With the simple raised red ridge down the back spine, the Align Max grip from Golf Pride pushes alignment-reminder technology to the limit allowed and still conforms with the Rules of Golf.
“Because the most fundamental aspect of golf is putting your hands on a golf club, why would every golfer not want to ensure that they’re doing it consistently?” said Eric Gibson, Golf Pride’s chief commercial officer. “This is the most technologically advanced grip on the market, and we feel strongly that consumers are going to recognize pretty instantly the benefit that they’re going to get from putting their hands on the grip.”
Golf Pride first introduced the Align grip with its innovative exterior-raised reminder ridge in 2017, guiding more consistent finger placement on the club for an ideal grip that fits naturally into the hands’ contours and helps maintain it through every phase of the swing.
The new Align Max grips have a longer and more pronounced alignment ridge running along most of the grip that is 25 percent higher than the original Align – the maximum allowed height under the Rules of Golf due to the increased control and benefits it provides to players. A firmer rubber material enhances its pronounced feel, and its separate construction makes for more precise installation.
“For Align Max, we took that visible technology and we made it even more pronounced, so regardless of size of grip and glove or no glove, you have the confidence that you will feel it in every single swing,” Gibson said.
With an exterior reminder ridge that’s easier to feel and foster confidence in the grip, the Align Max promotes face-angle awareness that helps golfers keep the clubface square at address and impact for a more repeatable swing.
MCC Align grips were in the hands of Xander Schauffele when he won the PGA and Open Championships in 2024. Before they were even released for retail, Align Max grips picked up a PGA Tour win when Harris English became the first player to install them on his full set immediately before winning the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January. English lauded the way the more pronounced alignment spine feels in his left hand and the pointer finger on his right hand.
“I estimate that between 70 and 80 percent of existing Align professionals will move to Align Max,” said Gibson. “That’s the level of positive feedback that we’ve gotten. Across the major tours – PGA, LPGA, DP World, Korn Ferry – over 150 players, last time we counted, play a form of a reminder grip, whether it be an internal or external reminder. If the best players in the world are using a grip that is designed to improve their consistency of hand placement, then any golfer on the planet should consider it.”
Align Max ($14.99) is available in both MCC and MCC Plus4 grips in standard and midsize. The original Align grips ($12.99) are available in MCC, MCC Plus4, Tour Velvet and ZGrip.
PHOTOS COURTESY GOLF PRIDE