Maintaining soft grip pressure is one of the most important components of a consistent golf swing. If barely holding the club is a "1" and gripping a club tightly is a "10", then you want to be around a 5 or 6 to feel the weight of the clubhead. In this scenario, your wrists will be more active creating effortless speed and the clubhead will be able to release properly. Not only do you want your grip pressure to be light, you also want your arms to be loose as well. The key is to maintain the same amount of softness for the entirety of your swing and not to tense up halfway through. Here is a simple way to achieve your optimal golf swing:
- Waggle the club- When addressing the ball, try moving the club head around a bit before hitting your shot. This will keep the tension out of your hands and arms.
- Start Small- (Waist high to waist high swings or even pitch shots) It's easier to maintain light grip pressure with small swings because you’re not worried about distance.
- Go Longer- Try to maintain the same soft grip pressure and start making bigger and bigger swings. Tee the ball up at first in order to build confidence. After seeing some success, move the tee lower or place the ball directly on the turf. Remember, you are swinging longer not harder to increase distance.
BONUS TIP: A great comparison is when you are throwing a baseball. If you have a strong grip on the ball then the wrists become immobile and the arms will tend to be stiff. Soften everything up and you will notice how much further the ball goes with a greater degree of accuracy.