Golf Pride Align Max Grips Life-Tested Review
Can your golf grips improve your consistency and accuracy? Golf Pride thinks so.
They say that golf is a game of misses. If you ask me, that’s just another way of saying that consistency is what separates the good players from everyone else.
Consistency is elusive, that’s what makes golf hard. But Golf Pride has a new grip that can add some more consistency to anyone’s game.
The Align Max grips are an evolution of Golf Pride's original Align grip. The grips have a ridge on the back that helps you feel the correct – or at the very least the same – grip every time. Align Max, released in February 2025, add to the Align grip with a noticeably larger ridge for more feedback.
I installed and tested the new Align Max grips to see how they stack up.
Inside Golf Pride Align Max Grips
GOLF PRIDEPGA TOUR SUPERSTORE
Price: $14.99/grip
A proper golf grip is one of the first fundamentals to slip, and even the top players in the world constantly work on their grip. That could be because a fundamentally sound golf grip isn’t necessarily a comfortable one. The concept of Align and Align Max is to build feedback you can feel right into the grip.
I actually used the original Align grips for a few years. I was sold on the concept instantly, but I after using them, I just didn’t feel the ridge was pronounced enough to make a difference.
I must not have been the only one who felt that way, because the new Align Max grips have a 25% larger ridge than the original. The original Align grips, by the way, are still available. Align Max provides a second option in the line, and is not a replacement for Align.
The Align Max grip is available on Golf Pride’s MCC and MCC Plus4 grips, and is available in standard and mid-sized options.
Installing Align Max Grips
An alignment or reminder grip is only effective if it’s installed correctly, so I want to touch on that quickly.
I installed the Align Max grips myself, and I’ll admit I was a little nervous going in. I’ve made mistakes gripping clubs before, but I knew there was no recovering from a mistake installing these grips. That would simply mean a wasted grip.
Golf Pride made the Align Max grips with a firmer rubber, in part to make installation easier, and for me, these were the easiest grips I’ve ever installed. Using plenty of grip solvent, they went on smooth and did not twist during installation. No wasted grips.
A small red alignment hash on the top of the grip, in addition to the ridge on the bottom, certainly helped getting them lined up properly during installation, and overall it was an easy install.
Golf Pride Align Max Performance
The Golf Pride Align Max grips are what I had hoped the original AIign would be. For me, the more pronounced ridge is just what the doctor ordered.
The larger ridge is easy to feel at address and through the swing, even with a glove on. I’ve found that the proper grip is becoming more and more natural. My hands haven’t gravitated back to something more comfortable the way they have so many times in the past. They wrap around the club the same way every time, which adds confidence and boosts consistency.
The other thing I could feel instantly was the firmer rubber I mentioned earlier. I compared the Align Max MCC Plus4 with standard MCC Plus4 grips, and the Align Max feels noticeably firmer. While I can’t compare it head-to-head with the original Align, I’m certain it’s noticeably firmer in that comparison as well.
There’s nothing inherently good or bad about firm or softer grips, it’s simply personal preference. In fact, Golf Pride makes grips on both ends of the firm-soft spectrum. Firmer grips can give more feedback to the hands on impact location and strike quality, while some players simply prefer the added comfort of a soft grip.
Perhaps the biggest issue facing Align and Align Max technology is the technology in our golf clubs themselves. Specifically adjustable hosels on our drivers and now even fairway woods and hybrids. I would not recommend installing an Align Max grip on a club with an adjustable hosel because if you adjust the hosel in any way, the grip will no longer be aligned.
Even though not every player follows this recommendation, it’s a good idea to use one grip on every club in the bag (sans putter, obviously). If you have a driver (or another club) with an adjustable hosel and prefer to use one grip throughout the bag, you probably want a grip that doesn't have alignment built in.
I’m personally not too concerned about having multiple grips in my bag, and will use the alignment-neutral Tour Velvet on my long clubs, and Align Max on my irons and wedges. After testing Align Max, it was easy to come to that conclusion.
Golf Pride Align Max Pros & Cons
Pros:
- New ridge is a great size for strong feedback at address and through the swing
- Easy installation
- Added consistency
Cons:
- Not a good option for adjustable clubs
- May be too firm for players who like a soft-feeling grip
Game of Misses
I’ll be the first to admit that I liked the concept of the original Align grips, but felt the execution was a miss. The new Align Max, however, hits the mark in my opinion.
I don’t think adding these grips will change your game overnight, but they will build consistency into your setup, and if you believe golf is a game of misses, then that probably sounds appealing.
