please explain grip sizing to me

[FireDragon76]

In the past when I regripped irons I ordered Golf Tour standard grips.  I bought them on sale from a golf supply company that has since gone out of business.  Recently I bought some grips of different kinds from Amazon- Karma brand.  Some were midsize, some were standard.  Being half-educated in the subject, I figured they were equivalent.  I didn't notice the difference when I regripped three clubs in my set.  And in my hands, I can't tell much difference in terms of the grip.   The midsize is slightly bigger, and the standard is slightly smaller, but in both cases my fingers touch my palm in my left hand, with the standard grip the fingers pushing into the palm just a little.  I wear a medium large glove and I have slender fingers and it almost feels like I'm between the two sizes.

[joekelly]

I believe that you can use a standard size grip, add a few layers of tape, install grip and it will be fatter. If can be done without using air pressure installation, i do not know.

[iacas]

Undersize is smaller. Regular is regular. Midsize is larger. Oversized is larger still.

You can add extra tape to thicken grips slightly. You can stretch grips a little to thin them out a bit.

[boogielicious]

http://www.golfpride.com/fit/

And

http://www.golfpride.com/faqs/

Quote:

HOW DO I KNOW THE PROPER SIZE GRIP?

Grip size can be a critical element in club fitting and performance. While standard size grips are adequate for the vast majority of golfers, many players can benefit from oversize or undersize grips. Conventional wisdom holds that a proper size grip permits the fingers in a golfers top hand to barely touch the palm. Unfortunately this rule of thumb does not address many other grip and swing issues, and the only sure-fire way to learn proper grip size is to seek the advice of a PGA golf professional or professional club-builder, who can make a recommendation based on your personal hand size, swing technique, and shot pattern. In the past, golf grips came in only a few sizes. Any size not offered had to be achieved through build-up tape. Now, grips are made in a wide variety of sizes: junior, undersize, standard, midsize, and jumbo.The following measurements detail differences in grip outside diameter with one wrap of two-sided tape.

Undersize: 1/64 of an inch smaller than Standard.
Midsize: 1/16 of an inch larger than Standard.
Jumbo: 1/8 of an inch larger than Standard.

Quote:

HOW CAN I GET AN “IN-BETWEEN SIZE” GRIP?

Grip size can have a visible effect upon your shot pattern and shaping, so proper grip size is very important. The sizing chart below shows how mixing grip core size with shaft size can “customize” grips. Also, grips can be built up by adding wraps of tape to the shaft – one wrap will increase grip size by 1/64, two wraps 1/32, etc. Or the easy way to achieve an oversized grip is to start with one of Golf Pride’s Midsize models. And no guesswork is needed

	On Shaft:
Grip Size:	.560	.580	.600	.620	.690 +
56	Std.	+1/64	+1/32	NR	NR
58	-1/64	Std.	+1/64	+1/32	NR
60	NR	-1/64	Std.	+1/64	NR
62	NR	NR	-1/64	Std.	NR

[FireDragon76]

It looks like I might want to have a pro look at my hand grip.  I've been trying to work on that lately due to the fact several people here have said it looks like I have a palm grip on the club.

[newtogolf]

I've been told you want a grip that allows your middle and ring fingers to wraparound and just barely touch the base of your thumb / hand.

[Dave40]

Small changes in grip can have a big impact on the swing.

[drifterdon]

I watched a show that had John Daly discussing his swing once on the Golf channel Academy and he said that he uses oversize grips because it keeps him from hitting the ball to the left of where he is aiming. Has anyone ever heard of grip size making a difference in where the ball goes? I'm sure the wrong grip size makes a big difference but does anyone else use it to change the direction on purpose? I have small hands and am measured for a -1/32 grip and always wondered if I could get by with a standard grip since there is a huge selection to be had in standard size.

[dkolo]

I watched a show that had John Daly discussing his swing once on the Golf channel Academy and he said that he uses oversize grips because it keeps him from hitting the ball to the left of where he is aiming. Has anyone ever heard of grip size making a difference in where the ball goes? I'm sure the wrong grip size makes a big difference but does anyone else use it to change the direction on purpose? I have small hands and am measured for a -1/32 grip and always wondered if I could get by with a standard grip since there is a huge selection to be had in standard size.

Makes some sense. If I squeeze my grip harder at address, it closes the clubface, so it points it left.

[SavvySwede]

Small changes in grip can have a big impact on the swing.

I don't think there is much impact at all. I have used standard, midsize, and oversize grips, the feel is a bit different but you adjust in a couple of weeks. I think you would only see a problem if you have very small or very large hands.

[MrFlipper]

I watched a show that had John Daly discussing his swing once on the Golf channel Academy and he said that he uses oversize grips because it keeps him from hitting the ball to the left of where he is aiming. Has anyone ever heard of grip size making a difference in where the ball goes? I'm sure the wrong grip size makes a big difference but does anyone else use it to change the direction on purpose? I have small hands and am measured for a -1/32 grip and always wondered if I could get by with a standard grip since there is a huge selection to be had in standard size.

Theory is (or used to be) that a bigger grip would make you hold it more in your palm, so harder to hook. Like wise a smaller grip made you hold it more in your fingers, easier to release, thus promoting a draw.

I buy the bigger grip promotes a fade theory. I have midsize grips now but years ago had jumbo equivalent when the only way to get grips bigger was to put tons of tape under them. Then came arthritic grips and non-arthritic people tried them and liked the size. Regular grips now feel like pencils to me. But I play a cut so it all kind of fits together.

Plus lots of folks that used to play baseball like bigger grips, feels more like a baseball bat.

I'd say now try whatever feels good, but recognize what you might be promoting with your grip, assuming there is any science behind what I'm saying

[iacas]

I don't think there's very much truth to it. More about what makes your grip feel good.

I've grabbed oversized grips and undersized ones and can hit whatever shot I need to. Like when I play with my wife's clubs sometimes. I don't suddenly start pull-hooking everything.

[drifterdon]

I don't have a problem with hooking it. I just consistently hit left. I am working on my aiming but straight and to the left is where I always end up. I just wondered if maybe trying standard grips would have any affect on this or do I just need to drill more on aiming correctly.