Simple, inexpensive, consistent feel and performance. And even though Arnies arrangement with Lamkin had only been official since the late 90s, his relationship with the company goes back to 1960. If you love golf course photography check out IG @epicgolfshot, After reading about them many times over a couple years, I finally took the plunge and tried leather grips. I bought a couple Best Grips MIcroperfsand a couple GripMaster Roos and put them on a coup. That said, for the average golfer, the Kirkland V2.0 is your Pro V1. And, as anyone who owns a 98-year-old family business will tell you: the first 97 are the hard ones. And its pretty damned good. October 13, 2021 in General Equipment Talk. In 1925, Elver Lamkin became the first leather grip manufacturer in the U.S., making wraps in his garage on Chicagos South Side. At this time, Bob had been working on a career in law enforcement but decided it was time to join his father and three brothers in the grip business. Fairway Woods:Rogue Max St 3HL and 7 Wood Best feel and tackiness. My brothers never worked outside of the business.. Love em. I think he looked at the last two paragraphs.. The transform instantly from tacky and grippy to smooth and slick. Just bought TM Sim2Max irons equipped w/Lamkin Crossline 360 grips. Theres Bob and Sam Bettinardi and, of course, last weeks look at the Solheims and the PING Anser. And not to be forgotten is Bobs mother, Joan. Been playing golf for over 60 years and tinkering with clubs about 40. epicgolfshot, At this time, the kids were still pretty young, says Bob. 1 glove in golf. That might be true on Tour but in the custom golf glove world, Asher is tops. What goes on from generation to generation, between the family members involved and the different dynamics, its just amazing.. The pricing pressure, however, was taking its toll and Robert Lamkin had no choice but to move out of Chicago, its home for 63 years. Shes a very tough Norwegian woman. We have 3 golfers in the house so they can get my cast offs, if and when required. MyGolfSpy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Directed Force 2.1 Putters, Official Cobra Forged Tec & Forged Tec X Contest-Enter to Win Here, They are soft feel and comfortable in my hands, Give good grip on the club (most of the time), Aesthetically a wide choice of colours to match my head covers/bag. Now open your eyes and look at this. The old Winn's from 20 or so years ago seemed to wear out quickly. From bourbon to golf gloves, if it has the KSIG logo, chances are its good value. SO I will get a couple of grips and re-grip my 6i and play with it for a month or 2 and decide if I stay or change. Papa, God bless his soul, told my father no one would play anything but a leather grip, says Bob. I change my grips a couple times a season, mostly the driver, but I play a lot. Great company though. The firing didnt take. My first trip to mainland China was in 1994, says Bob. I started using Pure Grips, DTX model - theyre full rubber, have sensational grip, and can be cleaned with soap/water and look/feel new. With the DriTac forget it, it pretty much rips apart. @Alf. I started with Wilson and Lamkin .. I prefer Lamkin Crossline Cord. I change my grips pretty much every season and tend to try before I buy. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hybrid: TS3 - 19*, Hzrdus Smoke 6.0 Stiff I guess if they were good enough for Arnie, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Gramps, as you might expect, wasnt pleased. Very interesting story, John! Last for YEARSand I play 2 - 3 times per week for 9-10 months a year. See anything thats already in your bag? Reluctantly. I know he struggled with it for a long time.. My only complaint is the fact that now more people will begin to play the Maxfli Tour ball lol.. Ive never had to mark my balls because I typically am the only guy in the course playing a Maxfli tour, but hopefully, and sadly, that changes lol. I have tried grips from hireko house brand to iomic. Golf Prides oversized grips were ok but fell in love with their Crosslines. Unbiased. Golf pride grips especially the last few years have become junk. It would be great if Lamkin got into a limited leather business again. They are.. obnoxious! Upload or insert images from URL. By the 20s, the company was making various leather products for the growing automotive industry when it was approached by another Chicago manufacturer. Seamus is the real deal, earning a solid spot in the Best of Golf 2022. If you are looking for maybe the best feel-good story in golf over the past couple of years, it might just be Sub 70. If you cant find something you dig on this site, you just aint looking. Lamkin has been my grip of choice for quite a few years. Who doesnt want one of these? We want your input before testing begins. Copyright 2022. I've tried several grips and even different sized grips because I like to experiment. Driver:Epic Max LS 9, UST Lin-Q Purple 7F5 1 tipped, 3 Wood: SIM2 Titanium Rocket 13.5,UST Lin-Q Purple 7F5, 2 Iron:X Forged UT 18,Mitsubishi MMT UT 105 TX, 4-PW:X Forged CB irons, DG Tour Issue x100 +1 2 flat, Wedges:T20, KBS Wedge shaft, 50/54/58, Putter:Toulon Atlanta, Stroke Lab Shaft. I no longer feel like I need a death grip to control the club. 1 spot for best putting greens in testing at MyGolfSpy. Functional. Why are these irons still a relative secret? So at some point, Bob will have to come to grips with being the last Lamkin standing. This glove is no exception. Kudos to the Lamkins for keeping the business in the family for almost 100 years. The company tanned and treated that leather for industrial belts and seals. Probably should stock up now and avoid the rush later. The only downside Ive found so far is that due to it being 100% rubber, the Arccos screw-ins can fall out mid-swing; nothing a little electrical tape cant fix! Directed Force 2.1 Putters, Official Cobra Forged Tec & Forged Tec X Contest-Enter to Win Here, They are soft feel and comfortable in my hands, Give good grip on the club (most of the time), Aesthetically a wide choice of colours to match my head covers/bag. If this is the last lap for the family, thanks for the ride. Might be one of the last secrets in golf. In the past I have used Golf Pride and Lamkin, but none of the other brands listed in this thread. With more than half a million putting mats sold, BirdieBall is one of the most popular in the game. Wish I had the money, I would buy the company myself. Cleaning them with something like gripes or mild soap and water will usually extend them a bit longer. They make good-performing clubs at insanely affordable prices. ASHER was born in 2009 with a desire to provide the golf world with something it lacked: high-quality golf gloves with a little added flair and style. While not as dominant as Golf Pride, its a solid No. Pure -- take your pick on model. Which golf grip (excluding putter) is your favorite? We are here to help educate and empower golfers. I really enjoyed it. To be perfectly honest, I regripped my clubs for the first time in many years over the past winter. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), Four Testers Wanted Inesis Spikeless Shoe, Testers Wanted Titleist Golf Ball Field Test. I use GolfPride's MCC+4. MyGolfSpy Integrity in Advertising Promise. My brother Jack was in charge of manufacturing and my brother Mike was in tooling and engineering, Bob says. All by hand, one step at a time. Ive always used GolfPride grips, but hearing the family story, I might give Lamkin a try. By So it was amidst a bit of family turmoil and the challenge of starting operations in China while still keeping the Mexican plant running that Bob took over the family business. money, time and performance. Once upon a time, Camerons stock retail putters included a headcover and pivot tool with every purchase. Your link has been automatically embedded. Clear editor. I have used Winn DriTac Wrap grips for several years. Its what our testers call the cool golf ball brand. My first DIY re-grip was with their value pack. Kirkland Signature products have a cult-like following and theres no way we could leave them out of the Best of Golf 2022. so they are actually very easy on your hands. And two years after that, the company formalized its long-standing relationship with Arnold Palmer. Useful. With that, youre well on your way to adding custom flair to your wedges. This is important because I take several golf trips a year where I will play up to 8 days in a row. My only complaint is the weight of these. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published). No reason to change as I am really happy with my current grips. Would regrip w/them in the future. Though it provides minimal data, what it does provide is generally accurate. I must say that I really like them and they have worn incredibly well. The downside to Lamkin is that they seemed to get very slick when they are worn. and the fitter told me not to change from the Tour X. All are tremendous grips and I was buying them directly from them until they stopped that practice of being a DTC company. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); MyGolfSpy is gearing up to conduct the second edition of our groundbreaking ball test. I like Winn grips Dri TAC and the Lamkins on my PXG's are making me a believer as well. I replace them ever year. Lamkin was facing another challengecheap, imported Asian grips. After that great story, Ill be sure to try them out. And he does it in his garage. Im almost out of my stash of them. The only gripe I didnt like were black widow but every thing else has held up well. Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. Wedges:Glide 4.0 54 and 58 @RickyBobby_PRthis is true Im definitely not in a place where Id need to replace my clubs before the grips wear out, but supposedly IOmic are in a different league when it comes to wear and from what Im told they can guarantee the feel (tackiness) of the grip for life! Paste as plain text instead, Crossline cords for years then to Comfort Plus about 3 years agohelps arthritis in hands. Still one of the most unique products we have ever tested at MyGolfSpy. I have NEVER had the Winn DriTac Wraps slip in the rain or if my hands sweat in the heat. *This content is backed by the MyGolfSpy Integrity in Advertising Promise. The Crossline 360 (gray/black cap) are my grips of choice along with the Sonar +. I wish more OEMs would spend the extra pennies for a better grip. Logistically and financially, it made zero sense to make grips in Mexico and ship them to China, only to be shipped back to North America as part of a finished golf club. Dad thought he could get that factory up in three months. Been stationed all around the world, and they just work in all conditions. Very interested in the new tech coming out Even though hes in his early sixties, Bob remains an energetic force of nature with no plans to retire. I have the Iomics on my driver and hybrids and like them a lot. However, a competitor that would eventually become Golf Pride forced Lamkins hand. Thanks John, your articles are always a fun read for me. Lamkin remained committed to the leather grips into the 50s and 60s. Typically I pick Lamkin cross line or golf pride tour velvet. Were creating, he says. The midsized feels great in my large, pre-arthritic hands. My father kept going to his father and saying, Dad, we have to start making rubber grips, Dad. And my grandfather kept saying, No, its just a fad. Custom finishes, stamping and paint-fill are just the beginning of custom options when you want to make your golf clubs stand out. And, of course, a big shout-out to my mom. @RickyBobby_PR so you buy in to the GP's - 'regrip every year mantra' I know that is true for their grips but feels a little bit like the phone industry having your handset 'wear out' annually, For replacement it really depends on the amount of use the grips gets and how well someone maintains them. This has to be the most underrated iron brand in golf. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I usually do it myself because I enjoy doing it. We supplied leather grips for Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and others. I have gamed nothing but Lamkin grips since the leather wrap days except for a brief foray into excessively mushy Wines. epicgolfshot, I remember when I had clubs long enough to regrip them. Finally, my hand eats the grip, not the grip eating my hands. We had six kids in our family.. I particularly like them on the woods for some reason. Using of course Lamkin Midsize Tour Pro Wrap grips. S yeah I was thinking about that IOmic definitely run a little higher but if they last 2-3 season or more then that extra spend would be worth to me. Powered by Invision Community. Still have many. Still thinking about your highest score in Golden Tee? They are my favorite putter grips and also have them on a set of irons. Im really proud of our three generations of family, from my grandfather and my dad and my brothers, and really everyone who has touched this business over 97 years. This company is quickly creating a cult-like following and for good reason: they respond to the issues they hear about from golfers. It also placed #1 in Most Wanted Testing! From Bud Light headcovers to Bitcoin ball markers, if you are looking to make your bag unique, this is a great place to start. For my recent purchase of two Mizuno wedges, they said the Lamkins would take a long time and suggested the Golf Pride full cord. Played one round & like them. If you can invent a product that allows consumers to be lazier, then youre probably on to something. I acquired a set of NOS MP-60s this summer that had brand new GP Tour Wraps on them. @cnosilWhat did you think of Iomic? Always been a Winn grip person. Brand new GP Tour Wraps are my favorite. Very sticky. Unfortunately, the stickiness doesn't long. Because thats whats Jack played. I use Pure Grip DTX, best grips I've used in the past 40 years. Now you can own it. It also grabbed the No. If you truly want the best, you deserve GolfPride. The older Lamkin script logo at least has some classiness to it.JM2CW. I enjoy the history and have gamed Lamkin grips for many years. The choice was either El Paso, Tex., or Tijuana, Mexico. The data visualization package is excellent and individual sessions can be saved to the cloud. Hybrids: 816H1 19* set at 18* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype From Oakley to Folds of Honor to KFC, they have made some of the most badass custom putter builds you have ever seen. No ones going to play that stuff.. If you know your golf equipment, you know Lamkin. I haven't found anything I like even close to the GP CP2 wraps. Were not sure even dreams could match what they do at PUTTTEK. Not too much detail, and felt very personal and relatable to what the company and family has gone through. I started playing with GolfPride, but switched after a few years to the Lamkin Crossline, which I still use to this day. But the story of Lamkin Grips is a little different, a little more personal. And that changed the whole dynamic of the leather grip market.. Paste as plain text instead, No BS. Callaway Rogue Driver 10.5 Aldila Synergy 50 A Flex, Callaway Big Bertha Fusion 3 Wood Aldila NVS 55R (old school), Callaway Mavrik Max 4 Hybrid Project X 55 5.0, Callaway Mavrik Max Irons 5-PW Project X 55 5.0. i've gamed lamkin crossline grips foreveri've tried every grip there is and nothing feels or is more durable than the lamkin crosslines..an affordable tried and true grip with a great reputation around golf forever. I change between ndmc/mcc and the new z grip with the occasional tour wrap, Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4, Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white, Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60. Driver: G425 LST, set at 9.5, Alta S-Flex, Fairway:G400 3 Wood, 14.5, Alta CB 65, S-Flex, Hybrid:G400 3 Hybrid, 19, Alta CB 70, S-Flex, Irons: 2019 Apex forged, 5-PW, Recoil grahphite shafts, S-flex, Wedges: PXG0311 Forged wedges, 50, 54, 58, Recoil Dart S-flex, Putter:Phantom X #6 w/ SuperStroke Pistol GT 2. MyGolfSpy Experiences: A Return to St Andrews, MyGolfSpy Experiences: Scotlands Golf Coast, Red Rooster Gloves: The Story Behind the Chicken. My grandfather started Lamkin in 1925, says Lamkin. Weve done family stories before. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game Its the paperclip of the golf accessories world. Cobra F9 Speedback 7/8 wood set at 23.5 degrees. 2 in the golf grip market with a strong presence with OEMs and retail. When SWAG Golf releases a new cover, the internet seems to go crazy. Love them! Fairway: TS315* set to 16.5* w/Project X Hzardous Smoke Because Jacks Muirfields, best irons ever made I like the grip. They are most reasonably pricedwear the besthave a large assortment of product. Clear editor. My grandfather, a golfer, was in on the meeting. And, like the PING story, it starts in a garage. Rally nice feel too. It not only affects your parents but it also affects your siblings and their families. I used to be a GP guy, then I went hard for Lamkin for many years. The secret that makes BirdieBall the king of putting mats is something youve probably never heard of: aerated polymers. I bought a couple Best Grips MIcroperfsand a couple GripMaster Roos and put them on a coup. Which would you rather pay? Yep, I knew the answers. Irons: 7 - PW T100S, 4 -6 T200 all with Nippon NS Pro 880 AMC Chrome Stiff Wilson Sporting Goods came to Chicago Rawhide and asked if they could help develop a leather wrap on a golf club, says Lamkin. Sub70 didnt make the 2022 most wanted list. It was a defining moment for this company and the third generation, he says. That is the LabWorx slogan and they mean what they say. Thanks for the write-up. When it wears out I but what is on sale. Now with your great article John Barba, everyone can answer that question. At all. Which golf grip (excluding putter) is your favorite? The quality is good and the prices are great. My wife and I have a blended family of six children and four grandchildren, he says. You didnt know there was a Mount Rushmore of divot tools? The 2019 versions were so-so, but I started the year with the Tour X. I may not play their grips, but I will have positive thoughts about the family and company. There arent many products that come through our HQ that catch our eye as much as these. On sale I grabbed 48 for $106. After years of rigorous testing in the MyGolfSpy Ball Lab, the Maxfli Tour X is as good as it gets. Every golf bag is made using the finest full-grain leather. #EpicFail, IMO. PRO 950GH R300, *** GolfPride MC+4 Midsize Grips (all woods/irons/wedges), 2020 CAMERON SPECIAL SELECT CUSTOM - 35" Newport 2 * GolfPride SNSR 104 Grip, 2022 PING PLD - 35" Anser Milled Black Matte * Ping Midsize Grip, GOLF BAG - TITLEIST -Midsize Tour Bag Black/Black/Red and Black Cart 14, GOLF GLOVE - FOOTJOY- StaSof, Hyper Flex, StaCooler, Rain Glove. I must say that I was surprised to keep reading about how long lasting IOmic grips are. By 1963, Lamkin fully joined the rubber grip revolution and the second generation took over. And none of them have expressed an interest in the company. Wow! I have oversize on every club, except driver which has a midsize. Ive games thousands of Lamkin grips. No Guesswork. You used to have to pay what amounted to a used Honda Accord to get your hands on a PXG driver. Tour-level training at your fingertips. He showed his father an assembly operation and explained the vision. Their Roo Swingers are the stickiest grips in golf IMO. Are you a Grave Golf (single plane swing) student? Hybrids - 3 and 4 set to different settings depending on course. And I had a very benevolent banker who believed in Lamkin.. Loved this History of Lamkin I still play Wilson with Lamkin grips, The Sonar grips are the best I have used in a long time I have the same "Pros" as above. A couple of wipes while cleaning the clubs regains a lot of grip. Display as a link instead, I do like having a color other than black too. Titleist Vokey SM7, 50, 56, 60* with Tour Flt stiff shaft. Two days later, Robert Lamkin returned to work and ironed things out with his old man. *We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Ive been using Crosslines for years. She said we were really going to have to buckle down. Driver: Titleist TSi3 w/ HZRDUS RDX 6.0, A1 setting, Fairway: Titleist TSi3 15* with HZRDUS RDX 6.0, 1/2 short, A4 setting, Fairway: Callaway Steelhead lll, Strong 4, with Graphite Design YS-7, Hybrid: Cobra Tour Baffler, 18*, with Speeder Shaft, Irons:. Wish only that there were more sizes (Jumbo) and colors (Orange). Finally, in the late 90s, Bob persuaded his dad to take a closer look. The rubber grip revolution was on but Elver was having no part of that particular bandwagon. So my clubs go up 6 points for length, but because I have grips that weigh 81 gr vs say aWinn Dri-Tac WRAP Oversize Grip that weighs 50 gr, I loose (31 grams additional grip weight) almost 8 swing weight points back, or 2 total. Its too bad they will probably end up selling the business to some foreign entity that will most likely run it into the ground. Thats one of the best write-ups and history Ive read in quite a while from you guys! It is one of the most searched golf products of 2022 and for good reason. The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - BenHogan. Sure, there are some similarities to both Bettinardi and PING but when you talk about a 97-year-old family business that spans three generations, as third-generation CEO Bob Lamkin says, you could definitely write a book about us.. Not USA patriotic, not ANY country patriotic. Excellent grips, but this year playing the Royal Sand Wrap grips theyre supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! I've also tried other grips, but I always come back to the Lamkin cords. I change my grips pretty much every season and tend to try before I buy. Also while somewhat soft they wear well through 150+ rounds a year, SIM 2 D Max with Fujikura Air Speeder Shaft, Cobra King F-95 wood I have used Golf Pride for many years on each of my clubs. It all started as an experimental project for Wilson Sporting Goods, says Bob. My first experience w/Lamkin grips. Great historical and present day story. He was such a nice man and he worked for a company called Chicago Rawhide.. They should name their next custom cover SOLD OUT! Great article, Thanks John. And the people that work for you and their families. Seamus might make some of the coolest swag in golf. These grips hold up very well, and with regular cleaning, I get multiple seasons out of a set. OEMs discovered China. And this change forced Lamkin to once again look west. $15 versus $50 for golf balls. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, @Hook DeLoft Thats what I mean, I recently met a random single that played iomic grips, they felt super tacky. This is an awesome list. I expect to get at least another season out of them. They have the perfect amount of tackiness, they work well in the rain, and they are very comfortable even with my hands having a slight bit of arthritis. Next time I'm in Phoenix, I will certainly know who's swinging these if I see them. taylormade m4 driver, aeroburner 3wood, m2 5wood & aeroburner 4hybrid- ping ie1 irons & glide wedges. Golfers are desperate for a launch monitor that doesnt require a $25,000 loan from the bank.