This question is from one of my students and will help you.
Dear Ross,
You suggest constant grip pressure throughout the swing. How strong a grip do you suggest on a scale 1 very loose to 10 strong grip?
Yes constant grip pressure. I think 3 on a scale from 1-10. 3 allows the momentum to automatically hinge the wrists correctly (square). If too tight you will not hinge, or worse use your hands to actively hinge incorrectly. One other thing about too tight, it tenses up your shoulders and restricts them from turning freely. Hold the club just tight enough that the club does not flop.
If you become aware of grip pressure and not let the hands take over, your body will take over and use the Large Muscles to control your swing… Use your front shoulder to push the arms and club to the top of the backswing, then start the downswing using the hips/thighs to unwind pulling the arms and club back down in front of the body, as your turn pulls your arms and club around to finish facing the target. You will know if you are totally up on your back toe with knees touching and you are balanced… Ross
Hi Ross,
I feel like I probably have grip pressure of 3/10 at address and at start of swing, but then at transition and coming towards the ball I greatly tighten it. Any tips on how to correct this? In addition to fixing ball striking, I need to get rid of a tennis elbow problem in both elbows that I believe was predominantly caused by being too handsy and armsy throughout my swing. Thanks
This grip pressure concept is awesome! Most golfers are not aware or won’t take the time, to learn what it feels like to keep constant grip pressure. It won’t become part of your swing without a little work. It took me 2 months, 300 balls a day, into a net* with a 3 wood, only thinking of keeping my hands passive the entire swing. The more I practiced the better and more solid my ball striking became. The more my hands got out of my swing, the more the Large Muscles took over!
It is purely awareness at first. Just decide you are going to practice constant grip pressure for 20 shots. You will feel your hands trying to help at many points during the swing. Then work past those points and trust your turn. Then its just a repetition thing to incorporate this technique into your golf swing.
Start with small swings… focus on no hands on the takeaway as you push your arms and club back half way, then use your hips unwinding, to pull your arms and club back down in front of your body (no hands here either) as you continue rotating to a complete finish (no hands here either – no help with the finish). Now once you learn you can keep your hands out of your swing, lengthen the backswing (not with hands) but by pushing from the front shoulder more. Eventually, you will push all the way to the top using the front shoulder only…then use the hips to start the downswing and rotate to the finish… no hands
If you’d like to listen, I made some audio recordings (taking audio notes) of some of the practice sessions and what I was thinking at the time and the results that follow… kind of interesting… Grip Pressure Audio Work Recordings
* Wore a hole through a brand new net and put a Titleist Pro v1 into the drywall.