Grip pressure vs swing speed?

[SNIPERBBB]

Is there, or should there  be a correlation between the two or is it a whatever works thing.

[Trippels]

The faster you swing the tighter you will have to hold on to the grip, not necessarily consciously

Edited June 10, 2024 by Trippels

[MonteScheinblum]

This is why grip it like a baby bird is awful advice

[LongNwrong27]

Don’t really get why anyone would ever want to hold onto the club lightly, you’re jamming it into the ground at 90+ mph often. I’d like to try to control that as much as possible. It’s not like gripping it harder causes the face angle to change. Not saying you should grip it as hard as you can but it’s going to require some force and not this garbage about not squeezing a bird or etc. 

[Pepperturbo]

1 hour ago, SNIPERBBB said:

Is there, or should there  be a correlation between the two or is it a whatever works thing.

Yes, presuming you have an ideal swing weight.  Mine is D3.

 

IMO Whatever your grip pressure is, it contributes to feeling the clubhead throughout the swing; it should remain consistent from initial grip to finish.  If it changes, that means you changed your grip in your backswing. 

Edited June 10, 2024 by Pepperturbo

[ac6]

56 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

This is why grip it like a baby bird is awful advice

 

Grip it like a baby bird that you hate

[mukster]

The grip pressure does not need to be the same throughout the swing does it? 
 

 

[cav5]

36 minutes ago, mukster said:

The grip pressure does not need to be the same throughout the swing does it? 
 

 

 

Its the hands ability to handle the pressure that increases/decreases. You either grip something with consideration for its weight and securely enough its balanced or not. Don't overthink it.

Edited June 10, 2024 by cav5

[nikos74]

Light enough to feel the club as you swing it.  Strong enough to maintain control of it.

 

It's a balance of the two.

Edited June 10, 2024 by nikos74

[KMeloney]

2 hours ago, SNIPERBBB said:

Is there, or should there  be a correlation between the two or is it a whatever works thing.

 

What's the correlation you have in mind? Lighter=faster, or the inverse?

 

I suspect that it's more a matter of WRIST/arm "looseness," and that too much grip pressure can cause tension in the wrist/arms, and thereby limit your swing speed potential. If lighter grip pressure promotes less tension, then I suspect you can probably swing faster.

[Righty to Lefty]

Even though this thread is referring to full swing grip pressure I do find that having my grip pressure at the bare minimum to support the club on short game shots to be beneficial because I find it reduces the amount that the club digs should the leading edge be exposed to the turf. 

Edited June 11, 2024 by Righty to Lefty

[MonteScheinblum]

2 hours ago, ac6 said:

 

Grip it like a baby bird that you hate

Yes….lol

[ThinkingPlus]

Just so it doesn't sound as bad: kill the baby dinosaur!

[bladehunter]

Grip it as hard as you can  - with your hands.  Meaning don’t tense the body up.   The baby bird reference is crap.  For goodness sakes keep your grips in good shape.  They should be changed way more often than alot of people do.  I picked up a guys driver last week. And the first thought I had was “ I can’t swing this and keep it in my hands , no wonder you can’t control the face “. 

[MonteScheinblum]

I have heard the loose grip theory for short game and putting for years as well.

 

I did a non scientific study about 10 years ago.  I asked about 30-40 tour players, including many who were not physically imposing, to shake my hand how firmly the grip pitches and putts.

 

To a man they all cut off the circulation in my fingers, even those that’s said, “Yea, not too firmly.”

 

Think of it this way, when you watch elite golfers pitch and putt, is the club flopping around in their hands, or is it in complete control with a firm takeaway and finish.

 

There will be data on this and the flerfers will still deny and be steadfast in their cliches.

[Soloman1]

i think some of these recurring topics should be numbered.

 

for instance, should i hold the club like a baby bird or a tube of toothpaste could be #7.

 

just put #7 in the title so it can be answered as soon as possible.

 

#1 - how do i stop slicing.

#2 - should i fire my hips as fast as possible.

#3 - how do i swing like tiger.

#4 - why do people play so slow

#5 - i’m a perfect specimen, why can’t i carry a driver 320

#6 - ________ has a great youtube video to gain 30 yards in 1 swing.

[gripandrip]

17 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

I have heard the loose grip theory for short game and putting for years as well.

 

I did a non scientific study about 10 years ago.  I asked about 30-40 tour players, including many who were not physically imposing, to shake my hand how firmly the grip pitches and putts.

 

To a man they all cut off the circulation in my fingers, even those that’s said, “Yea, not too firmly.”

 

Think of it this way, when you watch elite golfers pitch and putt, is the club flopping around in their hands, or is it in complete control with a firm takeaway and finish.

 

There will be data on this and the flerfers will still deny and be steadfast in their cliches.

Flerfers.  I like how you worked that in... 

[vman]

Improving  your grip strength should be up there on your list of priorities. You certainly couldn’t pull the club from my hands. Pressuring the top of my left thumb with the base of my right is a big key for me.

[Nels55]

This is interesting regarding grip strength:

 

[Socrates]

22 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

This is interesting regarding grip strength:

 

A very good explanation.  

 

Good thread here on essentially the same topic.

 

[Pepperturbo]

4 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Grip it as hard as you can  - with your hands.  Meaning don’t tense the body up.   The baby bird reference is crap.  For goodness sakes keep your grips in good shape.  They should be changed way more often than alot of people do.  I picked up a guys driver last week. And the first thought I had was “ I can’t swing this and keep it in my hands , no wonder you can’t control the face “. 

Seen similar many times.  Grips slick as the hand oil they are drenched with, which could cause the user to regrip at the top, NOT good.

[MonteScheinblum]

17 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Seen similar many times.  Grips slick as the hand oil they are drenched with, which could cause the user to regrip at the top, NOT good.

There’s a reason why caddie’s clean their player’s grips weekly, or more.

 

I have grabbed someone’s club during a lesson to demonstrate something and ask, “When was the last time you cleaned these clubs.”

 

The answer is never and the clubs are 2-5 years old or more.  I clean the grip on one club and their track man numbers improve across the board.

 

”Wow, that feels tacky.”

[golferdude54]

"Relax? How can anybody relax and play golf? You have to grip the club, don't you?" - Ben Hogan

[mukster]

C'mon. Go down the rabbit hole:

 

P1-P2       Very light 

P2-P3       Light

P3-P4       5

P4-P5       3-4

P5              10

 

 

[MonteScheinblum]

I have never done this before so I am only guessing what the results would actually be

 

I’m going to hit a 7 iron.

 

Grip pressure 1-10

 

I’ll do a 1, 3/4, 7/8 and 10

 

I’ll film it and post it on Instagram and link it here. 

 

Knowing what I know I’m gurssing

 

1-goes nowhere with 25% chs loss and and horrible contact

3/4-10% speed loss and decent contact but bad face/path control

7/8-normal

10-plus 5% club speed but loss of shots to the right

 

Going to use the same parameters when I teach increased grip pressure at address.  The 10 grip pressure is gripping it’s tight as you can while not tensing neck and shoulders.  Not easy, takes practice.

 

Considering I have people regularly on my lesson tee who subscribed to baby bird theory and actually have their bottom 2 fingers actually off the club at the top.  This is what I call 3/4 grip pressure syndrome.

 

Considering this guy was a 2, it’s not all high caps with this issue.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyrLjJYPjrd/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Edited June 11, 2024 by MonteScheinblum

[Socrates]

56 minutes ago, Jugs said:

 

 

Missing the smoke in his mouth (probably Photoshopped out), but at least hitting a Smoke.

[iacas]

21 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

IMO Whatever your grip pressure is, it contributes to feeling the clubhead throughout the swing; it should remain consistent from initial grip to finish.  If it changes, that means you changed your grip in your backswing. 

 

Basically impossible for it to remain consistent from start to finish.

 

Tour players tend to have less grip pressure change throughout the swing, but those who grip it loosely WILL tend to clamp down on it in transition and nearing impact.

 

The same is true of Tour players, just to a lesser magnitude.

 

Edited June 11, 2024 by iacas
Added last sentence.

[Trippels]

At impact pressure should be 10/10 left hand, 0/10 right hand:

 

[Pepperturbo]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

 

Basically impossible for it to remain consistent from start to finish.

 

Tour players tend to have less grip pressure change throughout the swing, but those who grip it loosely WILL tend to clamp down on it in transition and nearing impact.

 

The same is true of Tour players, just to a lesser magnitude.

 

Disagree.  I am NOT saying it's precisely the same from start to finish, that's humanly impossible, but it's close.  IME there is NO such thing is precise, but there is almost.

 

What the tour players do has never worked for me, so I don't pay much attention to them, nor do I care about PGA stats.  They are as fickle as amateurs.  I know this because a few were my neighbors, and we played a lot of golf together.  Seeing them at home is different from their tour persona.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, but I'll stick with what works for me.  My grip pressure is relatively the same from start to finish... I don't choke a chicken.  I am self-taught using 3-books, one being Hogan's Five...  My grip is relatively the same as what's promoted in his book; it got me to 2 index in 6yrs, and hanging around 4+ at over 70yrs old.

[Socrates]

39 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Disagree.  I am NOT saying it's precisely the same from start to finish, that's humanly impossible, but it's close.  IME there is NO such thing is precise, but there is almost.

 

What the tour players do has never worked for me, so I don't pay much attention to them, nor do I care about PGA stats.  They are as fickle as amateurs.  I know this because a few were my neighbors, and we played a lot of golf together.  Seeing them at home is different from their tour persona.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, but I'll stick with what works for me.  My grip pressure is relatively the same from start to finish... I don't choke a chicken.  I am self-taught using 3-books, one being Hogan's Five...  My grip is relatively the same as what's promoted in his book; it got me to 2 index in 6yrs, and hanging around 4+ at over 70yrs old.

I think the key thing to take from this discussion is that the stronger your hands (grip strength) and the better your grip, the less effort you perceive is needed to maintain control and generate speed during the swing.  You might not feel you are using more strength through impact, but you likely are.  You're just not aware of it because of your good fundamentals and you are using a smaller percentage of your total strength than a not so good amateur.