I take my golf reviews seriously and spend a lot of time with equipment reviews. This isn’t a “put one grip on one club and hit five balls on the range” review like one might find on lesser golf blogs! I’ve now had the Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align golf grips on my entire gamer set for 10 weeks. I play an average of 3-4 rounds per week. During that 10 weeks I’ve experienced everything from freezing cold, humid, rain, and the last few weeks super hot and dry conditions. I’m not a glove wearer, so my connection and dependence on good grips is even more critical. If my hands slip, it’s bad news. Let’s take a look at these grips and how they have, and continue to fare.
Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Golf Pride Tour Velvet is the #1 grip played on worldwide golf tours. It features a scientifically designed non-slip surface pattern with plus sign textures. The texture helps pull moisture away from the surface and reduce slipping. The rubber material used to manufacture the grip is optimized for feel and playability.
The “Align” portion of the grip is quite interesting. There’s a red portion of the grip which is positioned on the bottom side and runs the length of the grip. When the grip is installed on the shaft, this ridge rises up slightly. The raised ridge will be perfectly lined up with the club face if the grip is installed properly. The golfer can feel this ridge in the grip and can associate the club face position and alignment with an actual tactile feel.
Sizes/Weight
| Size |
Weight |
Core Size |
| Standard |
52g |
60 ALIGN |
| Midsize |
63.5g |
60 ALIGN |
On The Course
It was interesting feeling the Align ridge the first time I used the grips. Knowing that the ridge was aligned with the club face helped me be aware of the position of the face through different parts of the swing. Over time the ridge has become part of my normal feel and setup. I don’t notice it much now, but will take note if my setup wanders or I feel like I’m not aligned properly.
As I mentioned, I don’t wear golf gloves. I can feel my connection to the grip in all parts of my hand and I seemingly lose a lot of control and distance if any part of my grip slips. Even in sweaty (a.k.a. nervous/high pressure) situations I found the Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align grips to be super sticky and responsive. The surface of these grips is superb. In damp morning conditions or rain I’ve not had any slippage issues.
Final Thoughts
The golf grip connects the golfer to the club. It’s a crucial piece of golf equipment. The Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip insures distance control, power, accuracy, and proper feel. Adding the Align feature to the equation gives more confidence, feedback, and proper setup to the golfer for even better results.
Related
Review: Golf Pride Tour SNSR Putter Grip
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