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Conundrum (Golf)

Forum index > Blogs
  micronesia   United States. October 25 2009 06:11. Posts 9999Profile Blog 
I'll give a bit of an update of how things have been going for me in golf... and ask for thoughts about one problem I'm having.

I finished my set of 5 lessons over the summer and played a few rounds in August... my last accomplishment I told TL about was when I made an eagle on a par 4. I played a few more sets of 9 holes on a couple of local courses and had some more pars and a birdie or two maybe.

Then September hit and I ran out of time and just stopped playing golf for one month. Suddenly I decided I need to get back into it and hit the range a couple of time and played a couple more 9 hole rounds (amazing how 1 month can make you suddenly suck again). I just signed up to do some more lessons with the same pro at a discount (some other pros told me that the one I'm with is very good).

I had my first lesson today where I compared notes with the pro on what my equipment is like now (real golf shoes, lightweight back with backpack straps, 3 hybrid to replace 3 iron, new sand wedge to replace shitty old one, new mallet putter, etc) and then he worked with me on my newer clubs. I was having some trouble with the 3 hybrid and driver.

Then he gave me some free balls and I went to practice with all my irons. I was doing beautifully with them and even my 4 iron off the mat was looking good. It's very rewarding when you can hit all of your irons with consistency (whenever I switched clubs it would take 1 or 2 balls to get a good shot, and then I would have it). I even practiced the 3 hybrid a bit more and was doing better (albeit not as good as the irons). Tried the 5 wood off the mat and was struggling so I decided to give it a rest for the time being.

But my hands were getting a bit torn up. On the bottom surface of my right ring finger and top surface of my left index finger (where they rub) I was getting some torn skin, etc. Next time I go to practice I'll put a bit of tape over the patches of skin to protect them from further wear, but I know what the problem is. I grip my club too tightly.

Originally, the pro told me I grip it too tight which explains why I sometimes get a certain problem with my ball path (especially my right hand). Today however I was getting very nice shots with my irons (never mind the woods/hybrid) so it didn't occur to me that I was holding the grip too tightly.

So I'm sorta faced with a tough decision. Right now my irons are beautiful (not that this can't change). As a result of how I'm holding the clubs I'm straining my fingers though. Over the summer whenever I tried loosening up my hands it would somehow destroy my golf swing and I guess I've just sorta learned to deal with it. Do I try to adjust the tightness of my grip and the expense of hitting good shots? Or, do I just keep doing what I'm doing and slowly toughen up my fingers a bit? I normally wear a glove on my left hand (which had a problem on the index finger today) and no glove on my right hand (which had the biggest of the problems today).

I think the reason why I clamp down on the club so hard is because I have a high swing speed. Right now it's looking like my 6 iron has a 85-90 mile/hour swing (according to a simulator) with 175 yards and my 5 iron gives me ~185 yards of carry judging from the last par 3 I played (ball landed ~185 yards away on the back of a green [not a downhill shot] and stopped within 2 feet, which surprised me quite a bit). I don't seem to be swinging too hard from a perspective of consistency on the range/course, but could I be overswinging my hands?

Next time I meet with the pro I will obviously discuss this with him but there was not a chance today.

edit: oh thedeadhaji thanks for all the help last time. My short game is getting much better which makes me really happy. Now I can actually pitch and chip half-way decently which makes a HUGE difference as you promised me. I no longer am using a blade putter and plan on improving my putting by getting used to this one.
Last edit: 2009-10-25 06:13:55


Current High Game: 289 | Current High Series: 712 | Current Average: Utter Crap

  thedeadhaji   October 25 2009 07:10. Posts 26538Profile Blog 
Sam Snead: “Grip the club as if you were holding a baby bird.”
Sleep is for the weak... and i am weak (-108 | 177)
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=85377

  micronesia   United States. October 25 2009 07:25. Posts 9999Profile Blog 

On October 25 2009 07:10 thedeadhaji wrote:
Sam Snead: “Grip the club as if you were holding a baby bird.”

Yeah I've heard stuff like that before but if I do the club will go flying so I don't understand that advice.

I definitely can grip it less tightly than I currently am though. However, note my above problem with trying that.
Current High Game: 289 | Current High Series: 712 | Current Average: Utter Crap

  leftykill   United States. October 25 2009 09:11. Posts 4Profile 
It sounds like sense you have a higher swing speed you are gonna need to grip the club a little tighter to make sure you hold on to it through impact. You don't wanna hold the club too tight that it feels like you are strangling it, but you do need to make sure you don't let go. Just keep practicing and find that comfort zone for you. It is all about preference. The more you play, the more callus will build up and your hands won't tear open. I play a lot of golf and have built up more hands enough to wear they don't feel bad. One problem might be your grips, I always change my grips after 6 months. Cleaning your grips could help out to make them last longer also.

  benjammin   United States. October 25 2009 09:27. Posts 1939Profile Blog 
why not try an interlocking grip?
[image loading]

it pretty much makes it impossible to grip too tightly but you don't lose stability
wash uffitizi, drive me to firenze

  micronesia   United States. October 25 2009 09:42. Posts 9999Profile Blog 

On October 25 2009 09:27 benjammin wrote:
why not try an interlocking grip?
[image loading]

it pretty much makes it impossible to grip too tightly but you don't lose stability

That is the grip I use ._.


On October 25 2009 09:11 leftykill wrote:
It sounds like sense you have a higher swing speed you are gonna need to grip the club a little tighter to make sure you hold on to it through impact. You don't wanna hold the club too tight that it feels like you are strangling it, but you do need to make sure you don't let go. Just keep practicing and find that comfort zone for you. It is all about preference. The more you play, the more callus will build up and your hands won't tear open. I play a lot of golf and have built up more hands enough to wear they don't feel bad. One problem might be your grips, I always change my grips after 6 months. Cleaning your grips could help out to make them last longer also.

As per thedeadhaji's suggestion, I cleaned my grips this past summer.
Last edit: 2009-10-25 09:42:59
Current High Game: 289 | Current High Series: 712 | Current Average: Utter Crap

  micronesia   United States. October 25 2009 13:15. Posts 9999Profile Blog 
Crap I was just invited to play 9 holes tomorrow with someone and I really can't refuse. Gonna have to bandage up my hands lol... hope I don't hurt myself :[
Current High Game: 289 | Current High Series: 712 | Current Average: Utter Crap

  nAi.PrOtOsS   Canada. October 25 2009 14:31. Posts 628Profile Blog 
suck it up?
The problem with ignorance is that when u call somone ignorant u could just be ignorant to the fact that your being ignorant.

  micronesia   United States. October 25 2009 22:59. Posts 9999Profile Blog 

On October 25 2009 14:31 nAi.PrOtOsS wrote:
suck it up?

Even if I overcome the pain of playing with the torn skin on the hands, I have to worry that the problem will get worse to the point of bleeding which I obviously should not suck up.
Current High Game: 289 | Current High Series: 712 | Current Average: Utter Crap

 
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