Midsize vs Standard Golf Grip? Ultimate Size Guide!

For some reason, golfers don’t always consider the size of the grips on a set of golf clubs before committing to a purchase.

Grip size is sometimes seen as less important than shaft type and club feel, but in reality, it’s just as important.

While many recreational golfers are content with using standard golf grips without modification, there’s undeniably merit in attaching midsize grips to your golf clubs if they’re more appropriate for the size of your hands.

In this article, we explain the fundamental differences in the midsize vs standard golf grip comparison and answer some frequently asked questions about choosing the ideal grip size for your golf clubs.

What’s the Difference Between Midsize and Standard Golf Grips?

The main difference between midsize and standard golf grips is the size. Standard golf grips are designed for players whose hands measure 7 inches to 8.75 inches from the tip of the middle finger down to the wrist crease.

Conversely, midsize grips are perfectly suited to players with hand measurements of 8.25 inches to 9.25 inches.

In addition to midsize and standard grips, there are also junior grips and jumbo grips, which cater to smaller and larger-handed golfers respectively.

As such, when you’re working out the best grip size for your golf clubs, the most important consideration is the size of your hand, as this will influence your selection more than anything else.

Should I Use Standard or Midsize Golf Grips?

The easiest way to determine whether you should use standard or midsize golf grips is to measure your hands with a tape measure. This ensures a 100% fitting success rate.

You can use the list below as a guide to working out the most appropriate grip size for your hands:

Hand Measurements / Recommended Grip Size

• Below 7.0 inches: Undersize/Junior
• 7 to 8.75 inches: Standard
• 8.25 to 9.25 inches: Midsize
• 9.25+ inches: Jumbo

If you don’t want to measure your hands to ascertain the most appropriate grip size for your golf clubs, you can also use your glove size as a guide.

The list below indicates what sized grips you should opt for depending on the size of the golf glove that you wear:

Golf Glove Size / Recommended Grip Size

• Men’s Small/Women’s Small & Medium: Undersize
• Men’s Medium/Women’s Large: Standard
• Men’s Large/Women’s XL: Midsize
• Men’s XL/XXL: Jumbo

You should use standard grips if your hand measures between 7-8.75 inches from the tip of your middle finger to the wrist crease or if you wear a men’s medium or women’s large golf glove.

You should use midsize grips if your hand measures between 8.25 and 9.25 inches or if you wear a men’s large or women’s XL glove.

When Should You Use Midsize Golf Grips?

You should use midsize golf grips if your hands are slightly larger than standard. It’s really important to use grips that are the right size, as the whole mechanism of your swing can be affected if you use grips that are inappropriately sized.

As such, once you have taken your hand measurements, you should use midsize grips on all of your clubs if your hands are of the required size.

However, hand size isn’t the only thing you need to consider when you’re deciding on the size of your grips.

As you know, the feel of your clubs is so important when it comes to executing the perfect swing consistently.

If your clubs don’t feel comfortable in your hands, then it’s time to do something about your grips.

Some people opt for slightly thicker grips because they’re affected by vibrations from their shots or suffer from joint pain or arthritis.

Thicker grips offer more protection and are therefore much more comfortable for some players.

The same is true for golfers who feel that standard grips don’t provide them with the power they need to generate their desired ball striking.

Midsize and jumbo grips feel a little more sturdy than standard grips, which inspires some players to try them out to increase their distance.

It’s always a good idea to try some midsize grips out on the range before regripping your entire set of clubs, just to make sure they have the desired effect.

How Do I Know if I Need Midsize Grips?

The best way to know if you need midsize grips is to measure your hands or to consider your grip size in relation to your glove size. You might also be able to tell that you need midsize grips by considering your shot pattern.

This is typically affected by clubs that aren’t equipped with correctly sized grips.

Specifically, if you find that your golf club twists at the point of impact, it’s an indication that your grips aren’t the right size.

People who use grips that are too small will squeeze too tightly when holding the golf club, which results in a hook instead of seeing the ball fly straight down the fairway.

So, if you find that you’re regularly hooking your shots, it could be that your grips are a little on the small side.

However, if you’re using grips that are too big, the club is likely to come loose at the bottom of your swing, which opens the clubface.

The result will be slices that fly out to the right instead of moving towards the target.

While not everyone who uses the wrong sized grips will hit hooks or slices, considering the pattern of your shots in addition to your hand and glove size is the ideal way to ascertain whether or not you need to use standard, midsize, or jumbo grips.

Does a Midsize Golf Grip Help?

If the size of your hands is best suited to midsize golf grips, then it stands to reason that equipping midsize grips on your clubs will help you improve your game. It will rule out some of those embarrassing hooks and slices, as you’re able to grip your club effortlessly.

Also, you don’t need to worry about the club rotating in your hand as you execute your strike.

What’s more, using correctly sized grips helps you retain much more control over your ball striking.

This is because the clubs fit naturally into your hands and the mechanism of your swing is much more natural as a result.

While it’s inaccurate to say that a midsize golf grip will completely eradicate hooks, slices, and other poor shots, it will certainly help improve your overall game.

If you’re unsure about whether or not to change the grips on your clubs, we’d recommend heading out onto the range with a couple of clubs with different grips to see which feel the most natural and comfortable in your hands.

Are Midsize Golf Grips Better?

Midsize grips are not necessarily better or worse than undersize, standard, or jumbo grips, as it really just depends on which grip size is best suited to your hand size and setup. Remember, midsize only refers to the size of the grip and doesn’t take into consideration the style, design, and brand of individual grips.

There are so many different types of grips that you can opt for, including those from brands like Golf Pride, Lamkin, Super Stroke, Winn, and Karma.

You can buy grips from each of these brands in various sizes – including midsize – so it’s a good idea to research the various designs and materials available so you select a grip that is best suited to your game.

We wouldn’t recommend just opting for a grip because it’s midsize, as this doesn’t take into consideration the various other factors that make a golf grip good or bad!

If you’re unsure about which brand of golf grip to go for, speak to the pro at your local golf course or ask a custom club fitter for some advice before making your decision.

How Much Bigger Is a Midsize Golf Grip?

A midsize grip is around half an inch bigger than a standard grip. In terms of diameter, a midsize grip is 1/16 larger than the standard. But this additional diameter can make a huge difference, and it can be the difference between regularly slicing and hooking shots and firing your long irons down the middle of the fairway.

Granted, not everyone can afford to splash out on brand-new custom clubs, but grips typically cost less than $10, and you can get your whole set regripped for around the $100 mark.

Therefore, regripping your clubs to ensure they’re the correct size is a super cost-effective way of improving your golf equipment without breaking the bank.

It’s definitely worth your while to approach a custom club fitter if you’re planning to regrip your clubs, as you want to make sure that you get properly sized and fitted for the most appropriate grips.

Asking a fitter to then attach your grips also means you don’t have to regrip your clubs yourself, which removes some of the margins for error.

Yes – It’s Important to Get the Golf Grips Right!

As we’ve explained, there are subtle but important differences in the midsize vs standard golf grip debate. Although often overlooked, the size of your golf grips is extremely important and will affect the mechanisms of your swing and your shot pattern.

If you haven’t done so already, we’d advise you to measure your hands and consider the most appropriate grip size based upon our guide above. The simple act of changing your grip can improve your consistency and reduce the frequency of hook and slice shots while you’re out on the golf course.