Lamkin Golf Grips Review

Lamkin Golf Grips Review
Lamkin’s 2018 Grips. From top to bottom: Comfort Plus, Sonar and TS1.

Lamkin Golf Grips Review

Lamkin Comfort Plus Golf Grip
Lamkin Sonar Golf Grip
Lamkin TS1 Golf Grip
Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: You can’t miss with any of these

A couple of months ago, Lamkin sent samples of their 2018 grips for testing. I have been swapping the samples around on my driver and have found all three to be excellent choices. As I play bare-handed, grip comfort is my primary concern. A grip must offer enough tackiness and texture to stay put, but can’t have so much that it pinches or becomes abrasive. It is a fine line. Too little and the club twists. Too much and I end up with blisters. My go-to grip for several years has been the Winn Dri-Tac. It is very soft, and doesn’t slip. I’ve never had a blister, even after long range sessions.

Lamkin Golf Grips Review
Lamkin Sonar Golf Grip.

The Lamkin samples all offered good resistance to slipping and twisting, while being adequately soft. Ultimately, however, it all comes down to which one feels best in your own hand. My suggestion is to do as I have done, and experiment with the grips on your driver. For many golfers, that’s the most-used club. As the longest, it is also the one where control is likely to be the biggest issue. When you find one that you like on your driver, go all-in on replacement grips for your set.

I started with the TS1. Lambin bills the TS1 as a “high performance grip” with hybrid materials good for all-weather performance. I liked both the feel and steadiness of that grip. I would have left it on for the season but for the fact that I had two others to try.

The next I tried was the Comfort Plus. Lamkin says that the Comfort Plus offers a reduced-taper, straighter shape to reduce grip tension. It also has a micro-texture for a smoother surface. It was another good grip, but I didn’t like it as much as the TS1. I felt as though it didn’t offer as much proof against twisting and slippage as the TS1. However, as I noted above, it is all a matter of personal preference. I think that a lot of players will find this grip to their liking — particularly if you grip it a bit tighter than I.

Finally, I tested the Sonar. It has a deeper texture than the Comfort Plus and a nice tacky feel. Like the Comfort Plus, it also has a reduced-taper profile. Lamkin bills it as “suitable for a wide range of players.” I agree. I also really like the pattern on top which works as a reminder for thumb placement. The pattern keeps me from letting my hand slide under the club.

The Sonar stays put without twisting or slipping, and is easy on my bare hands. I felt no discomfort, even on a longish driving range session.

This one stays on my driver. I also plan to use the Sonar to replace the current grips on my irons when they wear out — likely sometime during the middle of the summer.

Based on my experience with Lamkin’s Crossline grips, I expect that the Sonar will wear well. Crosslines last as long as any I have ever used.

Lamkin was the United States’ first manufacturer of golf grips. It was founded by Elver B. Lamkin in 1925 in Chicago. The company remains in the hands of the Lamkin famil:. Robert J. Lamkin, representing the third generation of the company’s founder, became president and CEO in 2001. Their Crossline model is one of the best-known grips in the industry and adorns many manufacturers’ off-the-shelf clubs.

 

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