At the start of every golf season, my hands hurt. I am not complaining….well, maybe just a little….because I am back on the links. Yet, it hurts in the same place all the time. The pinky of my right hand and index finger of my left. It lasts about a week and it does have a negative impact on my ability to practice and play. But, I have to ask myself……WHY?

In the past, after a months of not swinging a club at all, I would whack away at far too many balls. As I worked my way through the bucket, I would be oblivious to the pain in my hands until the next day.

I would be so excited to start playing, I would forget all the important aspects of my swing….starting with my grip!

The golf grip is a delicate thing. It is the first point of contact that eventually makes our ball fly. It is one of, if not the, most important part of our setup. Gripping the club properly is very important and I cannot believe that I forget that from time to time.

I have often been asked how tight I grip my clubs. I tell them that I squeeze my clubs with enough pressure to comfortably hold my club in place as I address the ball. If someone was to try and pull the club out of my hand, it pop out with just a little bit of resistance. We really do not have to grip tightly and because something magical always happens when we start to move the club head.

You must know what it is….our hands naturally tighten up to hold the club through the entire. I do not have to think about it, my hands naturally apply the perfect amount of pressure to make my swing happen. When all of this subconscious thinking happens, I generally make solid, consistent contact.

Gripping the golf club properly is key to a great swing. When my hands hurt, I know I am applying too much pressure on the grip. When my fingers hurt, I know I need to reevaluate what I am doing to fixing a symptom of poor swing techniques.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!