Golf Pride grips have long been a favorite of ours at GU, finding their way into our bags almost every season. Their new ALIGN grip series caught our eye in Orlando at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show and it was only a matter of time before we got our hands on a set.

ALIGN Technology

Golf grips have evolved considerably over the years, becoming much more than just your typical synthetic compound or leather wraps. Golf Pride embraces this trend of innovation by reimagining what a golf grip can do for the player. Such is the case with the ALIGN technology.

Simply put, ALIGN refers to a raised ridge along the bottom of each grip. This ridge allows a player to find a consistent feel every single time you pick up a club, including hand position and grip pressure assistance. When aligned properly, you can almost “feel” where the clubhead is in your hands throughout the swing thanks to this ridge.

It’s amazing how something so simple can be so influential on your golf game. However, the concept of a raised ridge or line in a grip is nothing new. Stories of Ben Hogan installing a line of thinly rolled tape just under his grips so he could feel the same sensation in his hands are well known to golf equipment junkies.

What Golf Pride has done is perfect this design feature for the masses, appealing most to players who play more by feel than mechanics.

Having played multiple rounds now with a set of ALIGN grips on my clubs, I can safely say this is a design feature I love. As a player who sometimes fights a hook due to poor grip pressure (and swing plane, of course), I found the ALIGN ridge to be a gentle reminder of where to place my hands and how much pressure to apply to my grip. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe, but I felt like I had complete control over the club every time I prepared for a shot.

Obviously the Golf Pride ALIGN grips alone won’t improve your golf swing. But there’s something to be said about having a familiar sensation in your hands every time you pick up a club. Whether it’s placebo or actual science, I don’t care. All I know is I’m a convert, and I will stick with grips that feature a ridge for as long as I can.

Golf Pride ALIGN technology can be found on four grip styles, including the Tour Velvet, ZGRIP, MCC and MCC Plus4 options.

Visit the Golf Pride grips webpage to learn more.