Strengthening my grip ?

[Drumdog]

I booked a 9:40 tee time for Saturday that will be the first outdoor round of 2014. I am so jacked, I can hardly wait !

Over the winter, I have been reading a lot about the grip and different thoughts on it.
I have decided to strengthen my grip a little to see if I can get a little more down and through the ball at impact.
This should also get me a little more right to left ball flight.

Thoughts....feelings....opinions ?

 

[Chris_PT]

I strengthened my grip several months ago, not really knowing what I was doing at the time, and it dramatically improved my ball contact and ball flight. Granted, I've gotten better over this time, but I believe the grip had something to do with it. My thoughts--Experiment!
Good luck on the first round-Go Low!

 

[Trout Bum]

Good for you Dog, at your handicap level you'll be smackin the heck out of it. I'm excited to hear about your results.

 

[Tadashi70]

I booked a 9:40 tee time for Saturday that will be the first outdoor round of 2014. I am so jacked, I can hardly wait !

Over the winter, I have been reading a lot about the grip and different thoughts on it.
I have decided to strengthen my grip a little to see if I can get a little more down and through the ball at impact.
This should also get me a little more right to left ball flight.

Thoughts....feelings....opinions ?

A new grip really doesn't mean much if it's attached to the old swing. It's good to change but just the grip can cause a host of issues.

 

[TheHeez]

Personally I'm a fan of the strong grip and hope it treats you well Drumdog. Congrats on getting 2014 kicked off!!

 

[Paladin]

I've been going in the opposite direction. Now that I've taken to learning a proper club release, I no longer need a super-strong grip to get the club back to square. I can loosen up to about a knuckle and a half with my irons. Otherwise I'm liable to snap-hook the ball into another county. Added a lot of distance, and took the cut out of my swing.

 

[ChristopherKee]

You have to match the grip to the swing or it can go badly. I like a strong grip myself because it lets me go at the ball, down side is I have to watch for a lot of closed faces on the back swing and release. You'll never know till you take it to the course =)

 

[50wyldeman]

I am guessing you mean the tightness of your grip? Or do you mean your actual grip strength?
Regardless enjoy your first "real" round of the year hope they fly true for you man!

 

[Njt11]

So jealous of your first round. It's still far too cold and snowy here to even have a first round in sight.

 

[rollin]

I am guessing you mean the tightness of your grip? Or do you mean your actual grip strength?

I've just recently been a bit educated on this via two different instructors and the above is two different things from what was told to me. Perhaps "tadashi" and some others are more of authority to comment and may correct me with anything I say but a grip (for what I been taught) doesn't have to be tight to be considered strong. And conversely can be tight but still considered weak.

I was holding the club too much in my palm and not enough with the fingers. Was just how it always felt comfy to naturally hold for me. Turns out was a weak grip and much easier for the club to open and move with the pull of centrifugal force of the swing and then add turf interaction and that multiplies further and is causing some of the inconsistency I am having. To simply grab the club tighter can lead to a tense hand, wrist, and forearm and being tense is usually never a good thing. Just some thoughts FWIW about what I have come to understand.

 

[Badmeat]

Essentially, you rotate your hands around the grip inward, toward your thumbs.....correct?

 

[DevRickus]

I never really thought much about strengthening my grip until I had my TM fitting. Just a slight change and I went from hitting a fade/borderline slice to hitting a baby draw. Just kept everything from opening up and pushing the ball left (for me being a lefty)

 

[tander]

Try strengthening your grip, if it is better, great. If you still have problems, look for other things in your swing other than the grip.

 

[Trout Bum]

I booked a 9:40 tee time for Saturday that will be the first outdoor round of 2014. I am so jacked, I can hardly wait !

Over the winter, I have been reading a lot about the grip and different thoughts on it.
I have decided to strengthen my grip a little to see if I can get a little more down and through the ball at impact.
This should also get me a little more right to left ball flight.

Thoughts....feelings....opinions ?

Hey dog just curious what prompted the switch after so many years? you've obviously gotten to a level where you can score so is this the next step to going lower?

 

[PhillyV]

I went to a strengthened grip in the spring of 2012 due to an injury at work to my right hand. I couldn't grip well nor turn my wrists enough and I was leaving the face wide open. But as my swing got better over the next couple years, I noticed that the band aid grip became habit and I couldn't stop. I was hooding the club so bad I would get a massive hook. While the strong grip helps, be cautious that it doesn't get too bad without you even knowing

 

[Drumdog]

A new grip really doesn't mean much if it's attached to the old swing. It's good to change but just the grip can cause a host of issues.

Point well taken Panda and I have considered that. If it goes badly, I will switch back very quickly.

I am guessing you mean the tightness of your grip? Or do you mean your actual grip strength?
Regardless enjoy your first "real" round of the year hope they fly true for you man!

Not the tightness of the grip....the hand position on the grip.

Hey dog just curious what prompted the switch after so many years? you've obviously gotten to a level where you can score so is this the next step to going lower?

Good question....
I have been reading articles online and magazines about the grip and it got me to thinking about trying something a little different this year.
If it doesn't work out very quickly, then I will go back to my normal grip. I am looking to get a little more draw on the ball and I also want more backspin on my short irons into the green.


Thanks for the opinions everyone !