Grip pressure in golf is one of those things that often lies in the background of perception, so you don’t know if it’s tight, loose, or somewhere in between.
Many high to moderate handicappers tend to grip the club too tightly, often resulting in a slice. This happens because the right hand grips the club too tightly and the club head is not released onto the ball and opens up at impact, losing power and distance.
but it’s not just the resulting slice. It can cause all sorts of problems with rhythm, timing, power and of course consistency.
What should I do then? The first thing we must do is expand our consciousness. One of the best ways to do this is to go to extremes first. One of his podcast guests, Ed Grant explained it perfectly, so I know there’s a fancier term for this (see link below).
What this means is that we really need to go to each extreme – put a near-death grip on the club, grip it too loosely, slip out of your hand and into your neighbor’s plate glass window. I am afraid of
why are we repeating this? To implement (and groove) swing changes, we always tend to go back to the norm, so any further departure from the “norm” increases the perceived gap, and the “new norm” is the current Because they are more prone to change. I’m trying to implement not the usual pattern.
have understood? good! By the way, this is a solid mental framework when trying to implement swing changes. Of course, it’s not the only tool, but it’s another mental “crescent wrench” to add to your toolbox.
Keep in mind that it’s a new pattern, so it’s going to feel a little weird (like any other swing change). Feel this new sense of freedom and lightness in your swing and start getting used to it. For more tension-free ideas, check out 7 Ways to Create a Strong, Tension-Free Golf Swing.
golf grip pressure drill
Drill 1: Soft Hand/Wrist
A good drill to feel a little softening in your wrist and grip is to pick up one of the weighted donuts, slip it into one of the short irons and start moving the club back and forth (with one hand , then the other, then both), you will begin to feel your hands, wrists and arms “soften”. Feel the weight of the club head. Move the clubhead back and forth a few inches to get started.
Eventually, your hands and wrists will become more flexible, and you will be able to use your arms to experiment with “figure eights” and other more complex movements, loosening the pressure on your grip for even more freedom.
Drill 2: iron tap
Another golf grip pressure drill from the legendary teacher is: Bob Toski:
“Hold the clubhead with each hand and hold the irons one at a time. Face the grips to the floor and strike together. It’s not as easy as it looks, right? Tap them together until you have dozens of taps in a row.” Note that it will be easier if you “soften” your hands and take over the feel of the movement.
“Observe your grip pressure and wrist flexibility when you’re doing a drill well. Stiffness and pressure may make you feel in control at first, but they’ll only make the task more difficult.” .”
“Also, while looking at the mid-target, I started holding the club lightly with the fingers of my right hand.
this to me The consistent way I started each swing got me into a nice rhythm. For a draw, not so much. So I’m getting a feel for the shots I’m about to play. ”
Drill 3: Club Toss 101
I recently wrote about how to create a solid preshot routine, and this drill can tackle it perfectly. Jack Nicklaus used it to soften the grip as well as feel the weight of the clubhead.
See the photo above for the overall look of this.
Right-handers: During the pre-shot routine, when you start to see the target line and shot shape, stand behind the ball. Grasp the club loosely in your right hand (and try to “soften” your forearm) and bring your elbow closer to your side. The club head should point directly at the target line. If mapped to the clock, the arms and clubhead would be at his 3 o’clock position.
Then, with a relaxed grip (and keeping your elbows in relatively the same position), swing the club head (feeling the weight) to about the 9 o’clock position. You can swing it out of your body again and hold it in your left hand while looking at your target.
This is a really simple but beautiful move that can really relax the tension in your hands and body, especially before you need a pressure pack shot.
I also like to practice this with a weighted donut on the clubhead.
Now there are a few ways to help monitor (and release) grip pressure in golf.
Keep in mind that if the grip is too loose or too firm, the pressure will be transferred from your hand to every part of your body, making a smooth, rhythmic swing almost impossible.
Other resources
Ed Grant: Train and use your brain like a pro with subconscious golf
Frogger Swing Her0 – Attach Swing Hero to your club and swing with exaggerated light grip pressure. You’ll start to feel the Swing Hero’s handguards keep clubs from flying out of your hands. By swinging with an exaggerated, light grip, you’ll experience an unprecedented club feel and greater range of motion.
One of the easiest and best training aids is: golf swing donut
Above: Courtesy of GolfPride Grips
