Your only connection to the golf club is the grip, yet an oversized one can feel a bit strange or unfamiliar at first. So, what exactly is it designed to do? This article will walk you through everything you need to know about oversize golf grips, from what they are and who they can help, to the potential downsides and how you can figure out if they’re a good fit for your game.
At its heart, an oversize golf grip, often called a jumbo grip, is simply a grip with a larger outer diameter than a standard one. If you picked one up alongside a standard grip, you’d immediately feel that it’s thicker and fills your hands more completely.
Think of it in terms of shirt sizes. Golf grips come in a range of sizes to Brt different hand sizes and swing types:
While the terms "midsize" and "oversize" are often used, grip sizing is actually more precise. Manufacturers measure grips with a system that usually involves fractions of an inch, like +1/16” or +1/8” over standard. An oversize grip is typically anything +1/16” or larger. This allows club fitters to dial in the perfect feel for a player down to the millimeter by adding or removing layers of tape underneath the grip during installation.
But beyond just the physical dimensions, the a more important question is what this larger size does for a golfer. The true a purpose of an oversize grip is to change the way your hands interact with the club, influencing everything from swing tension to clubface control.
Switching to a different grip size seems like a small change, but it can have a profound impact on your swing and comfort on 'the course. Here’s a breakdown of the key reasons why a golfer might choose an oversize 'grip.
This is arguably the most significant benefit. When a grip is too small for your hands, your fingers and thumbs have to wrap farther around and clench more tightly to secure the club. This leads to what we coaches call "grip strangulation," where you hold on far too tightly.
That tension isn't isolated to your hands, it radiates up through your wrists, into your forearms, and all the way to your shoulders. A tense swing is a jerky and inconsistent swing. It ruins your tempo and blocks the natural, free-flowing motion needed for power and accuracy.
An oversize grip fills your hands more, so you don’t need to squeeze as hard to maintain control. It encourages a much lighter, more relaxed grip pressure. With less tension in the system, your arms can swing more freely and your wrists can hinge and release in the proper sequence, creating a smoother, more powerful arc.
For many golfers, playing a round comes with the price of sore hands and joints. This is especially true for golfers dealing with arthritis, tendinitis, or other hand-related ailments. The simple act of clenching a standard-sized grip for four hours can be painful.
Because an oversize grip has a wider diameter, your fingers don’t have to close as much to hold it. This small change makes a monumental difference. It significantly reduces the strain on your finger and wrist joints. Many golfers with arthritis who thought their playing days were numbered have found new life in the game simply by switching to jumbo grips. It makes golf accessible and, more importantly, enjoyable again.
Do you fight a persistent hook? Does the club feel like it’s "flipping over" too quickly through impact? Your hands and wrists might be too active in your swing.
This is another area where oversize grips shine. A thicker grip naturally restricts the amount of wrist rotation you can create during the swing. It makes it physically harder for your hands to roll over aggressively, which is a common cause of a snap hook (a low shot that curves sharply to the left for a right-handed golfer). By minimizing this excess motion, the grip helps you keep the clubface squarer to the target line through the hitting zone. This often results in a a much tighter shot dispersion and more shots finding the fairway or green.
This is the most straightforward 'benefit of all. ' If you have 'large hands '(you might wear a Large, XL, or XXL 'golf glove), 'a standard grip probably feels like you’re cầm a toothpick. It can be uncomfortable and promote that tight, tense death grip we talked'about earlier.
An oversize 'grip'simply 'fits better. It provides a'more secure and comfortable'connection 'to the club, 'giving'you 'the a confidence that the 'club isn’t going 'to slip or twist during your'swing.
'While 'they offer a lot of 'benefits, oversize 'grips aren't'a'universal 'solution 'for everygolfer's'ails.'Here 'are 'a few 'potential 'drawbacks'à 'keep'n 'mind.
This is the flip side of the "quieting the hands" benefit. For a golfer whoalready struggles with slicing the ball or leaving the clubface open at impact,an oversize grip can 'sometimes make'the'problem 'worse. By 'slowing'down'the'natural'release 'or 'rotation 'of the hands'through 'impact,'it 'can prevent 'the golfer'from'squaring the'clubface 'in 'ime, leading'to pushed 'or'sliced'shots 'that go to the 'ight (for 'a right-handed player).
The thicker material of an 'versize grip can 'ometimes 'dampen 'the 'vibrations'that 'travel 'up 'the shaft to your 'hands'at 'mpact. Some highly 'killed 'players prefer'a 'standard grip 'because they'feelit'gives them more precise 'feedback on where 'the'ball made contact 'on 'the 'clubface. For most amateurs, this difference is negotiable and outweighed by the 'benefits of reduced grip pressure, but it’s something to be'aware of if you prize maximum a feel in your short'game.
Oversize grips 'can be heavier than standard grips. a While a few grams an a might 'no seem 'like much, 'it changes'a club's balance 'oint. A heavier'grip will slightly reduce'a 'club’s 'swing'weight, 'a which is'how ‘heavy’ the 'lubhead 'feel’during the "swing. 'ost golfers'won't notice 'a significant difference, and 'lightweight 'versions of 'versize grip 're available 'to 'minimize this 'effect.
Figuring out if jumbo grips are a good fit for you doesn't require complex scientific analysis. Here’s a simple process you can follow to see if you should make the switch.
Start by asking yourself a few simple questions:
If you answered "yes" to one or more of these questions, you are a prime candidate for oversize grips.
This is a classic 'pro tip for sizing a your'grips.'Take'your'normal 'grip'on 'a'clubwith'your top hand (left 'handfor 'a 'irightie).
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