grips - arthritis discussion

[MrFreeze]

Hello all,

I am in year three of my path of learning golf. :)  I have, so I am told, a naturally pure swing. I don't hit it far yet and my club head speed isn't all that high (95+/- mph). I have noticed these past couple of months that my hands get really sore, not hurt, but sore enough to reach for a heat lotion.

I have the stock grips on my set....The only one that has a bit larger grip is my YES! putter.

The questions I have is... when is it time to change to a larger grip size and what size should that be?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give...

Craig

[rkim291968]

I've been playing for 4 years and I had similar experience before.   So much so that I've bought oversize grips (Tacki Mac), switched to graphite regular flex.  The move helped.   But what helped me the most was easing my tension on grip.  Now, I don't have any pain on my hands.

[IvanSanders]

I was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis eight years ago. It had got worse over several decades, and reached the point that I often needed help simply to get out of bed the pain was so great. Usually it was nigh impossible to get my hands to my face for a morning wash. I decided to either top myself or fix myself. It made sense to initially give the latter a try.

I read all that I could on the condition and discovered that often the cause is an allergy. So I began charting food and liquid intakes and recording any effects.

I found that coffee had the most adverse effect on me. Three months after stopping drinking it I was 95% well, and 100% well not long afterwards. So I again took up golf. Pain was then replaced by madness.

Never roll over and give in. Everyone deserves good health.

[edindallas]

Glad you took the initiative to improve your health. Not enough people do that, no matyer how surprisingly easy it can be.

[GaijinGolfer]

Depends how big your hands are.  There really is no, "time" to change grip size.  Go to a golf shop, hold different size grips in your hands and see what feels good to you.

[rustyredcab]

Iomic Stick grips are expensive and (IMHO) the best out there. The Sticky 2.3's are regular size and softer than the midsize grips. I take a little taper out with two extra wraps on my lower hand.

I find these give me confidence to grip club lightly. I've even stopped wearing a glove. They last forever so, with the savings on no gloves, they will pay for themselves in a few years. :)

My hands used to get sore when I practice a lot. Never get sore since I bought these grips.

[IvanSanders]

I agree with Rusty....certainly in terms of traction I have never found better than Iomic Sticky grips. I use midsize for my woods and jumbo size for my irons.  However I wish that they did last forever! When the top of mine start to wear with my right hand thumb print I remove the grip and put it back on upside down. Combine that grip with a Cutters' glove and one can compete in hot humid inhospitable places like the U.S.A. in summer.  I've done it.

I hear the rifles loading. I'm gone.

[Bobtrumpet]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Go to a golf shop, hold different size grips in your hands and see what feels good to you.

Better yet, change the grip on one club, say, a 6 iron, and practice with it for a while and see if it works better than your prior grip. If it does, change them all out; if not, just change the one.

I switched to midsize grips (Golf Pride Tour Velvet) this year and really like them - and I wear a men's ML cadet glove (read: shorter than average fingers).

[MrFreeze]

Bobtrumpet (and all the others)

Thank you.

I will try chatting with the golf pro at my local course. Then I will try a midsized grip on my 7iron.

:)

ps - I don't drink coffee/caffeinated drinks:)

but I do play a CG Selmer

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Iomic Stick grips are expensive and (IMHO) the best out there. The Sticky 2.3's are regular size and softer than the midsize grips. I take a little taper out with two extra wraps on my lower hand.

I find these give me confidence to grip club lightly. I've even stopped wearing a glove. They last forever so, with the savings on no gloves, they will pay for themselves in a few years. :)

My hands used to get sore when I practice a lot. Never get sore since I bought these grips.

hmmmm, I have been trying to sell a Cleveland belly putter with Iomic grip. No takers after several tries. Decided to just keep it and alternate between the Cleveland and the Odyssey.

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by IvanSanders

I agree with Rusty....certainly in terms of traction I have never found better than Iomic Sticky grips. I use midsize for my woods and jumbo size for my irons.  However I wish that they did last forever! When the top of mine start to wear with my right hand thumb print I remove the grip and put it back on upside down. Combine that grip with a Cutters' glove and one can compete in hot humid inhospitable places like the U.S.A. in summer.  I've done it.

I hear the rifles loading. I'm gone.

Them ain't rifles, them's muskets.

[Bobtrumpet]

Originally Posted by MrFreeze

but I do play a CG Selmer

Nice horn! I play (but not much anymore) a large bore Benge 6X I bought new in 1975. Needs a lot of work now, but I still love it.

[NuclearMike]

I have psoriatic arthritis and for a couple of years used oversize Lamkin Crossline grips, even though they were actually a little big for my hands.  This season I switched to Winn DriTac midsize grips and have seen an improvement in my ball striking.  The Winns are softer than the Lamkins, so I don't feel the need to grip very hard.  They stay tacky in the Houston summer humidity and although they are reputed to wear out quickly my lower grip pressure has kept them in great condition since I put them on in February.  The change was really good for my hands as well as my golf.

[MrFreeze]

I have made the transition. I moved to the DriTac blue and black mid sized grips for all of my clubs.

 

Thank you for your help.