Proper Grip Pressure (It's Firmer than You Might Think)

[iacas]

18 inch divot? Something doesn't sound right.. That's a foot and a half and no way a golfer keeps contact with ground that long... Can they?

Can they? Sure.

Do they? Almost never, as in 0.0000001% of the time they'll take a divot that big. Maybe less. :-)

[iacas]

This is similar to the chart to which I've referred a few times. It looked something like this.

It may have also been something like this:

[Abu3baid]

This is similar to the chart to which I've referred a few times. It looked something like this. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/95618/] [/URL] It may have also been something like this: [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/95619/] [/URL]

As soon as saw this I thought.... Yup that's me! I just went ahead and gripped a club now and tried to get it much firmer to the point that I couldn't feel as much of a difference from set up through impact.. My swing felt much more powerful and even I think I was a little ristricted which prevented me from going so far back at A4.. I will continue playing around with this grip pressure but the real question is there a point of diminishing returns or even where it is counter productive to grip with more pressure? Also, how do I really know what good pressure is? Do you agree that I will be able to have much better contact with tho stronger pressure? Great visual so thanks!

[Osmond]

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it looks like you found your miracle man. You should get together. You might also want to spell check when you post. [COLOR=181818]Christopher Warner[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]Master Teaching Professional[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]Golf Teachers Academy of America[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]PGA, USGTF, NRPGI, WGTF,WGCA,[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]INTERNATIONAL PGA, USGA - R&A;,[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]HGA, AGA.[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]Top 100 Teachers[/COLOR]

Great thread, wish I found it earlier. I've always been gripping way too loose, it seems. Recently I've had better results with a firmer grip. And btw, what a complete joke you are, Christopher Warner :D

[rehmwa]

Great thread, wish I found it earlier. I've always been gripping way too loose, it seems. Recently I've had better results with a firmer grip.

And btw, what a complete joke you are, Christopher Warner :D

Different strokes - over the last couple years, I've been focused on a 'firm' grip.  Not overdone, but trying to maintain the same pressure throughout.  I've played pretty good.  but holding my line, especially on tee shots, has been 'difficult'.

I just switched to trying to hold about as lightly as I can.  I'm hitting everything super controlled (compared to before).  A lot less pulls and pushes.  I getting my shot shapes with less efforts, and 'straightish' attempts have been very nice.  No distance loss, if anything, I've gotten a bit longer.  'feels' like I'm catching the sweet spot more often too.

or, maybe it's just simpler since I'm playing with one thing and not overthinking all the other stuff.....whatever it is, I'll keep trying and see if it sticks.  improvement ramps are especially fun.

[golfballs01]

Wow. I'm sorry you feel that way. I thought this was a thread of people trying to gather good information, shared by others, not as an attempt to be judgmental but perhaps to help others seeking advice or the thoughts of others. I'm not sure what your basis is in feeling that I'm a complete joke but you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I do know that with 45 years in the game, playing at all levels, including the Canadian PGA Tour, I've learned that the smartest person is the one that realizes how much they don't know, requiring an opened mind and willingness to see things different ways. Just going through Q-School afforded me so many pieces of information that I hadn't heard of outside the realm of that caliber. At no time do I think that I have all the right answers and the best way of doing things. I have merely shared what favorable experiences and successful methods I had learned. So, (D) Whoever you are, perhaps you should take another look at things and re-consider judgement of others and perhaps forgo the slanderous comments. On a previous post, I had let my guard down and allowed myself to lash out. For that I was wrong, and offered a humble apology, which was accepted. If there's something I said in my post that wasn't correct or contradictory, please point it out and we can discus it like men. If I'm wrong about it, I will gladly accept the correction. I'm not about having to be right all the time or strutting an ego. I'm about sharing viable information that may or may not help someone else out. As the ole saying goes, "there's more than one way to skin a cat. We can both have differences of opinion and yet both have a workable solution. No two people are exactly the same and what is best for one isn't always what's best for another. I would appreciate a little respect and I owe it to you and everyone else the same respect. I hope for a positive response and would like to move forward. I'm opened minded and I hope you are as well.

Christopher Warner.

[trickyputt]

I think this was mentioned earlier, but grip pressure limiting wrist mobility mostly has to do with where the pressure is being appplied, right? For example, I feel like I can death grip with the last three fingers of my top hand and still have free movement of the wrist, but I start to get firm if I squeeze with the thumb.

I kinda went back and grabbed this. I was curious to read your question as it relates to hand position across different clubs, being that wrist angles at setup are impacted by the downward angle of shaft to the ground. I am also curious about the consistency issues one might find across the various ground to handle height changes a wrist deals with using a set of standard clubs.

[billchao]

I kinda went back and grabbed this. I was curious to read your question as it relates to hand position across different clubs, being that wrist angles at setup are impacted by the downward angle of shaft to the ground. I am also curious about the consistency issues one might find across the various ground to handle height changes a wrist deals with using a set of standard clubs.

Are you asking me or just using my question? I'm not really sure what this has to do with grip pressure.

[trickyputt]

[quote name="trickyputt" url="/t/54965/proper-grip-pressure-its-firmer-than-you-might-think/90#post_1103912"] I kinda went back and grabbed this. I was curious to read your question as it relates to hand position across different clubs, being that wrist angles at setup are impacted by the downward angle of shaft to the ground. I am also curious about the consistency issues one might find across the various ground to handle height changes a wrist deals with using a set of standard clubs.

Are you asking me or just using my question? I'm not really sure what this has to do with grip pressure.[/quote] Both. I guess another way to phrase my question is by asking you, or whomever you were asking, if the forces necessary to hang onto a club increase with droop pressure? And thus the club shaft length or lie design can help mitigate that pressure if you have too much angle between forearm and shaft?

[SavvySwede]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Similar to "What'd You Shoot Today," "Best Shot of the Week," "2009 Goals," and other similar threads, I thought it'd be neat to have a thread that asks: "What are you working on?"

The rules:

Post what you're working on, why, what you hope to accomplish, how you're doing about it, etc.

Post when you begin something new, take a new approach, etc.

Don't reply to any posts unless your reply also accomplishes the two things listed above.

In other words, this isn't a true "discussion" thread, much like "What'd You Shoot Today" isn't a discussion thread - more of a "post or read" kind of thread. If you truly want to reply to someone else's post, start a new thread and quote the post in this thread.

I'll have something to add Friday after my first lesson, but until then, someone go ahead and get us started: What are you working on?

Working on grip pressure.  Instructed to hold the club at about a 3 out of ten...very light pressure.  Here is where my instructor hammered the following into my head...THE SAME GRIP PRESSURE THAT YOU HAVE AT ADDRESS  (3) IS THE SAME GRIP PRESSURE YOU SHOULD HAVE AT IMPACT.  Read that again TEN times.  Most of us have the natural tendencey to start overgripping at the top of our backswing and then end up with a grip pressure of 8. Too tight a grip introduces stress and tightness into the swing...otherwise known as the death grip.  With a loose grip at impact you have more lag which leads to more power.  You want to unhinge those wrists by themselves without trying to control them.  You can only do this with a loose grip just before impact.

You may want to read this http://thesandtrap.com/t/54965/proper-grip-pressure-its-firmer-than-you-might-think

[Tomputt]

You may want to read this http://thesandtrap.com/t/54965/proper-grip-pressure-its-firmer-than-you-might-think

Could not disagree more with your comments.  We have all heard the expression you have to feel the club head and let the club head do the work.  You can't feel the club head with a tight grip. The article only states that most amateurs start off with a loose grip, as the downswing begins, most amateurs turn into cave men with a death defying grip.  Try reading Jim Flick's book (Jack Nicklaus' one time swing coach) and you will see what I mean.  Grip and rip it might work for a handful of individuals, but for most weekend warriors, this is a recipe for disaster.

[iacas]

Could not disagree more with your comments.  We have all heard the expression you have to feel the club head and let the club head do the work.  You can't feel the club head with a tight grip. The article only states that most amateurs start off with a loose grip, as the downswing begins, most amateurs turn into cave men with a death defying grip.  Try reading Jim Flick's book (Jack Nicklaus' one time swing coach) and you will see what I mean.  Grip and rip it might work for a handful of individuals, but for most weekend warriors, this is a recipe for disaster.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54965/proper-grip-pressure-its-firmer-than-you-might-think/108#post_972201

You should check out that post. And some of the others in this thread.

We've all heard lots of expressions in golf. Turns out a lot of them are incorrect. The average grip strength (taken as an actual measurement, not by a "feel" on a 1-10 scale) is fairly firm on the PGA Tour. Lead hand. Some players, particularly with the driver, let the trail hand come off a bit near impact (see also: Vijay Singh at impact).

You're new to TST, but I encourage you to keep an open mind and to stay inquisitive. Ask questions. But try not to disagree without giving some thought to things, because many times the other person will have given a great deal of thought to their position (or are trusting that others have done so, like myself or @mvmac ). Is a firmer grip an absolute? No, probably not. But it's up there IMO and with the data I've seen.

[CaptHook]

Wow this thread has been quite the party. Back to topic, with a question. Where should the proper pressure points be on both hands? Simple short and sweet answers please : )

[Duff McGee]

So I was all over the place today and ruined my rounds by going OB with snap hooks. At the very end of my second round I barely even gripped the club with my right hand and suddenly everything was straight as an arrow. Anyone else ever have this problem and does right hand grip pressure really make that much of a difference?

[CaptHook]

So I was all over the place today and ruined my rounds by going OB with snap hooks. At the very end of my second round I barely even gripped the club with my right hand and suddenly everything was straight as an arrow. Anyone else ever have this problem and does right hand grip pressure really make that much of a difference?

Yep, happens to me every now and then. But for me, if i start blocking, I'll realize my grip pressure is too strong. Too loose, and leftsssss all day. Of course, more issues like everyone else, but one less thing to think about when my grip pressure is about a relative 4 or 5 for me. Grip pressure def makes a difference for me

[Duff McGee]

Yep, happens to me every now and then. But for me, if i start blocking, I'll realize my grip pressure is too strong. Too loose, and leftsssss all day. Of course, more issues like everyone else, but one less thing to think about when my grip pressure is about a relative 4 or 5 for me. Grip pressure def makes a difference for me

Thanks for the reply. It seems so weird that my right hand grip pressure is so strong that it causes snap hooks. I feel so much weaker swinging without my typical grip pressure though. I did it with my 9 iron at the end of the round and it was dead straight too. This could be huge for me if grip pressure has been my problem all along for irons.

[dazza78]

hi all I had a lesson with a pro today. One thing we worked on was my grip, lighter and moving my right hand further over. I have attendance to hit it round left so this was the fix. Wow does it feel weird. Seems to fix it so far. I feel like the club is moving around in my hand and could fly out, apparently my grip was too strong previous. 

 

What at are your thoughts, light grip, strange sensation and it will be normal in time?

[mvmac]

hi all I had a lesson with a pro today. One thing we worked on was my grip, lighter and moving my right hand further over. I have attendance to hit it round left so this was the fix. Wow does it feel weird. Seems to fix it so far. I feel like the club is moving around in my hand and could fly out, apparently my grip was too strong previous. 

 

What at are your thoughts, light grip, strange sensation and it will be normal in time?

Moved your post to this thread, check out the OP, lots of good info. I like my grip to feel firm, meaning secure in the fingers by not not to the point where my forearms are "tight".

Any grip change will feel weird at first and it should, means you're making it different.