Benefits Of Midsize Golf Grips Vs Standard & Oversized – Which One To Choose

Choosing your golf club and getting it set up perfectly for you can be overwhelming.

You will constantly hear recommendations about which golf grip to choose and why.However, the truth is, it really depends on you and the type of golfer that you are.

Choosing a golf grip doesn’t have to be a mystery. We’ve put together a short guide with some helpful tips and information to help you choose the best golf grip for your needs.

Our hope is that you will know whether you should choose oversized, standard, or midsize when you’re finished here!

It’s All About Your Game

Let’s just start out by saying that choosing a golf grip really depends on your personal needs and your personal experiences as well.

I’ve found that while one pro might tell me I should use an oversized grip; another will tell me the opposite.

So besides the actual size of your hands, the golf grip size that you chose to use, will come down to your own level of play and skill.

Here’s a great video resource for you that provides a pretty great overview of choosing the correct size of golf grip for you.

How Important Is The Golf Grip?

You know the club style and design are important for your play. You have to hone your skills and practice and things like loft angles and other factors can sometimes have a major impact on your game.

Your grip can make a difference, much like these other factors. For the most part, a standard grip is sufficient for most skill levels. This is your average basically.

There are scenarios where some golfers or certain clubs and plays can find some benefit to using both undersized and oversized grips in some capacity.

Here’s the thing to be mindful of though. It’s important to know that a grip that is either too small or too large might actually have a negative effect on your swing.

 

What Grip Sizes Are There?

There is of course the standard grip but then you can also choose midsized, undersized, and oversized grips as well.

According to Golf Tips, standard grips typically are designed for hands that are anywhere from 7 to 8 ¾ inches from your wrist to the tip of your middle finger, which is usually your longest finger.

From there, you have undersized grips that are usually used for juniors but also good for small hands. They are best for less than 7-inch hand measurements. Midsize grips are designed for hands approximately 8 1/4 inches to 9 1/4 inches.

Finally, there are oversized grips, which are sometimes also called jumbo grips. These are for large hands that measure 9 1/4 inches or more.

In cases where it still seems like the shaft is not large enough, some golfers increase their grip using tape as well.

 

How Can Grip Size Affect Your Play?

Interestingly enough, the grip can affect your play. It seems like such a trivial detail but it does matter.

The Left Rough reviewed a study completed by Golf.com and the information was certainly interesting.

In the study, they used a variety of grips and used a monitor for tracking the grips and swings.

What the study found was that the majority of players actually play with the incorrect grip size. The study revealed that this applied to 90% of players in the study.

From the same study, they found that the grip sometimes cost only 1-3 shots but there were also times it cost as many as 5 shots per round. It’s a staggering difference when your goal is the low score, right?

Something else you should consider is that your swing can also make a difference on the grip you need. For players who tend to play outside to inside, using a smaller grip can be helpful.

However, if you tend to have a dig draw or hook, using a larger grip can help here.

What Is A Midsize Grip?

The midsize grip is just slightly larger than a standard grip, measuring 1/16 of an inch larger. These are a slight cross between the standard grip and the oversized or jumbo grip.

The South Hampton Golf Club puts out a very helpful size chart that shows you how to measure the hand and exactly what measurements fall into which size category. With the midsized grip, you get a slightly larger than standard which may just give you that slight adjustment you need.

Midsize grips are designed for hands that measure approximately 8 1/4 inches to 9 1/4 inches from wrist to middle finger tip.

Benefits Of A Midsize Grip

The midsize grip is a great grip for in-between needs. While the average golfer uses the standard grip, we see from the earlier study mentioned that the average really isn’t working as well as people think.

If you can save a few shots per game, why not adjust your grip to do so! Midsize golf grips can often coincide with a golfer that uses an oversized glove. It can also be helpful for a player with arthritis and dampening unwanted vibrations on impact.

The midsize grip is ultimately designed to help your hand bend less and you don’t have to close quite as much in the grip.

The primary benefit of the midsize grip is the ability to help arthritis but also to relieve pressure from the grip if your hands are small.

It feels better when you have a powerful swing as well as it tends to dampen a lot of the vibrations from off center hits and feels smoother in general.

Finally, a midsize grip might just help get your clubface more square at impact.

 

Midsize Golf Grip Vs. Standard

When you compare a midsized grip to a standard grip, the midsized grip is just slightly larger.

The size of the grip is only minimally different but it makes a notable difference in your hands. Standard grips are for hands that measure 7 inches to 8 3/4 inches while midsize grips are for hands that measure 8 1/4 inches to 9 1/4 inches.

It is also recommended that you can choose your grip based on your glove. If you wear a men’s medium or medium-large glove, you most likely need a standard grip. A men’s large glove is more in line with the measurements for a midsized grip.

Midsize Golf Grip Vs Oversized

The midsized grip is in between a standard grip and an oversized grip. The oversized grip is just slightly larger than the midsized grip.

When you compare measurements, oversized grips are for hands that measure anywhere over 9 1/4 inches from the wrist crease to your middle finger tip. This also compares to a player that wears an extra-large glove in men’s glove sizes. The oversized grip is approximately 1/8 of an inch larger than that of a standard grip.

The oversized grip is 1/16 of an inch larger than the standard grip. This is how minimal the difference is in measurements but remember that menial difference can affect your play.

Remember that the midsized golf grip is designed for hands that measure anywhere from 8 1/4 inches to 9 1/4 inches.

Should I Use The Same Grip On Every Club?

Some golfers find that using different grips on different clubs can be beneficial. Even though there is a standard measurement chart for choosing grips, there are times that sizing up or down might help you.

The size of grip you need might even vary depending on the style of grip that you prefer. There are both rubber grips and corded grips.

According to South Hampton Golf Club, you want your fingers to close around the grip with the two middle fingers just almost touching your heel of the hand. There will be the tiniest bit of a gap.

If your fingers are digging into your heel, it’s too small and if there is a noticeable gap, it’s too large.

You should try to hit with the grip to determine how it affects your swing.

It’s a good idea to try different grips on different clubs to see how they feel and swing in your hands since clubs are built differently.

Advantages Of Getting A Fitting

It can definitely be in your favor to get a fitting. Some websites, like Golf Pride have helpful tools on their website to give you tips for measuring and fitting. There are even options for trying out clubs online.

If you feel like the best way to get your fit is to try it out in person then you should most definitely visit a golf store for fitting purposes.

Getting a fitting can be beneficial because they have experience and training in looking at your form and your grip and knowing when a grip should be adjusted for best practice.

Conclusion

Having the right grip for your hands really does matter when it comes to having the best grip and swing for your game.

Use these tips and tools to help you determine if you should consider a different grip size. Remember that standard is not always the answer for every golfer.

Measure your hand – what category does a simple measurement place you into?