JumboMax JMX Pistol & JMX Palmbird Pistol Putter Grip Review

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The JumboMax JMX Pistol and JMX Palmbird Pistol putter grips offer three different takes on the classic pistol shape.  Pleasant, modern feel.  Palmbird is unlike anything else; JMX Pistol models enlarge the traditional design.

Introduction

When I received an email about the new putter grips from JumboMax, it rang a bell somewhere in my memory.  A trip to the Plugged In Golf archives confirmed my suspicion that there was something here I’d seen before.  The new JumboMax JMX Palmbird Pistol grip is the descendent of the original Palmbird, which I reviewed over nine years ago [check it out HERE].

The Palmbird Pistol joins the JumboMax JMX Pistol Mid and Pro to form a trio of new offerings from one of the more innovative grip companies in golf.  I tested them to see if they’re worth installing on your flat stick.

Looks

Both the JumboMax JMX Pistol and the JMX Palmbird Pistol hew to the conventions of other JumboMax grips, from an aesthetic perspective.  The top of each grip has a medium sized JumboMax logo at the bottom and a model designation at the top.  The model name repeats on the side of each grip – at the top for the Palmbird, at the bottom for the Pisol Pro and Pistol Mid.

In terms of color, these grips are primarily black.  Both the Pistol Pro and Pistol Mid come in three colorways: red/blue, green/white, or blackout (not shown) . The Palmbird only adds slashes of white and silver on the sides.

Overall, the look of these grips won’t be the deciding factor on whether they go in someone’s bag, for better or for worse.

Feel

Picking up the JumboMax JMX Pistol and Palmbird Pistol grips, I immediately noticed the similarities to their Tour grips [review HERE].  There’s a little softness in the material and just a bit of tack.  They also strike a balance between the solid feel of a rubber grip and the hollow feel of a large SuperStroke.  I really like this construction as it gives me a more conventional weight without feeling empty in my hand.

These grips also use a variety of textures to improve traction and aid in consistent hand placement.  The JMX Palmbird Pistol has a hexagonal tread covering the back and sides with a cross pattern on the top.  Both Pistol grips are similar, but with the cross section wrapping around the sides on the bottom half of the grip.  They also have two different textures between the Vs on the top of the grip to cue consistent thumb placement.

Performance

Let’s start with the JumboMax JMX Palmbird Pistol.  Like the original, it’s very deep (1.6″ compared to 1.28″ for the JMX Pistol Pro) with a fairly narrow profile.  As the name suggests, it allows you to get more of your hand on the grip and have your palms directly oppose each other.  I found this to be one of the most immediately comfortable, natural-feeling large putter grips I’ve ever used.  While I’m normally skeptical of grip’s claims to “eliminate unnecessary wrist motion,” I did find that to be the case with the Palmbird Pistol.  This made the Palmbird Pistol an immediate winner on short putts.  My distance control suffered at first, but it showed improvement as I spent more time with this grip.

Additionally, the JumboMax JMX Palmbird Pistol works with different hand placements.  With a conventional installation, you can use a traditional grip or left hand low.  If you use a claw-style hand placement, JumboMax suggests turning the top of the to face the target, similar to the GOAT Grip [review HERE].  This method puts the back of your lead hand square to the target while offering more surface area to your claw hand.

In contrast to the Palmbird, the JumboMax JMX Pistol Pro and Pistol Mid grips are fairly conventional.  As you can see, the Pistol Mid is the larger of the two, 0.07″ deeper, per JumboMax.  The difference in width is similar, though I found it to be more noticeable.  Compared to other pistol grips, the taper and shaping of the butt is more subtle.  There are no sharp edges or dramatic curves; these grips want to sit comfortably in your hand without calling attention to themselves.  Overall, players who like a pistol shape but want a little more size will be very happy with these options.

Lastly, one of the hallmarks of JumboMax grips is offering larger grips at conventional weights, like the JMX Zen Lite [review HERE] .  That technologies has been carried through here with the Palmbird weighing 63 grams, the Pistol Pro weighing 49 grams, and the Pistol Mid at 59 grams.  Contrast that with the original Palmbird that weighed a whopping 169 grams!  This is valuable because it allows you to use a larger grip without dramatically changing the feel and swing weight of your putter.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a convert to larger club grips like the or not, the JumboMax JMX Pistol and Palmbird Pistol putter grips are worth a look.  If you want to shake up your putting, the Palmbird can give your flat stick a whole new feel.  The JMX Pistol Pro and JMX Pistol Mid offer a conventional shape and weight with a little more size for added stability.

Visit JumboMax HERE

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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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