How hard do you grip the club?

[SpringBokVol]

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the tightest you can possible grip the club, how hard do you grip the club?

I have been having a real issue with this lately and my left hand is killing me. I feel like my knuckles and joints are bruised. It goes away once I get warmed up and I can play a full round without any pain. But when it is over it starts to really hurt and the next day it is killing me.

Any thoughts?

[ks8829]

similar to holding a open tube of tooth paste without squeezing the tooth paste out. With the proper grip pressure you will generate more club head speed and your hands will feel better after a round

[CarlSpackler]

If I need to hit a big slice, 10. Works every time.
Normal shot... 6.

[pittpanther]

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the tightest you can possible grip the club, how hard do you grip the club?

Maybe a 5.

I have been having a real issue with this lately and my left hand is killing me. I feel like my knuckles and joints are bruised. It goes away once I get warmed up and I can play a full round without any pain. But when it is over it starts to really hurt and the next day it is killing me.

Well, as long as you don't mind taking advice from a high-handicapper...

I think you're (obviously) squeezing way too tightly. You're setting yourself up for problems with your knuckles, maybe even arthritis, that will stop your playing career dead. I think you should squeeze with only enough pressure that you could play an entire round without a glove, for example.

[Mr. M]

Six...and a half.

I'll occasionally catch myself gripping too tightly (usually at the driving range), and I'll step back, strech, take a swig of Diet Coke, regroup, and address the ball again. I fight it, but it's not nearly as bad as it once was...I think.

[DavidFehertysBike]

You could pull the club out of my hands at address with a gentle tug. I dont hold it very firm at all. I think the jusr proper positioning of the hands and fingers on the grip naturally applies all the pressure you need.

[David in FL]

I've always believed in the old adage of a baby bird.......tight enough to keep him from flying away, but not so tight as to harm him.

Call it a 4, maybe 5 at the most.

FWIW......I highly recommend to my opponents that they grip the club as tightly as possible and swing as hard as they can......it's usually best if both feet leave the ground at some point in the swing!

[Fastcarfreak]

i would say a 3 or a 4. I only hold the club hard enough to not let it fall out of my hands on the swing.

[shankapotamus]

Out of ten, I grip it about a three.

[HSip]

About a 3. If you're gripping hard enough to hurt your hands that's too much. It's much easier to find that "smooth" tempo with a light grip. Good luck

[Joejoe26]

Being that grip pressure can lead to tension in the arms and the shoulders, I try to keep the pressure in the grip at around 2-4. I've been taught to keep most of that pressure in the pinky and ring finger on the left hand and the thumb and index finger on the right hand. This is speaking in regards to a righty. My instructor compares the fingers as book ends and the ends are where the pressure is.

[SpringBokVol]

This is all very helpful. I appreciate all the insight. I think I am needing to soften my grip. I need to be more consistent with my irons anyway so this will give me motivation.

[SubPar]

Something like 4 or 5 is good, but whatever it is, the pressure should not change during the swing. Tiger told a friend of mine his grip pressure is around a 7, which is high. But he was quick to add, it does not change through out the swing.

SubPar

[Jay-Bird]

Probably a 4.

[Bauer]

I can't possibly imagine that grip pressure doesn't change during the swing. It seems impossible to have that type of control while thinking of so many things within 1.5 seconds.

[Marmitetoo]

I agree, about a 3 to 4 is ideal.
Try just sitting with the club in your hands, and rotate the club from vertical to left and right, you will notice that as you increase your grip pressure, you also increase your forearm muscle pressure. This will affect your ability to create a proper wrist cock, as well as your ability to maintain a good release angle on the downswing.

[SpringBokVol]

I have just been swinging in the living room (tearing up the carpet pad underneath) and gripping it at about a 3 or 4 feels really good. Felt strange at first but then I really focused hard on getting a good tempo down. Man it felt great. Really was able to set the club at the top and felt a strong release at the bottom of the arc.

I want to go play so badly - I need a night course :)

[Joejoe26]

Bauer- "I can't possibly imagine that grip pressure doesn't change during the swing. It seems impossible to have that type of control while thinking of so many things within 1.5 seconds."

That is because Tiger is not human. I'm convinced he is a robot that was built by Titleist at first then sold to Nike for a ridiculous amount of money.

SpringBokVol -"I have just been swinging in the living room (tearing up the carpet pad underneath) and gripping it at about a 3 or 4 feels really good. Felt strange at first but then I really focused hard on getting a good tempo down. Man it felt great. Really was able to set the club at the top and felt a strong release at the bottom of the arc."

Relaxing the pressure on the grip will in turn lead to a more natural release of the club through impact. If there is too much tension, that natural release is disturbed and is manipulated (held on too long or casting).