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How do you swing 'tension-free'?

mr.hicksta

mr.hicksta

Golf->Tacos->Gainz
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I remember in first grade, my teacher Mrs. Rocker walked around the class trying to remove pencils from students hands while they were writing. Even back then, my kung fu grip was strong and remember her telling me to 'lighten' my writing grip when she was unable to take my pencil. Well 30+ years later, my grip is still strong, which as many know, is not the best thing for a golf swing. As of late, I've been making an effort to lighten my grip before starting my swing with mixed results. I've heard the baby bird and tube of toothpaste references many times and I'm sure with my grip, I'm a baby bird serial killer that is covered in toothpaste, haha! So that leads to my question. What can I do to lighten my grip? Is is matter of repetition? I'm curious to hear thoughts on this one!
 
Think happy thoughts!

xcapture2hre4.5092.jpg
 
I struggle with this also. I know when the grip is slight/loose the driver and irons seem to work much better though.
 
mr.hicksta said:
I remember in first grade, my teacher Mrs. Rocker walked around the class trying to remove pencils from students hands while they were writing. Even back then, my kung fu grip was strong and remember her telling me to 'lighten' my writing grip when she was unable to take my pencil. Well 30+ years later, my grip is still strong, which as many know, is not the best thing for a golf swing. As of late, I've been making an effort to lighten my grip before starting my swing with mixed results. I've heard the baby bird and tube of toothpaste references many times and I'm sure with my grip, I'm a baby bird serial killer that is covered in toothpaste, haha! So that leads to my question. What can I do to lighten my grip? Is is matter of repetition? I'm curious to hear thoughts on this one!
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At address, relaxing the shoulders and allowing the arms hang loose and naturally............is probably the easiest way to achieve nice and light grip pressure.
 
I wish I knew. I feel like this is biggest problem I have. I just have so much trouble keeps my my swing loose and relaxed.


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I’ve killed many a baby bird in my day, absolutely no help here. Subscribing for some enlightenment, I’ll hang up and listen now.
 
Relaxing my hands and arms is the only thing I try to think about before starting my swing, usually with good results when I remember, but it's amazing how often I forget.
 
Something I'm working on now with very limited success. Best thought that has worked for me is cracking the whip at the bottom of the swing - if you are tense or gripping to hard you can't. Of course, when you timing is off its a mess (a long mess, but a mess). I'm in to see what others say.
 
I wish i knew for sure.. my deformed finger and beat up hands confirm i grip the clubs way too hard before swinging way too hard.
 
Something I haven't seen mentioned is maybe try a bigger grip. I use Midsize grips that I build up bigger than a jumbo because I have big hands but with my light grip pressure, it fills out my hands more. I don't have to grip as tight to get a good grip on the club.

When I hit demos that have standard grips on them by game goes to **** because I either have to grip really tight or risk throwing the club through the screen because with the same light grip pressure, the smaller grips just don't fill out my hands as much.
 
How do you swing 'tension-free'?

Something I’m Working on also. Last week Jane Frost, LPGA teacher and Callaway Master Staffer was on the Callaway Community. This was one of my questions along with focus.
Her advise to relax and focus was to take normal set up look at Target, breath in while returning focus to ball exhale and pull trigger at end of exhale. According to her there’s no physical way to be tense. I’ve tried this for three rounds now. So far so good. Much better ball striking. Takes little getting used to but it’s helped mea Gr8 deal.


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I try to think much less about what my body is going to do before impact during the downswing and what it'll do after impact on the follow-through. My swing gets tense when I'm thinking about hitting the ball and is at its most relaxed when I'm thinking and focused on my finish position.
 
I hope you all don't mind me dropping a vid, but this guy has done more for me than any other video series I've seen. Check out his vids. He has an unbelievably effortless swing and really breaks it down very simply: Loose hands + loose wrists + loose arms = speed.

 
I squeeze the crap out of 3 fingers and thats the best I can do lol
 
I’ve gone to midsized grips and make sure to relax my fingers in both hands as part of my address routine, right before I take the club back.
 
You need tell yourself, "there is no making sure." All you can do is setup for the shot you want, let it go and then deal with the result.
 
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I really need to work on this as well. I saw a drill on Youtube one time where the guy was suggesting lightly letting go of the club on an easy swing to begin to learn how to reduce tension.
 
Reef Donkey said:
I hope you all don't mind me dropping a vid, but this guy has done more for me than any other video series I've seen. Check out his vids. He has an unbelievably effortless swing and really breaks it down very simply: Loose hands + loose wrists + loose arms = speed.

Click to expand...


Hey that video was filmed at my home course. I've probably played that hole 100 times.
 
I learned by taking extra club and swinging smoothly. Didn’t need to kill the club and over strangle the club because I knew I could swing normal and get the distance I wanted.


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Beer? :D
 
I have found it is helpful keep my mouth open during the down swing. A couple of deep breaths while setting up then an open mouth to encourage a natural exhale during the swing.
 
mr.hicksta said:
I remember in first grade, my teacher Mrs. Rocker walked around the class trying to remove pencils from students hands while they were writing. Even back then, my kung fu grip was strong and remember her telling me to 'lighten' my writing grip when she was unable to take my pencil. Well 30+ years later, my grip is still strong, which as many know, is not the best thing for a golf swing. As of late, I've been making an effort to lighten my grip before starting my swing with mixed results. I've heard the baby bird and tube of toothpaste references many times and I'm sure with my grip, I'm a baby bird serial killer that is covered in toothpaste, haha! So that leads to my question. What can I do to lighten my grip? Is is matter of repetition? I'm curious to hear thoughts on this one!
Click to expand...

When I can’t relax my right elbow at address, I look to my grip. A grip that is too tight will almost always not allow that arm to relax. So what I do is loosen my grip after my setup and before my swing. The elbow drops a tad and I swing away.

The body will not allow you lose the club on the back swing. You could just cradle the club in your fingers and when you took the club back, the hands automatically tighten.

If that doesn’t work, grip the club with your thumb and index finger. The tension is in the connection between the tips of these two digits. This allows for greater control and way less tension. The majority of the pressure of the grip is carried by these fingers. The left hand holds on and the right hand controls the action. Well, actually the right forearm controls the action but it’s in direct relation to the pressure in your grip.
 
Some people advocate a relaxed grip at address, let's say 2/10, and then 4/10 at the top, and 8/10 at impact - do you think about that during the swing? No. I think it happens because subconsciously you know that less pressure increases the potential for twisting at impact and so you increase the pressure as the swing progresses. But a relaxed, less pressure start of the swing tends to keep the body and arms less tense.

And yes, I'm working on it to find a balance and where it is best to place and feel the pressure during the swing. I think you practice relaxed and then what you practice happens on the course. I think Panda above says it best. I read his post after writing this one.
 
mr.hicksta said:
I remember in first grade, my teacher Mrs. Rocker walked around the class trying to remove pencils from students hands while they were writing. Even back then, my kung fu grip was strong and remember her telling me to 'lighten' my writing grip when she was unable to take my pencil. Well 30+ years later, my grip is still strong, which as many know, is not the best thing for a golf swing. As of late, I've been making an effort to lighten my grip before starting my swing with mixed results. I've heard the baby bird and tube of toothpaste references many times and I'm sure with my grip, I'm a baby bird serial killer that is covered in toothpaste, haha! So that leads to my question. What can I do to lighten my grip? Is is matter of repetition? I'm curious to hear thoughts on this one!
Click to expand...
1) this is a fantastic thread

2) I just spit monster across the room with the baby bird in toothpaste serial killer visual

3) it's the biggest battle for me to this day, and I still blame baseball. When in a groove, it's easy to trust, but when things are off, even when you know the grip is to blame, going lighter is mentally straining for sure. I also see it as the biggest fight with most of my kids, and for that reason I'm paying close attention to this thread.
 
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