Grip Pressure

[Cicero]

Does anyone on this board get more speed with a firmer grip?

Out of curiosity, I was wondering if any hitters here find more speed with a firmer grip than a lighter one? I've tested it out on many occasions, and I consistently get more speed with a firmer grip than with a light grip.

Am I the only oddball like this???

[RRFireblade]

I'm no big LD guy but I know for a fact in my case , the longer I want to hit , the more I relax my grip.

It helps me really feel the lag in my swing and maintain it.

But whatever works for you is all the matters , it's even possible that you think one thing and actually do something else.

Still doesn't matter if it works.

[Vintage1976]

[quote name='Cicero' timestamp='1297184065' post='2960348']
Out of curiosity, I was wondering if any hitters here find more speed with a firmer grip than a lighter one? I've tested it out on many occasions, and I consistently get more speed with a firmer grip than with a light grip.

Am I the only oddball like this???
[/quote]

You're not alone. It took me a long time to realize that it is actually possible for me to end up too relaxed in my grip pressure. I've heard time and again to keep it to a 4 or 5 out of 10. The explaination that follows is usually that by the time you get to the club up to top, your grip is going to get firmer anyway but I've never found that to be the case for me. When I hit my best shots I'm usually at more like 7 or 8. In fact, when I committed to being more firm in my grip pressure it became easier to relax my arms and shoulders.

I guess I'm an odd ball too.

[highergr0und]

It could be a forearm / grip strength thing. Remember that one thing most great golfers have said about them is a steel like grip and crazy forearm strength. So to them, a 4-5 light grip could still be applying a lot more pressure than someone else's 4-5.

I've got a theory going that by increasing forearm strength I should be able to maintain better control of the club and even hold the lag longer before the effective weight of the club takes over. Just got some grip4orce trainers to use with my lifting and it's pretty crazy how much less I can lift when I use them. Using those for warm up sets plus some specific forearm work mixed in. Hopefully I'll be where I want by the spring.

[Socrates]

Starting out with a tight grip isn't too good, but by the time that the club reaches impact, I'd bet that the grip pressure is 10 out of 10 for most. Just look at the impact on the "Bizhub" and how much the club bends, torques, and vibrates while digging out an impressive clod of turf.

[golfbum9]

[quote name='Cicero' timestamp='1297184065' post='2960348']
Out of curiosity, I was wondering if any hitters here find more speed with a firmer grip than a lighter one? I've tested it out on many occasions, and I consistently get more speed with a firmer grip than with a light grip.

Am I the only oddball like this???
[/quote]
I'm the opposite. A lighter grip pressure gives me the best swing/ release.
This was true even back when I was considered "long"....

[Blakester]

I'm with Socrates, you can start off holding the club in 4 fingers, but if you're not holding tight with all 10 at impact there's no telling where it's going. I just try to find a happy medium. 5 or 6 on a scale of 10 to start. Probably 9.5 at impact.

[Cicero]

[quote name='heavybladed' timestamp='1297354087' post='2965810']
[quote name='Cicero' timestamp='1297184065' post='2960348']
Out of curiosity, I was wondering if any hitters here find more speed with a firmer grip than a lighter one? I've tested it out on many occasions, and I consistently get more speed with a firmer grip than with a light grip.

Am I the only oddball like this???
[/quote]

... In fact, when I committed to being more firm in my grip pressure it became easier to relax my arms and shoulders.


[/quote]


This is the same for me; it runs counter to conventional wisdom (then again, I don't think anyone who saw me would consider me a conventional golfer, so it makes sense ). As long as I'm not gripping it in the index fingers or the thumb, I can grip it just about as tight as I want to.

Sam Snead's poor little bird would definitely be a goner if I held it with the grip pressure that seems to work for my swing...

[Vintage1976]

[quote name='Cicero' timestamp='1297359661' post='2966020']
[quote name='heavybladed' timestamp='1297354087' post='2965810']
[quote name='Cicero' timestamp='1297184065' post='2960348']
Out of curiosity, I was wondering if any hitters here find more speed with a firmer grip than a lighter one? I've tested it out on many occasions, and I consistently get more speed with a firmer grip than with a light grip.

Am I the only oddball like this???
[/quote]

... In fact, when I committed to being more firm in my grip pressure it became easier to relax my arms and shoulders.


[/quote]


This is the same for me; it runs counter to conventional wisdom (then again, I don't think anyone who saw me would consider me a conventional golfer, so it makes sense ). As long as I'm not gripping it in the index fingers or the thumb, I can grip it just about as tight as I want to.

Sam Snead's poor little bird would definitely be a goner if I held it with the grip pressure that seems to work for my swing...
[/quote]

Soft-handed does have it's place in my game however, I'll dead hand short sided or downhill chips from the rough pretty often. It lets me take a bigger swing, without sending it out like a missile. I hear some golfers can get a short chip to check up and stop. I don't have that shot.

[Socrates]

Just to clarify... I said nothing about how I'm gripping it (fingers, thumb, etc...), just that my grip pressure is light to moderate to begin with and progressing to high pressure at impact (10 out of 10 on the scale).

[golfbum9]

That's a pretty strong swing you have there justin. So much so that it throws you off balance.
Hold your finish position [u]balanced [/u] until the ball lands for every shot.... "for the camera"
Often overlooked and under taught, the finish position is just as an important aspect as are the other facets of the swing.
It's a golf swing, not a golf hit.

I realize it is just an exercise. But you don't want bad habits to creep in while doing so.

[justinp766]

[quote name='golfbum9' timestamp='1300286539' post='3060427']
That's a pretty strong swing you have there justin. So much so that it throws you off balance.
Hold your finish position [u]balanced [/u] until the ball lands for every shot.... "for the camera"
Often overlooked and under taught, the finish position is just as an important aspect as are the other facets of the swing.
It's a golf swing, not a golf hit.

I realize it is just an exercise. But you don't want bad habits to creep in while doing so.
[/quote]

Hmm, I supposed I will try this out next time at the range!
Thanks!

[3 piece]

I am no super long ball hitter but I have found that for me I need to have enough pressure on the grip so that it is noticeable. If I address the ball without noticing my grip pressure I'm too light.

[MadGolfer76]

I think the idea would be to hold the club as lightly as possible without letting go of it.

Musicians have known about this stuff for a long time. The best tone comes from a lighter touch. If you hit a drumstick onto a snare drum with a death grip it sounds terrible. Conversely, if you hit it with a lighter grip, you get a much more solid tone. It is because you transfer more energy to the drum with a lighter grip. The same, I imagine, holds true with a golf club. You deaden the energy transfer by clamping down on the club and it interferes with your technique.

[justinp766]

[quote name='MadGolfer76' timestamp='1300406874' post='3065297']
I think the idea would be to hold the club as lightly as possible without letting go of it.

Musicians have known about this stuff for a long time. The best tone comes from a lighter touch. If you hit a drumstick onto a snare drum with a death grip it sounds terrible. Conversely, if you hit it with a lighter grip, you get a much more solid tone. It is because you transfer more energy to the drum with a lighter grip. The same, I imagine, holds true with a golf club. You deaden the energy transfer by clamping down on the club and it interferes with your technique.
[/quote]

No offense dude....but this is probably the worse analogy towards long driving I have ever heard..
Sorry I really mean no offense.

[jgb]

I have to consciously keep my grip firm, especially through impact, or my right hand comes slightly off the grip. Always been a problem. I make much better contact with a firm grip from start through impact.

[AMS MIKE]

i keep regular grip pressure, not over squeezing. Its normal to grip a bit firmer at impact.