The year was 2014 and Lamkin Golf made waves throughout the golf industry with the introduction of the UTX grip. In fact, here at THP we were absolutely mesmerized by the grip as it brought cord into the modern day meeting new rubber materials to offer performance in all areas. Then, as time went on, something changed.
Whether it was a shift in production methods or issues with materials, I cannot say for sure, but what was certain is that the UTX lost its bite somewhere along the way. Frankly, it became a shell of itself. It is for that reason that when the opportunity to get the UTX back in hand for a 2023 review, I jumped on it.
The Lamkin UTX
In all technicality, when it comes to the messaging behind the UTX, nothing much has changed. This is a grip designed with the purpose of bringing tackiness and corded materials together into one. It would seem that the design is precisely in line with what we saw in 2014 with Lamkin’s soft ACE rubber at the core followed by a full-cord fabric weave and finished with a firmer layer of ACE material. This combination is, according to Lamkin, the key to blending the tackiness of rubber with the durability and control of cord.
The UTX has gone through many color combinations and offerings over the years, but this iteration is being offered in Gray with a black cap as well as Green or Blue with a white cap. Interestingly, it is still a much more toned down look than the originals in 2014 which had a major multi-color blending in the grip. Here, the Gray will please those looking for a one-tone type look while the Green and Blue both let the yellow cord pop through for a little more flash.
In-Hand Performance
If you couldn’t tell, prior to this review I had become fairly critical with Lamkin for the pathway that the UTX has taken since 2014. What was once, in my opinion, an absolutely elite grip had been passed by in the segment. So, coming into this, I was prepared for more of the same, but instead this ended up more of a trip down memory lane in the best way possible.
The fun thing about the UTX originally was how it took the texture of a cord and plugged it into a framework that was still firm, but offered more tack and give than other full cord grips we had seen, including the legendary Lamkin Crossline Cords. Well, I am more than pleased to say that it is back.
I worked with the UTX in both Gray and Green and put them on full swing as well as partial swing clubs to get a better feel for the grips. Mother nature had quite the assist for my testing because I experienced some massive temperature swings throughout my time with these, going from the mid 80’s to the high 30’s.
Within that window, I saw a level of consistency that you absolutely demand if you are the type of player who prefers a cord. In the heat, the ACE layers shined through for enough tack/give to add feel without adding torsion/twisting. In the cold, the give of the material certainly lessened, but it didn’t vanish entirely, and in temps where traditional cords get borderline hard, this is a great thing to experience.
The Details
In all, the UTX is definitely back, and that only adds another feather back into the cap of Lamkin Golf and increases their grip fitting arsenal to cover the gamut of golfers needs. While a corded grip still won’t be for everyone, the UTX makes it more playable for mere mortals like so many of us, the only thing I’ll be interested to see is if perhaps Lamkin brings out more fun color options in 2024.
The Lamkin UTX grips are priced at $9.99 for standard and $10.49 for mid-sized. They are available now at golf retailers and fitting centers worldwide. To find a store near you that carries the Lamkin line, check out their website here.
