You might be thinking that you need to change your clubs, perhaps you’ve had them for a while and you feel they’re not working for you anymore. That’s great, there’s nothing like a new set of clubs packed with the latest technology to give your game a boost, but just hold on a minute…. When was the last time you changed the grips on your clubs?

 You're probably thinking 'Never,' right? I'm with you. It's not something that usually crosses our minds. But it became really clear to me recently when I played in the rain and my grips were so much more slippery than if they'd been newer. Have I done anything about it? No!

 I wanted to chat about this because I commissioned PGA Professional Emma Booth to get two of her pupils to test 8 grips. They’re like us, they had no idea of the importance of having decent grips and the difference they can make.  I don’t just mean in good condition, but also the right size for their hands, as they’d never been fitted properly.

 You can read the article here, they both chose their favourite grips, and one lady gained 10 yards with her 7-iron. That extra distance might not sound significant, but if you can get 10 yards on every club from tee to green, I’d take that! There are so many different types of grips to choose from and as Emma points out, this is the only connection you have with the golf club, so you need to make sure it feels right for you.

 On a different note, we had a fantastic weekend of golf viewing, with both the men's and women's tournaments on TV at the same time on Sunday. A huge congratulations to Minjee Lee for securing her third Major win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. It was incredibly windy in Texas, and her performance was remarkable. Minjee was one of only three players to finish under par for the weekend, and the field's average score was over 75 – the highest for an LPGA Tour major in a decade.

 I’m all for golf courses being challenging to test the world’s best players, but when it comes to planning venues for the women’s Majors, I do think more thought should be given to what’s best for the women’s game, players and fans alike. After fighting for TV coverage, we don’t want audiences to tune out!

 The US Women's Open at Erin Hills recently saw players really struggling to keep the ball on the tricky greens. Then, just last weekend, a mix of the course design, tough pin placements, and that windy weather pushed rounds past six hours. That's just not fun for anyone, and it certainly doesn't show professional women's golf at its best. We definitely don't want to see women getting blamed for slow play when it's totally out of their hands. We get enough flak as it is!

Happy golfing with new grips!

Alison Root

Women's Editor Golf Monthly