The tapered grip – with the top end (closer to the body) wider than the bottom end – has been a staple, designed for more stability of the top hand and a faster release of the bottom hand.
Golf Pride designers, however, wondered – what if it were reversed? If the top end of the grip were smaller and the bottom end of the grip were larger, would that make the grip more stable throughout the stroke by restricting movement in the bottom hand?
Thus the Reverse Taper line of putter grips was born at Golf Pride’s global innovation center in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Large or medium grips in round, pistol and flat styles, the Reverse Taper is a revolutionary innovation in putter grip technology.
“Within the putter grip category, we observed a trend in which manufacturers were actively trying to design products that removed the hands from the putting process, whereas our research indicates that by optimizing the connection between the hands and grip that players can improve their performance,” said James Ledford, Golf Pride president. “Through hundreds of concept iterations, our innovation team created Reverse Taper, which has tested quite positively with players of all skill levels.”
With a slimmer upper half and wider lower section, the Reverse Taper ($29.99) helps anchor the top hand for stability and reduce tension in the lower hand for smooth acceleration through the stroke while helping to keep golfers from flipping their wrists at impact.
The black, red and white polyurethane grips are designed with visual cues and textures that ensure proper and consistent hand placement to square the putter face at impact.
PHOTO COURTESY GOLF PRIDE