SwitchGrips Review

There are two trends going in golf right now that continue to gain steam, adjustability and personalization. SwitchGrips is looking to take those two trends and bring them to putter grips with their interchangeable design featuring different colors, materials, sizes, and even weighting in one singular package.

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Information from SwitchGrips:

Do you want better, more accurate putts? Would you like to be able to switch out your putter grip whenever you feel like it, without assistance? Would you like to add counterbalance weights and change your grips’ size, weight and color on the fly? SwitchGrips gives you the solutions that you need with style and high quality craftsmanship.

SwitchGrips is superior to other putter grips thanks to:

  • SwitchGrips innovative interchangeable technology allows the player the ability to change the putter grip, without assistance, whenever and wherever with complete simplicity.
  • SwitchGrips is the only interchangeable putter grip to offer multiple sizes for natural, fluid and more consistent putts.
  • SwitchGrips ergonomic awareness is proven with the unique three sided design allowing for multiple hand positions maximizing the grip’s surface area.
  • SwitchGrips acknowledges that putter grips are not “one size fits all”. The counterbalance technology grants complete control to the golfer by repositioning the weight into the golfer’s hand, thereby enhancing player performance, leading to a consistent stroke every time.
  • SwitchGrips does more than just increase Player accuracy. This one-of-a-kind putter grip system provides personal expression highlighted in its three lines:
  • Player Line – offers the choice of color and size. This grip has clean lines with a tacky yet durable non-slip quality.
  • Leather Line – the highly sought after leathers are long-lasting. Now reintroduced with the new SwitchGrips technology these grips provide an old fashion feel with the highest performance possible. 10 colors are available to choose from.
  • Exotic Line – offers the look and feel of pure luxury with the peace of mind of its interchangeable capabilities, this is a grip that will never need to be cut off of the putter. Players can choose from authentic ostrich, alligator/crocodile, stingray and snake.
  • SwitchGrips takes pride in our American roots. Each grip is handcrafted in America and will fit on any conventionally shafted putter.

Design/Installation:

THP was able to spend time with both the black and red version of the grip from the Switchgrips “Player” line, which is their standard material/design model. In terms of looks, the grip utilizes the currently popular taperless design, and though the company will be releasing multiple sizes eventually, the models sent in to THP resemble most an in-between of the SuperStroke 2.0 and 3.0 in terms of size and shape and are considered size “small” by the company. Aesthetically speaking though, it’s a simple and clean look with expected branding on the front paddle section and finished with white accents and a cross-hatch type pattern to aid in the texture. The texture is a nice material which is again similar to what we see in the other taperless grips out there.

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Because this is an interchangeable grip system it obviously has an installation process unlike what we have seen before. There is a clear plastic internal tube that is what is actually installed onto the putter shaft via the standard grip tape method. Installation is simple enough, as the company recommends having the grip installed onto the tube in order to ensure proper alignment of the grip, and then after it sets you are good to remove the grip. The grip itself slides on and off using a notch/channel system inside the grip and on the base cap of the tube it rotates 90° into place. However, in order to fully secure it into place a butt-cap/weight must be installed. A standard “no weight” piece comes with the grip, but a wrench and weight kit featuring options from 2g to 20g can also be purchased separately. Switchgrips was kind enough to include this for our THP review.

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There are two things worth honing in on though when it comes to the installation of the Switchgrips. First, there was an issue with putter length after installation, in that because of the tube mechanism and how it secures into the butt section of the grip the playing length of the putter went from 36” to 37”. Now, the butt cap is about 1” itself, and most won’t grip there, but it bears mentioning nonetheless because this type of thing definitely could play with the mind of some. The second aspect comes should you choose to remove the Switchgrip system for good, because it is a plastic tube a traditional hook-knife removal or even air may not be possible or the easiest thing, I know the company would expect someone to stick with their grips, but total removal is something some who tinker may eventually want and could possibly find issues with here.

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Performance:

The “Player” line that THP spent time with on the course and putting green are definitely very comfortable in the hands where texture and density in the hands are concerned. The only issue with what we were sent, and this will vary with the user and what they prefer, is the size. As mentioned it is called “small” by the company and it sits as a “tweener” of the SS 2.0 and 3.0, which may not be for everyone. The company is planning on releasing more size options though, so in the future it may not be an issue, but for now it could be a limiting factor because all you are changing are the aesthetics or material should one go for the higher-end options offered like Leather ($59.99/$69.99), Gator ($199.00), Crocodile ($190.00/$200.00), Ostrich ($175.00), Stingray ($190.00/$200.00), and Snake ($89.99). That said, the enlarged end-caps of the grips are a significant increase in durability compared to other taperless grip options and there was no wear for all of the in-and-out of the bag that went on during testing.

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The grip itself despite being two-pieces showed no stability issues when fully installed and secured. It is a really nice feeling through the stroke, though the two separate pieces did somewhat dampen the tactile feedback to the hands of this reviewer. In all, there really is not a true performance “edge” that comes with the Switchgrips, rather it is a solid design in terms of being a size/shape that is gaining massive traction among golfers.

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The closest thing to a significant performance alteration/aspect is with the back-weighting option that users can utilize should they purchase the additional weight wrench kit. This gives 2g, 8g, 14g, and 20g weight options, which are enough to alter the balance point of the putter the grip is installed on to varying amounts, particularly with the higher end 14g and 20g options. The nice thing about this is it really does open up more aesthetic options for the company down the road, as the weight plugs can definitely be made in multiple colors, materials, and even more weight options.

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Parting Thoughts:

The ultimate goal of Switchgrips is clearly to bring adjustability and personalization to the putter in a way that we haven’t seen before, and it certainly does that. It’s a new and interesting concept that has been brought to reality with really solid quality. In the end, the need of this will come down to the individual and just how much of a need they really have to be able to switch out their putter grips all the time. Should one venture into the exotic options the company has then it could certainly become an addicting, albeit expensive, habit to mix and match on different days. As with any grip type, it ends up being personal, and the key for them will be getting them into the hands of people to try for themselves.

The “Player” line of grips are available in six different colors and are priced at $29.99 for grip only and $39.99 for the full installation setup (tube and grip). Additionally, the weight wrench/kit is available for $39.99. More information on these and the rest of their grip offerings can be seen on their website, www.SwitchgripsUSA.com.

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James Miles
James is a staff writer for The Hackers Paradise along with being a professional educator. With his background in education James seeks to broaden his own knowledge while also sharing it with all those who share his passion for the game.
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