How often do you "check your grip?"

[$2 Nassau]

Does your grip have a tendancy to creep? Mine tends to creep to a weak grip. Lately it's been a real struggle. For some reason lately my hands just don't feel comfortable unless they are in the weak position, has made for some terrible swings lately. I'll take my normal grip and then address the ball and my hands just start turning...like they have a mind of their own!

I really need to make a conscious effort to check my grip everyday until it just becomes second nature. I'm not trying for an especially strong grip, but neutral or just slightly strong seems to allow me to put my best swing on the ball.

EDIT: If anyone has experienced this "creeping" where your hands just seem to WANT to be in a certain position and have overcome it, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Thrdroc]

I haven't really checked my grip since my 2nd season of golfing. Now 6 years later and i still use the same grip and i've been told its a pretty good grip. Any time i start to think about my grip or try to change it, I start to hit really bad shots. Grip is one thing I definitely do not think about when i go to swing.

[lamebums]

I don't think about it. When I do, I start making really bad shots. My grip is typically very strong, and I intend to keep it that way.

[Fourputt]

I make sure when I grip the club at address that it's right, then I forget about it.

One question... how do your hands "creep" after you have taken your grip? Do you release and regrip after you take your stance? If so...DON'T!!

This is how I do it. I take my stance and get the ball in the correct postion. Then I sole the club on the ground (if the lie allows it) with the face square to the target. Then I take my grip, waggle a couple of times to relax my hands and wrists, ground the club and make the swing. Once I take my grip, my hands never leave the club again until after I make the stroke. There is no possible way that my grip can change unless I actually release my hold on the club.

[iacas]

One question... how do your hands "creep" after you have taken your grip? Do you release and regrip after you take your stance? If so...DON'T!!

That's not necessarily good advice. I regrip a few times during my waggling and setup and pre-shot routine. My grip doesn't wander, and the sole purpose of this is to ensure that the grip stays in my fingers and that I'm gripping the club loosely. People who take their grip and never let go tend to grip the club very firmly.

[allin]

I have to check my grip frequently. I have small hands and I tend to get them a little apart and the grip to much in my palms, so I try to make sure when I warm up. While playing I take my grip, waggle and go, never really checking it unless weakening it for a sand or flop shot.

[$2 Nassau]

One question... how do your hands "creep" after you have taken your grip? Do you release and regrip after you take your stance? If so...DON'T!!

Yes, I think so. I think I tend to fidget and overthink a little prior to the shot. When I'm done fidgetting my hands just naturally fall to a weak position. I know....I know....bad news, and it's really a quick fix- just don't overthink everything!! I'm working on it.

EDIT: to iacas' point, if I would simply return my hands to the proper postiion I'd probably be okay, but therein lies the problem. For some reason the hands are not getting the signal from the brain.

[Fourputt]

That's not necessarily good advice. I regrip a few times during my waggling and setup and pre-shot routine. My grip doesn't wander, and the sole purpose of this is to ensure that the grip stays in my fingers and that I'm gripping the club loosely. People who take their grip and never let go tend to grip the club very firmly.

But, at the same time, people who do regrip during the waggles usually end up with an inconsistent grip at best. Every article I've ever read about the grip says that you should use care to place your hands properly, then don't regrip again. It may work for you, but most teachers, including Harvey Penick, advise against it. From Penick's "Little Red Book":

If you insist on moving your hands and fingers after taking your grip, you accomplish two things that you do not want: You camouflage a poor grip,and you get calluses.

The waggle is supposed to keep you loose, and help keep you from tightening your hands on the club. I do agree with you in one respect... taking the grip too soon in the address process WILL tend to lead to squeezing too tightly. I see guys who set their grips while still standing behind the ball... that is way too early for most players.

[iacas]

But, at the same time, people who do regrip during the waggles usually end up with an inconsistent grip at best. Every article I've ever read about the grip says that you should use care to place your hands properly, then don't regrip again. It may work for you, but most teachers, including Harvey Penick, advise against it. From Penick's "Little Red Book":

How are you going to get calluses regripping? Unless you're doing it mid-swing, which is obviously not what we're talking about.

I play golf with a lot of good players, and perhaps our definition of "regripping" is different. My hands remain interlocked and for the most part, on the club. My regripping during pre-shot routine is a lot like Sergio's used to be - though obviously I don't do it 783 times like he used to. In fact, thinking about it, a lot of pros regrip as I do in their pre-shot routines. Again, it's just subtle - enough to keep my grip loose and in my fingers. The club - and my hands - don't rotate or get placed in a different spot. So, perhaps our definition of "regrip" in this scenario is slightly different. To answer the original question, I rarely check my grip on the range. I almost never have. It doesn't move. Perhaps I'm lucky, perhaps I got a good grip to start with. I don't know. On the course, I instinctively strengthen or weaken my grip depending on the shot at hand. Downhill lie, ball back in stance? Stronger grip. And so forth, but it's all by feel on the course. My hands instinctively tend to go to about the right place.