Grip

[revkev]

My teacher has me working on my grip pressure. As I do I'm finding that too loose is just as bad as too tight because if I start too loose I tighten up during the course of the swing and hit blocks with my longer clubs and less than flush shots with the short irons.

 

We've found that in my minds eye I need to be a 6-7 with my middle two fingers on my left hand and 4-5 with everything else. When I do that everything is loose and I hit nice solid shots that fly hight and fall a bit left particularly with those middle clubs that I've identified as weaknesses in my game.

 

I had a great range session today. I keep experimenting a bit with grip pressure because the lighter I can grip it without tightening during the swing, the farther it goes.

 

My teacher strengthened my grip a bit last year and was pleased to see that it hasn't snuck back too much towards neutral.

 

How often do you start the season off with a lesson that focuses on the basics of your swing? I'm guessing the more time that you spend on the basics the lower your handicap. Let's see though.

[hckymeyer]

I did that at the start of last year.  The only change we made was a shorter back swing and it helped to get me less over the top.  I worked on it all last season and it made a big difference in the quality of my ball striking.

 

I see that a lot where a small change in setup or grip will do wonders without going through an entire swing overhaul.

[jaskanski]

 

How often do you start the season off with a lesson that focuses on the basics of your swing? I'm guessing the more time that you spend on the basics the lower your handicap. Let's see though.

 

How often? About every time I have a lesson (never mind seasons) I work on the basics first.

These are grip, stance, alignment, ball position.

Without these fundamentals in place, it's pretty difficult to swing with any consistency - simply because, if you have no consistency in your set up, then how can you hope to have any consistency in your swing?

Therefore, if your set up can become almost second-nature - and more importantly repeatably accurate, then you have a better chance of returning the clubhead to the ball the way you intend.

[apprenti23]

Many times fixing your basics will fix an in swing flaw just thought the chain reaction. Very interesting point on grip pressure. Often overlooked but very important topic.

[revkev]

Grip pressure is a tough one to get at also - don't smother a bird?  I've never held a bird before so how would I know?  I like the idea of numbers because that works for me and applying numbers to different key pressure points seems to be working.  I was also intrigued by my teacher saying, "Go experiment some with grip pressure."  Frankly I was very surprised to see the results of a pressure that was too light.  It needs to start with a pressure that can be maintained throughout the swing.  (At least it needs to be for me.)

[mr_divots]

Grip pressure is a tough one to get at also - don't smother a bird?  I've never held a bird before so how would I know?  I like the idea of numbers because that works for me and applying numbers to different key pressure points seems to be working.  I was also intrigued by my teacher saying, "Go experiment some with grip pressure."  Frankly I was very surprised to see the results of a pressure that was too light.  It needs to start with a pressure that can be maintained throughout the swing.  (At least it needs to be for me.)

Do you have the Butch Harmon instructional DVD? He says that line as well and it made me chuckle.

 

Biggest thing I notice with grip pressure and improvement in my rounds is during putting. When I'm rolling it well, the putter almost just hangs from my hands. I'm a hitter otherwise, and probably put a good grasp on the club. The harder you swing, the harder you have to grip. Not a death grip, but just to maintain adhesion and control.

I try to make sure the grip is hitting me in the right area of my fingers with my strong grip. And that my lower hand isn't getting too strong.

[PlaidJacket]

Grip pressure is huge. Like most I get way to tight most of the time. Here's a tip which for me made immediate improvement in my ball striking and more center solid face contact. My Pro instructor at my first lesson 6 weeks ago first wanted to see my grip. It was fine he said except one thing. He asked me to grip down about 1/2" with my left hand. Wow! I have always had the butt end of the grip all the way flush with my outer edge palm/hand. Never really thought about it. My ball striking immediately improved. He said that's where pros hold the club. He said look on TV next time and see. Sure enough... they do for the most part. Give it a try and see if it helps you.

[Kenny B]

The right grip pressure is huge!  Too tight and arm muscles are too tense = loss of distance.  Too loose = loss of control.  Pressure tends to make me grip too tight, thus I come up short on approaches.

 

The actual grip you use on a clubs can also influence grip pressure.  It has to be the right size for your hands.  My fingers are pretty long so I tend to go with extra wraps and/or a midsize grip.  If it is too small, I tend to grip too tight because it feels like I can't control the club.  However, too big feels good in the hands but impacts the amount of leverage.  

 

For several years, I played the Golf Pride NDMC grips because I liked corded grips.  I still like them, but had to change them every 6 months.  I switched to Pure Grips PurePro and this winter I bought the Pure DTX.  With this grip I feel like I don't have to grip hard at all and control is always there.  I think it will be a better grip in wet weather, and the Pures last more than a season without changing.

[revkev]

My problem with too loose is that I will tighten up through the swing somewhere and not release the club - in many ways its worse than too tight.

 

I haven't seen the Harmon DVD but I know Sam Snead used to talk about the Bird thing - it works for a kid from West Virginia but not for a city kid.

 

Putting and chipping grip pressure is another matter as well.  I haven't thought to put a number to it but I know that the pressure points are different with the putter than for the full swing and for me they change with chips/pitches/sand shots depending upon what I'm trying to do - my pressure has to be exceedingly light when I'm trying to spin it out of the sand or hit a flop - you know shots where I'm trying to get the club face to slice under the ball a bit and remain open.

[apprenti23]

Pressure...

Pressing down on me...

Under pressure...

[mnfats95]

Since I overhauled my swing a few years back I've fought a pretty nasty pull hook with my irons. I actually got to the point where I played it every shot it was so consistent. Into the wind however it just kills me as I have had balls fly 40 yards to the left of where I was aimed.

 

I did some looking this Winter about curing this problem and everything led me back to my grip. I have had two range sessions now where I have adjusted my left hands position and it appears to solve the issue. I've even hit some fades which I could never do before.

 

I am trying to find the sweet spot with the amount of change and get used to it since it feels so odd. Once that happens I am hoping it leads to more GIR. It never ceases to amaze me how much of a difference a small change can make.

[revkev]

Pressure...

Pressing down on me...

Under pressure...

Bowie - a genius in my chosen field until I saw the light that is.

[apprenti23]

Bowie - a genius in my chosen field until I saw the light that is.

Haha! That song has ruined the word "pressure" for me. Instantly starts playing in my head!

[revkev]

Not a helpful tune for swing tempo is it.

 

Bowie is actually a very gifted cellist, some of those nice smooth classical pieces fit my tempo. I'm definitely better when I'm a swinger verses a hitter. Ironically I've developed a nice pop stroke with the putter and am a much better putter on Bermuda than on those beautiful bent grass greens that I grew up with.