Grip Pressure

How grip pressure can affect the torquing of the shaft at impact. This of course then affects the clubface and the golf ball at separation. We teach players how to minimize this in the ABS Module Course.

[@TeddyCavachon]

Always gripping the club in the air with bent arms elbows down and palms up to start (EDPU) results in counter rotation of forearms and pressure between pad of trail hand and thumb of lead which creates a reflexive stretched muscle controlled gripping pressure in the thumbs and index fingers for absolute control of the club with out pressure on the other fingers which will restrict the thumb-up / - down ‘waggle’ settting / releasing of lag with the wrists. Gripping in the air then lowering to straight arms creates the “wringing towel” feeling Hogan suggested in Five Lessons, where I first learned the technique. It is also suggested in the PGA Manual of Instruction and by Martin Hall who coined the EDPU acronym. Hogan after lowering the club would press down on lead and with the trailing one, pushing the slackness out of the lead arm and increasing the rotational pressure between the arms again by stretching the relaxed muscles of the forearm to straighten the grip in key hinging ‘lobster claw’ pressure points without restricting waggle. One final note suggested by Tommy Armour Sr. is to take care to always keep light pressure with your ‘pinkie’ fingers in the grip. There are two nerve branches controlling the fingers: 1) thumb, index, middle, and 1/2 of the third; 2) 1/2 of third and little finger. Because of that if the grip with the little finger of the trail hand is relaxed during the swing (which I did as a beginner at the top of the swing before pulling back down) the grip with the third finger will relax reflexively which can cause the club to shift in hands at the top and cause reflexively re-gripping tighter which will restrict release of radial deviation lag. The waggle thing that Hogan did was to both check free radial / unlar deviation wrist action and rehearse the snapping down action he used to firm wrists and square club face at impact.

[@Darren-df2wn]

I always feel, that i need to be even more precise, when using large cavity back irons 😢

[@rajanrai732]

Good theory, but clubs , even blades have more weight on toe side. At normal swing speed the face will shut and accommodate toe strikes with light grip pressure. Me thinks .

[@The-ul6fd]

Hi John. Do you recommend any modern blades? There seem to have more muscle in the centre. Thanks

[@ironsideeve2955]

Very cool how you included experimental evidence 😊. Beautiful. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts about backswing to downswing ratio. Saw someone saying it had to be 3:1. I was pretty sceptical, looked up a research paper (Kwon et al) and it seems like it's more like 3.4:1 +/- some variation. Surely there's a rough number, but it's got a fair bit of variation amongst different styles

[@arijoseph2282]

hmmmm. seems to me that if you don't hit the center of mass of the clubhead with the center mass of the ball, it ain't going nearly as far. maybe you like to hit it off the toe and that's why you like that club. The perimeter makes the center of mass of the club spread out over a greater area of the face. You dipped into physics here amigo. If you hit it out of the heel or toe you know it whether your grip is tight or loose. I noticed that most pros adjust their hands constantly over the ball before pulling the trigger. I think this is in large part to get the feel and stay loose. let the club to the work is what my pop said

[@lagpressure]

Firm grip pressure has less torquing or twisting of the clubface for off centered hits. Physics supports this... thanks for your comments.

[@ANTPS32CREWCHIEF]

That grip is circa 1973 😬 Without firm grip you'll be out in the weeds looking for it.

[@exitar1]

Gee maybe those old timer’s knew what they were doing when they made those golf clubs….

[@lagpressure]

When I was coming up as a junior player in the 1970's, the word on the street was that the best strikers came from the previous generation.. so I think it's actually true. From my study of the gear from the past, I see the best designs were actually in the 1950's to early 60's. A lot of the best players in the 1980's were hitting clubs from the 1950's including Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Johnny Miller and many others. The 50's were thought to have had the hardest and tightest grained persimmon woods. The irons were great... a bit heavier and good for better players. Everything became lighter and more "convenient" but not necessarily "better".

[@ericschroeder8932]

@@lagpressure Great call on the older equipment. I grew up in Jackson, Michigan, in the 80's. Dave and Mike Hill are from Jackson. I caddied for Dave Hill a number of times, and he played Spalding blades from the late 50's/early 60's. I asked him why he had so much lead tape on them, and he said it helps him hit every shot in the bag, and he could. He played an old Tony Pena driver (persimmon, w/aluminum insert). Gorgeous club.

[@lagpressure]

@@ericschroeder8932 If I were to walk into a modern Golf Mart Superstore, and buy a set of modern lightweight cavity backs, upright, offset etc.. it would immediately make me a worse golfer.... no doubt about it. I would not be able to hit them well.

[@ericschroeder8932]

@@lagpressure I believe it. I like what you say/show about clubs with a flatter lie angle. I’m just over 6’ 4”, and play +1/2”, and 2 degrees up. I think I’m going to get the bent to standard lie, and then 1 degree flat, and then 2 degrees flat. Less volatility with a poor strike, more distance from the ball, giving me more room to clear. Seems like it would improve my shoulder plane, help get me closer to the ball. Makes sense. Love your videos, btw. Love your swing, too. Lastly (sorry this is so long), were/are there many taller players that embraced your thesis? Thanks.

[@ericschroeder8932]

@@lagpressure not to mention the lofts would be 5-7 degrees stronger than standard.

[@samking4179]

nice video. too bad about those idiot, barking dogs in the background audio.

[@lagpressure]

dogs bark...

[@rajanrai732]

Good theory, but clubs , even blades have more weight on toe side. At normal swing speed the face will shut and accommodate toe strikes with light grip pressure. Me thinks .