Our Story

Winn Grips has its roots in the seemingly unlikely combination of rocket science and tennis.

Founded in 1973 by Dr. Ben Huang, Winn began as a tennis ball manufacturer. An aerospace engineer by training, Dr. Huang had, in the 1960s, worked under Dr. Wernher Von Braun to develop the Saturn V rocket which eventually took Armstrong to the moon. The Georgia Institute of Technology, impressed by Dr. Huang's work, subsequently invited him to establish the university's School of Aerospace Engineering. A successful ten year professorship ensued, but Dr. Huang felt restless and eager for new challenges.

Dr. Huang's leap into the business world allowed him to act upon his long held passion for tennis. From the manufacturing of tennis balls to tennis racquet string to tennis grips, Dr. Huang honed his ever increasing expertise in polymer materials, the key component that now distinguishes Winn golf grips.

But it took a frustrating week at golf camp to inspire Dr. Huang's shift from tennis accessory development to golf grip innovation. At the Golf Digest Academy in Silverado, California, professionals Jim Flick and Paul Ryan put Dr. Huang's golf game through the wringer. Throughout the rigorous training, Dr. Huang found himself struggling with his grip. "My rubber grips were so slippery and uncomfortable," he remembers, "that I had to overcompensate by squeezing my grips so hard that I was practically strangling them. Of course, the tension in my hands and arms made it impossible for me to make a smooth swing. I knew I could design a better grip-not just for me, but for all golfers."

Hence the quest of Winn Grips to perfect a golf grip that provides superior shock absorption, excellent slip-resistance, and unparalleled feel. At Winn we've always understood that fundamentally a better grip means a better game.

1963 - Dr. Ben Huang assists Dr. Wernher von Braun at NASA in design of Saturn V Rocket which eventually takes man to the moon in 1969.

1964 - Dr. Huang pioneers the Aerospace Engineering PhD program at The Georgia Institute of Technology. Produces 16 PhD graduates.

1973 - Dr. Huang leaves teaching. Develops Winn tennis balls.

1976 - Winn synthetic tennis strings. Gutex, Gutite.

1977 - Incorporation of Winn.

1980 - Winn synthetic polymer tennis grips revolutionize the sport, marking a shift from leather to synthetic. SuperTech. Absorb-Mor. Anti-Shok.

1996 - Winn's first golf grip: The Classic. Elastom ETM technology.

1999 - Excel golf grip. ETX15 material.

2000- Famed former Tiger Woods coach, Butch Harmon, becomes Winn spokesperson.

2001- Winn opens its fourth factory that includes state-of-the-art material production, quality control and R & D facilities.

2002 - Winn putter grips played by 23 winners on the Tour, including 3 Majors champions.

2004 - V17-AVS polymer with Advanced Vertical Seam technology.

2006 - Natalie Gulbis becomes Winn LPGA Player Advisor. Captures Evian Masters title in 2007 using Winn grips. Advanced Integration (AI) technology.

2007 - Dura-Soft V17 material.

2008 - Polymer Cord Integration (PCi) Technology. The feel of polymer; the control of cord.

2009 - The PCi Triple Line was designed with the tour player in mind. The TL embossing texture offers a firm yet comfortable feel for an unmatched response and control for ultimate shot making

2010 - WinnLite Grip Technology was developed for golfers who are looking for longer distance, more accurate shots, and higher ball flight.