JumboMax JMX Zen Lite
JumboMax made their name in the golf world with their unique and oversized grips reflective of the brand name. As the brand has evolved, so has their focus on fitting grips to a player’s need, and not just making enormous grips. A major step in that evolution is the new JumboMax JMX Zen Lite grip. This new grip is available in seven different sizes to help players play their best. It’s also JumboMax’s first rubber grip and weighs about the same as a “normal” grip.
If you aren’t sure what size is best for you, JumboMax has an online fitting tool to help get you started.
The Looks
The JumboMax JMX Zen Lite has a modest appearance as a standard black rubber grip. It’s familiar and classic as far as rubber grips go. There’s a vivid lime green JMX Zen Lite logo at one end. At the top of the grip, there’s a thin white JMX Zen Lite wordmark with the grip size indicated in lime green which all wrap around the top of the grip. Depending on the grip size you choose, that will play a role in the looks, of course. Even the medium size I went with is noticeably larger at just a quick glance. At the very least, it makes for a fun conversation piece if and when other people notice them!
How Does it Feel?
Let’s start with the basics. The JumboMax JMX Zen Lite grips have a classic and fundamental rubber grip feel. I can’t speak for how long it will last quite yet, but the feel is tacky and provides a good connection. The feedback is good so club awareness isn’t impacted from the perspective of what you “feel through the grip”.
The big elephant in the room is obviously the larger profile. Obviously I can only speak to the medium size I tested. I imagine whichever of the seven different sizes you select will have a major dependence on feel. The idea is that the larger size will promote a lighter and more even grip pressure for faster club speeds. I think results on speed could vary, but in my case, I 100% had lighter grip tension with the JMX Zen Lite on my clubs. I’ll be honest, it will 100% take some getting used to the feel, but it does deliver on that promise.
On-Course Performance
As I mentioned above, the JumboMax JMX Zen Lite grip will take some getting used to if you’ve never played a jumbo grip before. Coming from a standard size grip, the grip felt bulky, but there were certainly performance benefits to be had. Once I adjusted, having less tension in my grip prevented a lot of over swinging and reduced a lot of pull hooks I tend to hit with my irons and full wedges. Using the larger grip had a lot of the same effects you get from oversized putter grips. My “action” got a lot less “handsy” encouraging a consistent delivery to the ball.
JumboMax also uses something they call “Twist-Resistant StabilityCore”. This helps prevent twisting in your hands during the swing or at impact. A more stable “core” will be especially helpful with shots from heavier lies as well as mishits. I felt like the JMX Zen Lites had a noticeably strong performance in this area.
Final Thoughts – JumboMax JMX Zen Lite
If you’re a player that’s already familiar with oversized swing grips, the JumboMax JMX Zen Lite is a nice option more in line with traditional grip textures. Should the concept be new to you, but the potential benefits sound like something that could help your game, the JMX Zen Lite offers more options to make the switch a little easier. I think it’s important to have a clear idea of what you’re looking to accomplish with these grips. Make sure you familiarize yourself with what a large grip has to offer and definitely make sure you go through the online fitting tool to get the right size for you.
My advice if you’re looking to go down the JumboMax route is to make sure you give yourself enough time to adjust. It can be a major change from what you’re familiar with, so give it some time. Of course, you can always start with just a few clubs to see how it goes over a long enough period of time. Change, especially with golf equipment, can be scary at first, but it can also really pay off. If you still feel unsure about the recommendation from JumboMax’s fitting tool, the company does a good job making itself available to help guide you in the right direction.
