wrists latched into position without putting them under pressure. It can prevent ‘yips’ or involuntary wrist spasms.
Indications You Are Utilizing a Grip With a Wrong Size
Here are some signs that you are using the wrong grip size:
- You feel less or no control of the golf club
- Your hold on the club is too frail or too hard
- You are knocking hard when opening or closing the clubface at impact
- Your index finger does not have enough room: the grip is too small
- The grip is too big if there is a space between your finger and palm
How Do You Pick the Correct Golf Grip Size for Your Play?
Only you can tell if you need a standard-size golf grip, an undersized, or an oversized one. Here are two ways to select the proper grip size for your hand size.
1. Measure the size of your hand
Measure your hand length. Get a ruler (in inches) and measure the tip of your middle finger up to the crease of the palm. Once you get the length, consult the table below.
| Length of Crease to Fingertip (inches) | Recommended Grip Size |
| <5 | Junior |
| 5 to 6.5 | Undersize |
| 6.6 to 7.5 | Standard |
| 7.6 to 9 | Midsize |
| 9.1 to 10 | Jumbo or Oversize |
2. Try various sizes
Even though you already know the size of your hand, there is always a possibility that our recommended grip size may not suit your taste. We suggest that you try several sizes available to you, and from there, pick the best grip that suits you well.
Oversize Golf Grips Pros and Cons – Frequently Asked Questions
It is highly advisable to use grips that don’t look or feel worn out. That said, changing your grip once every 40 golf rounds is necessary. That should take around a year maybe. Or once per year is also a good option.
Players not contented with their strikes and outspread dissipation may switch to using oversized grips. But as we said, you can make an effort to test the clubs you are struggling with. Also, golfers with arthritis or persistent pain in their hands should use oversized grips with the proper hand gloves.
Yes, high-handicap golfers ought to use oversized grips if they have problems with too-tight grips. It is a clever option, especially when they have large hands. You can also try larger grips in golf Demo days or at a golf shop and decide what size fits you.
It is also advisable for high-handicappers to utilize oversized grips if they have larger than normal hands. But if their hands are small, it is better to use standard grips.
Everything depends on your hands’ condition. Many players started in golf with thin hands. During puberty, both our hands and feet grow fast than the bones in the legs and arms. You also grow taller. At this time, you may use standard golf grips that you are more comfortable using.
Standard golf grips fit golfers wearing medium-to-large golf glove sizes. If your hands comfortably fit these glove sizes, standard golf grips may apply.
As time flies, your hands grow faster: you might consider changing grips (from standard to medium or oversized) to accommodate the feel of your club.
When the grip is too big for your hands, it may restrict movement and slow down your hands. Also, it might lessen your normal swing speed and the power to square the clubface upon impact.
Like the proper knee support, you should also use the proper grip depending on the size of your hands. The golf grip should correspond to the needs of your hands. Yes, it is more logical to use an oversized grip if you have large hands.
Yes, jumbo golf grips ease the pain caused by arthritis or are experiencing hand strain.
You are using a grip too big if the tip of the middle finger does not touch your palm. Otherwise, your grip is too small if it digs too much into your palms and fingers.
If your grip is not compatible with your hand size, it is more likely to affect how low or high you hit the ball. The incorrect golf grip size can either limit your power in cleaning impact position or harder returning to such a stance.
Non-tapered golf grips have the same size from cap to tip. Using this kind of grip limits wrist action and pressure in every swing.
This is one of the most asked questions less experienced golfers always ask me. What I told them was this: know the measurement of your hands. Then, find the most appropriate grip size for you.
The answer seems fine, but I also believe that high-handicap players should try using oversized grips. It could make them swing easily with less vibration.
Yes, many professional golfers use oversized golf grips. One of them is Bryson DeChambeau.
Larger hand sizes do require (not at all times) to use oversize golf grips. It is the determining factor in what grip size you need.
The thickness of jumbo grips adapts to dull (weak) or unbiased (neutral) golf grips. However, jumbos might not be comfortable interlocking the palms of strong grippers.
The golf gloves you wear more frequently are one of the best references if you should switch grips. If your palms choke on extra-large gloves while using a medium-sized grip, maybe it is time to switch to jumbo grips.
As for me, I always use the same grip for every golf club: except the putter. Changing grip for every club might entail confusion in feel. It might lead to inconsistent shots.
Conclusion
So that’s the deal with oversize grips. They’re very useful for players who struggle with grip pressure. Thus, being the perfect choice for those dealing with arthritic or joint pain. Oversize golf grips also help a great deal when it comes to correcting swing flaws.
As for the drawbacks, the larger size keeps you from holding and releasing the club. If it doesn’t fit properly. That means you’re welcoming slices and hooks into your game. An oversize grip, at such times, can also give rise to directional problems.
Nonetheless, the benefits outweigh the setbacks. So just make sure the golf grip fits you, minus any complaints. No matter its size!
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Matt Stevens is the founder of Golfrough.com. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf since he was four years old. Having experienced every high and low golf has to offer, his writing helps the average golfer avoid the mistakes he has made in 28-years on the course.