For longer and straighter shots-LIGHTEN YOUR GRIP
There is a lot to be said about the amount of pressure you use to hold onto a golf club. As a matter of fact there is grip pressure can also apply to most sports. Keep in mind whether you are swinging a baseball bat, shooting a basketball, hitting a tennis ball or swinging a golf club; the tighter the muscles the more loss of speed and touch.
Since there is no measuring device to gauge how tight you are gripping the club, you are going to have to go OLD SCHOOL with me on this one.
If you slice the golf ball or hit shots to the right, you might be gripping the club too tight. If you grip the club too tight then your arms and shoulders will not be relaxed. When you swing the golf club with a grip that is too tight you will not RELEASE the clubhead on time or with much speed.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that you might grip the club with the correct amount of pressure during your weekly round of golf with your friends. Unfortunatley when it is tournament time, that might change. Standing on the 17th tee with a one stroke lead in your club championship might cause the old “white knuckle grip” to raise it’s ugly head.
I want to leave you with a great way you can practice gripping it lighter. Take out an 8 iron and after you address the golf ball and grip the club, I want you to grip it as tight as you possibly can. Now I want you to hit three shots. Make sure you keep the tight grip during the address, backswing, downswing, impact and follow through. (That is how you grip it on the 17th tee.)
On the fourth shot I want you to go through the same routine, grip the club as tight as possible and then relax your grip as thou the club was going to come out of your hands. I want you to hold it as thou you were holding a babies hand. Now hit three more shots and compare the results.
Remember: Grip it as thou you were holding a babies hand, not holding on for your dear life!
