Product Review: Lamkin Grips

Golf’s off season has hit much of the country, but there’s no reason to put away your clubs just yet. Keep your putter out to practice on the carpet and do yourself a favor by swapping out your worn grips on the rest of the clubs.

Sweat, dirt and wear-and-tear wreak havoc on your grips. If you’ve lost tackiness, have them replaced. A grip slipping in your hand as little as 1/8 an inch can send your ball 20 yards off target. Let that sink in for a moment. You can strike the ball perfectly and still miss your target wildly if the club slips just a fraction.

Not sure what grips you should use? A good place to start would be the Lamkin Grips website. The company walks you through a four-step process:
Grip size - Do you want undersize, standard, midsize or oversize? If you’re not sure of your size, there’s a test you can perform with a ruler.
Weather conditions - You know the part of the country in which you play ... Are you playing in mostly dry conditions or do you play in wet and/or humid conditions? If you play without a glove and have sweaty hands, Lamkin suggests you select “wet” conditions.
Surface texture - A lighter surface pattern is smoother, provides more comfort and feels tackier. A heavier surface pattern offers more traction and promotes a slip-free connection with the club.
Material firmness - A softer material is ideal for player's looking for extra comfort. A firmer grip promotes enhanced swing control and provides exceptional torque rigidity; typically preferred by players with a high swing speed.

Answer these four questions and you receive recommendations. There are more than 30 styles from which to select and they come in a plethora of colors, ranging from standard black to pink, purple or lime green.

While you’re at it, consider the grip on your putter. You can shop for those, as well.

Gripes clean and reactivate grips

I tried the Z5 grips, which come in black, red and blue and cost $7.99 each. Assume the name is derived from the five zones on the grip. The horizontal pattern and cotton cord weave in the upper zones provide exceptional traction. The middle zone is designed to secure a golfer's thumb in a consistent, solid position. And the micro texture in the bottom zones provide a smoother, more comfortable feel in the non-glove lower hand.

Being from Ohio - with cold, wet springs and hot, humid summers - I need the all-weather performance, so the durable rubber compound should be ideal.

Now that you’ve replaced your grips, keep them looking and feeling like new with a package of Gripes - grip-cleaning wipes. These wipes quickly and easily remove dirt and grime from your grips and reactivate surface tackiness.

I tried Gripes out on my old grips and was pleased with the results. Not sure what the active ingredient is, but the wipes have a scent similar to Windex. One wipe can clean 5-10 grips, but I’d suggest staying on the lower end for best results, especially if the grips are very dirty.

Check out everything at www.lamkingrips.com.