50 Words or Less
The Crossline is the flagship grip for Lamkin and perennial favorite for golfers. A classic and simple staple in the grip industry.
Introduction
Every year you can guarantee that the top grip companies are going to have a new high-end grip using space-aged materials guaranteeing performance never imagined before and in crazy colors to serve as an expression of the golfer’s deepest personality. While all of this is totally fine (I certainly enjoy it), there are still tried and true classics that traditionalists flock to for good reason. One of these grips is the signature Lamkin Crossline. As Lamkin states, the Crossline has been a “tour favorite for over 15 years” and you’re more than likely to find them on quite a few clubs at your weekend track. This review will highlight why the Crossline is such a classic grip and should be considered for future re-grips.
Looks
The appearance of the Lamkin Crossline grip is simply classic. There’s really no better way to put it other than classic. The signature Crossline pattern is immediately noticeable, especially if you go with the black/white color scheme or the black/pink color scheme. While Lamkin has implemented its more modern block letter wordmark logo on their other grip lines, they have maintained the traditional script logo in gold on the base of the grip. While this grip is an excellent choice for any golfer, I can’t help but look at these grips and think how much they belong on a Mizuno MP-14 or Titleist DCI butter knife of a great player.
Feel
At first touch, the Lamkin Crossline feels like a basic rubber grip with good traction from the Crossline pattern etched in the grip. As you play the grip a bit longer, you realize it has a slightly firmer feel than some of the more plush grips which may lessen the shock absorption a bit, but you get exceptional feedback in your hands on each shot. In wet conditions, hanging onto your clubs can become a challenge. The Crossline is average in terms of grip in wet weather condition, but the Crossline Full Cord is not only great, but might be the best in the game. For my money, its only rival is the Lamkin UTx that we reviewed here. The Crossline grips maintain their “grip” for quite awhile due to using an exceptionally durable synthetic rubber material.
Performance
One of the biggest misconceptions is that a comfortable grip that’s soft and gentle on your hands is going to be a good performer for you. For example, I can tell you all about grips I’ve used that I loved holding, but the club would rotate through my hands at impact all the time, no matter how wet, dry, clean, or dirty. The surface pattern paired with the material of the Lamkin Crossline make for a very stable grip in a variety of conditions. At impact, the Crossline is very solid and makes you confident in keeping a light grip on the club instead of squeezing the living the daylights out of it in fear it might twist on you. The peformance benefit is that you just have to worry about swinging the club and hitting a golf shot instead of launching your club into that lake in front of the tee box.
Aside from good feedback, feel, and control, the Lamkin Crossline is also durable. A flat-out fact of golf grips is that many rubber grips wear down with heavy use and become brittle and slick. If you’re playing and practicing a majority of the week, you may need to replace your grips at some point during the season, but the average weekend warriors and golf equipment reviewers (Matt and I are raising our hands) will get a season out of these grips easily.
Conclusion
Grips are one of the most personal components of golf equipment that people typically don’t realize how important it is to take them seriously. The only other equipment that may rival grips in that area are shoes and socks. It’s important to have a grip that makes you feel confident in every shot as it’s the single point of contact between you and the club. True, there are plenty of choices out there, but there are reasons that certain grips like the Lamkin Crossline remain virtually unchanged for decades. The beauty in a grip like the Crossline is that there’s an optimal blend of comfort, durability, feedback, and performance while maintaining an affordable price of about four bucks a grip in a day and age where grips can get as expensive as $20 a piece. Not only are you getting a good deal on a grip, but by playing the Lamkin Crossline, you’re playing the same grip that many professionals who have access to virtually anything (for free) will trust to put food on their family’s table.
Bill plays Scott Readman Concepts putters and accessories.
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6 Comments
Went to replace my grips with over sized Lamkin and impossible to put them on. Extremely difficult. What is the secret in replacing them?
Can you elaborate more on the process you’re using to install and what your experiencing when trying to put the grip on?
Long time Crossline used, I have noticed this year’s Crossline grips are hard to get on the shaft. I have to use a ton of extra solvent to make it work. Grip still feels good though.
Interesting. You’re the second person to make that comment. I really didn’t have any issues when I installed them.
Don’t use grip solvent. The stuff is designed to ship into all 50 states. California has strict rules, that forces the solvent companies to manufacture the formula weak and not work as good. Use mineral spirits, the grips will slide right on.
Been using Lamkin Crossline grips for almost 20 years. I don’t play a lot of rounds, so I only need to regrip when I feel the need arises. Won’t play any other grip. I use mild soap, warm water to clean them. They wear well, and give you a non slip grip. I use mineral spirits to install, and never have a problem getting them on. I play the oversize on my fairway wood, irons, wedges, and the midsize on my driver.