Something for the Weekend: Why grip pressure is vital

At last, it seems with the weekend thaw, some of us - living south of Hadrian's Wall -  might just get back on the golf course. Here's a little tip you may wish to try is you're venturing out for the first time in weeks.

Grip pressure: Thumbs up!

Coaches tell us there are three points of grip pressure when you place your hands on the club but it's important not to grip the handle too tight.

For a right-hander, place your left hand on the club so the index finger form a trigger of a pistol point between your feet. 

If you feel you're shooting more toward the target you have a strong right hand grip and you're probably going to hook the ball. If you feel you're shooting away from the target, you have a 'weak' right-hand grip and you're probably going to slice the ball.

The three distinct grip pressure points are:

1. In the the last three fingers that trap the club underneath the heel pad of your left hand;
2. The two middle finger of your right hand, whether interlocking, overlapping or a two-fisted grip;
3. Where your right palm overlaps and exerts downward pressure on your left thumb.

Golfers tend to pinch between right thumb and forefinger and hold on too tight at bottom of grip, this puts a lot of tension up your right arm which can mess up your golf swing.

Try doing what Jack Nicklaus did throughout his career - as you set up with your grip give the shaft a couple of soft taps with the right thumb to relieve tension and stay loose. Nicklaus felt that even with his right thumb off the shaft it didn't make any difference to his ability to swing the golf club.

Want more?

Head to our Something for the Weekend index. Remember to let us know how you get on and share your own tips with us in the forum and on our Facebook page. You can also tweet us @Golfmagic.