What is the proper grip pressure?

[Dave325]

12 hours ago, mvmac said:

GI'd say my grip pressure is pretty firm, you couldn't pull the club out of my hand. I tend to feel the "pressure" with the last three fingers of my left hand and middle two of my right hand. 

I think if the club is placed correctly in the hands, grip pressure tends to take care of itself.

 

Great info. Thanks. So, it appears that I do what you do with the grip pressure in the left hand, but need to try the right hand pressure with the middle two fingers, as was mentioned earlier. Great video link too. Thanks!

[Dave325]

11 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I would say my grip pressure for my full swing wedge shots are probably stronger than the grip pressure for my driver since it's a heavier club. I can't really tell the difference ;) 

http://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/84785-proper-grip-pressure-its-firmer-than-you-might-think/?do=findComment&comment=756919

Check out this thread. A nice lengthy discussion on grip pressure. Don't use the bird myth 

Thanks for the link on the grip pressure, this really helped solidify a few questions I had about grip pressure levels, even though parts of that thread became a bit heated. Thanks!

[mvmac]

8 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

I'd bet that while you can't take the club from @mvmac, you could take hold of the club and move his arms around with ease because of lack of tension in them. 

Right, while the grip is secure in my hands, my forearms aren't "tense".

[DrvFrShow]

@mvmac and I think this is one of the things confuses people about having a loose grip. It's not a loose grip in the hands. It's having supple arms while having a firm grip in the hands. Most beginners can't do this. So they're told to loosen the grip so that their forearms relax.

[Mr. Desmond]

Heck, you can't pull a putter grip out of my hands, but the forearms are relaxed.

[saevel25]

I don't think people realize just how hard you have to grip it to induce tension into the swing. I grip the club pretty tight. My arms are not tense at all. 

[iacas]

3 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

@mvmac and I think this is one of the things confuses people about having a loose grip. It's not a loose grip in the hands. It's having supple arms while having a firm grip in the hands. Most beginners can't do this. So they're told to loosen the grip so that their forearms relax.

I think that's one of the secrets low handicappers tend to have: firm grip, loose from the wrists up (loose without being "sloppy").

[natureboy]

On 12/17/2015 at 8:27 AM, DaveP043 said:

If I remember correctly, Ben Hogan has suggested that most of the grip pressure should be in the middle two fingers of each hand, particularly the right hand.  Too much pressure from the thumb and forefinger of the right hand is discussed as leading to flipping or casting.

For the trail / lower hand yes. For the lead / higher hand he emphasized the last three fingers.

Per Hogan, pressure in the lead hand is added by the palm, thumb, and forefinger. Lead hand pressure is added by the palm against the grip of the middle two fingers, and the only pressure the trail index finger adds is at the base knuckle partly 'on top' partly 'behind' the shaft.

Edited December 19, 2015 by natureboy

[LagShaft]

On December 18, 2015 at 0:52 AM, mvmac said:

Right, while the grip is secure in my hands, my forearms aren't "tense".

 

On December 18, 2015 at 4:49 AM, DrvFrShow said:

@mvmac and I think this is one of the things confuses people about having a loose grip. It's not a loose grip in the hands. It's having supple arms while having a firm grip in the hands. Most beginners can't do this. So they're told to loosen the grip so that their forearms relax.

Light bulb moment... Thanks guys grip pressure was something that has always felt like a gray area for me.  Relating it to arm tension adds a better perspective for me.

[Dave325]

On December 18, 2015 at 8:57 AM, iacas said:

I think that's one of the secrets low handicappers tend to have: firm grip, loose from the wrists up (loose without being "sloppy").

I re-read this thread again after playing today and spending time on the course working on my right elbow. I noticed this "firm" grip made a bit o difference with causing an early extension (right elbow extending too soon). So, I found that if I grip the club with the left hand and apply pressure with the top three fingers, then place the right hand lightly on the club with a light pressure of the middle two fingers of the right hand.... And keep this throughout the swing... It helps with keeping the right elbow bent and avoiding an early extension. In other words, very little use of the right arm (like it is just along for the ride on the downswing). Has anyone else thought about this? Am I thinking about this all backwards?