The Complete Handbook of Golf Club Grips

Chapter 1: Understanding Golf Club Grips

What a Golf Club Grip Actually Is

A golf club grip is the tubular sleeve that covers the butt end of the shaft, serving as the sole physical interface between the golfer and the club. It is not a handle in the sense of a rigid, pre-shaped part bolted onto a tool; it is a sleeve bonded to the shaft with adhesive tape and held in place by friction and an airtight seal. The grip's internal cavity is a hollow core sized to match the shaft's outside diameter, and its external surface is shaped with a specific profile that the golfer holds the entire round.

The grip performs three physical functions simultaneously. First, it transmits the forces generated by the hands to the shaft, allowing the golfer to control the club through the swing. Second, it provides tactile feedback about the club's position and movement, which is felt more through the last three fingers of the upper hand than any other body part. Third, it damps the vibration from a struck ball, reducing shock to the hands, wrists, and elbows. Every design decision a manufacturer makes — material, texture, taper, weight, hardness — is a trade-off among these three functions.

To that end, a grip is not a uniform sleeve. It has a thick, flared butt end that anchors in the palm of the top hand, a narrower body that lies along the middle fingers, and a slightly flared lower end that keeps the