Where Can I Get Fitted for Golf Grips?

Having the wrong golf grips is like trying to run a marathon in shoes that are two sizes too big - it makes everything harder, less comfortable, and ultimately less successful. A proper grip fitting is one of the most impactful and affordable changes you can make to your equipment, yet it’s often overlooked. This guide will walk you through exactly where you can get fitted for grips and what the entire process looks like, so you can feel confident you have the right connection to your clubs.

Why a Grip Fitting is a Game-Changer

Your hands are the only connection you have to the golf club. If that connection isn't right, your body will instinctively make compensations to try and square the clubface at impact. This can lead to a host of problems that have nothing to do with your actual swing mechanics.

Imagine your grips are too small. To gain control, you'll likely squeeze the club too tightly. This creates tension in your hands, forearms, and shoulders, restricting your ability to make a free-flowing, powerful swing. Excess hand action often leads to a quick hook as your hands roll over too fast through impact. On the flip side, if your grips are too large, they can restrict your hands from releasing properly, often leading to a block or a slice because you can't square the clubface in time. It's not just about comfort, it's about giving yourself the best chance to deliver the clubhead properly on every swing.

The Signs You Need New Grips (or a Different Size)

How do you know if your grips are the problem? Aside from getting a professional fitting, there are a few tell-tale signs you can check for yourself. If you nod along to any of these, it's time to look into a new set of grips.

• They're Slick and Shiny: Your grips should have a slightly tacky, matte finish. Over time, heat, dirt, and oil from your hands break down the rubber, making them hard and slippery. If your grips look more polished than a bowling ball alley floor, they’re past their prime. Try scratching one with your fingernail, if it's hard as a rock and nothing flakes off, it's time for a change.
• You See Visible Wear or Cracks: Check the areas where your thumbs rest. If you see smoothed-out depressions or, worse, tiny cracks in the rubber, the material has lost its integrity. They won't provide the traction you need.
• You're Getting Hand Pain: Sometimes, pain or unusual fatigue in your hands, wrists, or forearms after a round is a sign that your grips are the wrong size. You might be squeezing too hard to compensate, or the grip material might be too firm for your preference.
• You Have a Persistent Shot Miss: If you’re fighting a constant hook or a nagging slice and lessons don't seem to be fixing it, your grip size could be a contributing factor. A simple grip change is an easy variable to eliminate.
• You Can't 'Feel' the Clubhead: The right grip transfers vibration and feedback from the clubhead to your hands. Old, hardened grips deaden that feeling, making it harder to sense where the club is during your swing.

Your Top Options for Getting Fitted for Golf Grips

Okay, so you’ve decided you need a fitting. Wonderful! But where do you actually go? You have several excellent options, each with its own set of benefits.

1. Dedicated Club Fitting Studios

Examples: Club Champion, True Spec Golf, GOLFTEC

This is the premium, white-glove experience. These facilities are staffed by dedicated, expert fitters whose only job is to dial in every aspect of a golfer's equipment.

Pros:

• Unmatched Expertise: The fitters are highly trained and often use launch monitors to see how changes to your grip affect ball flight in real time.
• Massive Selection: They will have a giant wall of every grip imaginable - different sizes, textures, materials, and brands. You can feel absolutely everything.
• Precision Process: The fitting is meticulous. They'll measure your hands precisely and use their knowledge to recommend things you may have never considered, like building up grips with extra tape for a perfect in-between size.

Cons:

• Cost: This is generally the most expensive option, as you're paying for the fitter's time and expertise in addition to the grips and installation.
• Appointments Needed: You can't just walk in, you'll need to book a fitting session in advance.

2. Big-Box Golf Retailers

Examples: PGA TOUR Superstore, Golf Galaxy

For most golfers, this represents the sweet spot of accessibility, selection, and price. These large stores have dedicated club repair and fitting areas ready to help.

Pros:

• Great Accessibility: These stores are located in many cities, and you can often get helped on a walk-in basis, especially on weekdays.
• Good Selection: While perhaps not as exhaustive as a premium fitter, they stock dozens of popular grip models from major brands like Golf Pride, Lamkin, and Winn.
• Convenience: You can usually get your clubs regripped while you browse the rest of the store. The turnaround is fast, sometimes within the hour.

Cons:

• Expertise Can Vary: While many staff members are knowledgeable golfers, the level of deep fitting experience can differ from one employee to the next. The fitting might be a bit more based on standard charts than nuanced analysis.

3. Your Local Golf Course or Pro Shop

This is a classic and very effective option. Your local PGA Professional knows you, your swing, and the conditions you normally play in.

Pros:

• Personalized Relationship: If you take lessons from the pro, they already have a deep understanding of your game and tendencies. They can recommend a grip that directly addresses your specific swing faults or goals.
• Trust and Convenience: There's a level of trust built in. Plus, it's convenient to get it done at the place you play most often.

Cons:

• Limited Selection: Pro shops are smaller operations. They will likely only stock the most popular grip models they have an account with, so your choice of brands and textures might be limited.

4. The DIY Route: A Note of Caution

It's entirely possible to buy grips online and all the tools (double-sided tape, solvent, vice clamp) to regrip your clubs yourself. This is the cheapest path, but it comes with a strong warning: only go this route if you’ve been professionally fitted first and know your exact specs. Installing grips isn't rocket science, but if you don't know your proper size or the right number of tape wraps, you're just guessing. My advice? Get fitted by a pro first. Learn your size. Then, if you want to save money in the future, you can confidently do it yourself.

What Happens During a Professional Grip Fitting?

A grip fitting is a simple, straightforward process that combines static measurement with dynamic feel.

Step 1: The Conversation. A good fitter will start by asking questions. What are your tendencies (hook, slice, push)? Do you feel pain? Do you play in humid weather often? What do you like or dislike about your current grips?

Step 2: The Static Measurement. The fitter will take two simple measurements of your hand (for right-handed players, it’s the left hand):

• From the crease of your wrist to the tip of your middle finger.
• The length of your middle finger.

These measurements correspond to a chart that gives a baseline recommendation - Undersize, Standard, Midsize, or Jumbo. This is just a starting point.

Step 3: The Feel Factor. This is the most important part. They’ll have you hold different grips and may even install a few options on a test club for you to swing. They want you to experience different textures, firmness levels, and shapes.

• Texture: Do you prefer the smooth, tacky feel of a Tour Velvet or the rough, high-traction feel of a corded grip for wet weather?
• Firmness: Softer grips (like those from Winn) can absorb vibration and are great for players with arthritis. Firmer grips offer more feedback and are preferred by many high-swing-speed players.
• Taper Profile: Some grips have a standard taper (thicker at the top, thinner at the bottom). Reduced-taper grips (like Golf Pride’s Plus4 models) are thicker in the lower hand area, which can quiet an overactive bottom hand and promote more equal pressure.

Step 4: The Fine-Tuning. The pro can add extra wraps of tape under the grip to build it up to the perfect size. Each wrap adds approximately 1/64th of an inch. This is how you really dial in a custom fit. Based on your feedback, they’ll confirm the right size, material, and texture for you, and you'll be on your way to a more confident connection with every club in your bag.

Final Thoughts

Getting your grips professionally fitted is a simple, high-impact way to improve your equipment without breaking the bank. Whether you go to a premium studio, a big-box retailer, or your trusted local professional, establishing the correct size and texture for your hands will increase comfort and remove compensations from your swing.

Once you have a set of grips that let you swing with confidence, you can focus on the other half of the battle: making smarter decisions on the course. While I can't be on the course with you physically, our Caddie AI acts as your 24/7 on-demand golf expert right in your pocket. If you're ever stuck on club selection, unsure about how to play a tough hole, or even in a tricky spot and need to know the smartest way out, you can just ask. I've built it to remove the guesswork from your strategy so you can step into every shot feeling clear and committed.