Golf Pride Concept Helix Grips

The concept is pretty crazy and something I could get behind. $10 a grip is nothing outlandish either.
 
With all the twisting, I’m not sure how an Arccos-like sensor in the grip would work. Wondering if a hole in the top cap to add a sensor post-installation is feasible in the future.
 
This is really cool. I like that there seems to be no wait time after installation to put them in play. I would assume if these are successful they would have a wider range of grip choices. Very cool.
 
Excellent writeup my man. The bolded is what I'm curious about. If they are priced too high I don't think they will do well.

thanks dude. yeah, if the price is quite a bit higher than a normal grip, i don't think this will gain much traction even though it's a fantastic concept.

a couple things i didn't mention in my write-up but are probably worth pointing out (i think others may have mentioned this), is these grips are not currently compatible with any data capturing system like arccos that requires a sensor to be screwed into the butt end of the club. also, these grips are HEAVY, so swingweighting should be monitored closely for golfers who are sensitive to and/or care about that.
 
What a game changer! You definitely shouldn't have an Judge Smails incidents!
 
With all the twisting, I’m not sure how an Arccos-like sensor in the grip would work. Wondering if a hole in the top cap to add a sensor post-installation is feasible in the future.

Will be interesting to see if that is possible, right now the acrnonym of the tech is in the middle of the red cap
 
i'm pretty surprised by this. i expected them to be a lot higher.
Always nice to be pleasantly surprised on price! I too expected more.
 
Excellent writeup @Molten! I too was chosen to test the new product. Not ever having replaced my own grips, I was amazed how simple the process was with these Helix grips. Golf Pride did a great job with the step by step videos. They are dummy-proof. trust me. After taking off the old grip and tape (which took the longest time in the process), slipping on the new grips was a piece of cake. And if you put it on wrong (as I did the first time-not pushing it far enough down the shaft) it was quick to take off and restart again.

The only advice I'd give is if you are going to replace more than 1 grip, wear gloves. By the fourth grip installation, the turning made my hands raw.
 
I really enjoyed this article, thanks @Molten

The concept is super cool. I'll still need a bunch of validation as I believe myself to be a 'glue down for life' kind of guy, but it seems pretty damn sound.
 
I really enjoyed this article, thanks @Molten

The concept is super cool. I'll still need a bunch of validation as I believe myself to be a 'glue down for life' kind of guy, but it seems pretty damn sound.
Its a lot of turning and twisting but literally no mess and only takes a few minutes. Plus you don't need a vice or anything. It took me a few times to get it right but once you get it, its fairly easy.
 
any concerns with over tightening? Or losing tension over time?

nope, no concerns with over tightening. based on my experience, i don't think this would adversely affect the grip. and after hitting a bunch of balls over several weeks, including in hot humid conditions, i saw no release of tension whatsoever.
 
@Canadan - I agree with @jdtox - the grips were so simple to install, I was able to install the grip with one hand. With the red install tool, the grip just slid down the shaft.
 
As a pre release tester and a absolute newbie at grip changing I was blown away with how easy this was. Hardest part was the old tape removal. Once that was done, new grip installation took about a minute from bare shaft to swinging the club. :)
I, too, was chosen to test these and that pretty much in a nutshell was my experience. The hardest part was removing the old grip, mostly the old grip tape. Other than that the installation of the grip and even removing it were extremely easy even though I have never changed a grip before. I have had no issues with the grip slipping or moving and I really like the feel of the grip in my hands. I have not used built up grips before but these felt a little built up compared to what my standard grips feel like.

I just checked the price on their site and at $9.99/grip it is a pretty reasonable price, especially when you consider no other tools or materials are needed and you don't have to pay anyone to install them for you. I believe there have been other attempts using different methods to try to achieve what these Helix grips are able to accomplish with little widespread acceptance or success. I think these grips will succeed where others have failed.

For me, the biggest drawback is incompatibility with any shot tracking system out there as there is no way to screw a sensor into the butt of the grip. I suppose if someone wanted to cut the threads off the sensors and glue or tape them to the grip that could be done but would not, personally, be my choice as I have lost a putter sensor I could not screw into a Stroke Lab putter very securely. Maybe those who make the shot tracking systems could offer sensors without threads to be glued on, similar to what Shotscope has done with putter sensors.
 
@Canadan - I agree with @jdtox - the grips were so simple to install, I was able to install the grip with one hand. With the red install tool, the grip just slid down the shaft.
For me it's more like... velcro vs laces.. There's something incredibly comforting in knowing the grip is totally glued.
 
For me it's more like... velcro vs laces.. There's something incredibly comforting in knowing the grip is totally glued.
Once on, these feel pretty dang solid, more solid than velcro ;). It's like the grip gets tied to the shaft as you twist.
 
thanks dude. yeah, if the price is quite a bit higher than a normal grip, i don't think this will gain much traction even though it's a fantastic concept.

a couple things i didn't mention in my write-up but are probably worth pointing out (i think others may have mentioned this), is these grips are not currently compatible with any data capturing system like arccos that requires a sensor to be screwed into the butt end of the club. also, these grips are HEAVY, so swingweighting should be monitored closely for golfers who are sensitive to and/or care about that.

66 grams? Wouldn't that drop your swing weight by 3 or 4?
 
Once on, these feel pretty dang solid, more solid than velcro ;). It's like the grip gets tied to the shaft as you twist.

That is a pretty good explanation. It does get to a point where you can't twist it anymore and you know it is solidly on the shaft and won't move.
 
That is a pretty good explanation. It does get to a point where you can't twist it anymore and you know it is solidly on the shaft and won't move.
I had hesitations, but it's amazing how tight the grip gets, then how solid it feels when it's on.
 
Nice review @Molten! Getting grips done can be a hassle but this looks to be a complete game changer. When you guys are twisting the grip to where it will not move is it completely aligned when you are done?
 
Are you looking for any specific feedback that hasn't been covered? I'd be happy to share more thoughts if you do.
Not really, most of the big points of interest for me are coming out. The weight of the grip may be a non-starter for me as I am sensitive to SW as well as the tackiness and comfort of the grip, which can only be discerned by handling them myself. Great job on the reviews so far by everyone chiming in!!
 
I was able to test these out and I must say this is one of the best innovations we've seen in the golf space in years. I've captured my experience below. Like others, uninstalling the previous grip was a bear for me. I have ZERO experience with grip installation or removal and it showed. Removing the tape was something I wouldn't mind never doing again. I'd say that's the reason for this innovation. These grips literally provide you with the opportunity to avoid all of the chemistry lab installation procedures and just use the grip and a tool for a fairly quick install.

Clubs assigned for testing: Wedge, 4i, Hybrid

Pros:
  • The grips LOOK great! As a Tour Velvet user, I was completely at home with the appearance. As a matter of fact, it's one of the better looking grips available. I loved the pattern created once completely installed.
  • The texture of the grips was a familiar GP texture. Felt rigid, but soft. Locked in, I couldn't tell the grip wasn't an off the shelf offering.
  • The instructions are clear and well demonstrated.
  • Removal of the grip once installed in extremely easy.
  • Swinging with the grips felt natural and had not concern that the grips would come flying off or unravel once locked in.
Cons:
  • I ran into issues with bulging or ("bunching" as it's stated in the instructional videos)near the butt of the grip. This could be completely user error (a result of over-twisting), but for whatever reason, this continued to occur in my installations. It wasn't a deal breaker, but it was definitely detectable once installed. I uninstalled and reinstalled several times and ran into the same issue. For this reason, I didn't reference the time it took for installation in this quick review since my time frame was probably an anomaly.
  • Lastly, I wouldn't mind fewer turns required for the installation, but that's just personal preference.
Overall, I came away from this testing super impressed with the innovation from Golf Pride. Grips that are priced in line with other top tier offerings with the added benefit of not having to pay the cost of installation? Yeah that's a good deal. Also, the implications of the tech are huge. I can customize the grips based on the weather or climate. I can change them to match my golf shafts or paint fill...assuming other colors are forthcoming. I can change them because I can and I'm not paying to do so each time. I mean how many times have you bought grips you wanted to try and wanted to save the previous ones that were still in good shape? Watching that razor blade slice through your wallet old grips hurts a little every time, but with these, it doesn't have to. I love seeing the innovative thinking in this space and I hope it continues to evolve.
 
This may have been mentioned but what about sizes? Are there options beyond standard? I use jumbo grips and would not want to go back to the standard size grip.
 
Nice review @Molten! Getting grips done can be a hassle but this looks to be a complete game changer. When you guys are twisting the grip to where it will not move is it completely aligned when you are done?
No alignment per say. No real markings to worry about.
 
66 grams? Wouldn't that drop your swing weight by 3 or 4?

it obviously depends what you're currently gaming. i'm using z cord, which i believe are around 50g. so a 16g difference would be 4 swingweight points. the grips i had on my other clubs at the time were tour velvet plus 4, which weight 52g, so the swing weight dropped between 3 and 4 points like you posited. however, i honestly couldn't tell any difference when i switched from 8i with the concept helix, to 7i with tv+4. maybe i'm just not that sensitive to swingweighting? i also played a few rounds, and didn't notice any issues on the course. ymmv
 
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