Are your club grips the right size? Here’s how to spot it, says the Top 100 guru

Smaller hands? A smaller grip is probably what you should keep. Bigger hands? Greater catch. It makes sense.

But is there a quick and easy way to figure out where you fall on the grip spectrum?

Kellie Stenzel believes so.

100 GOLF’S BEST TEACHER was speaking in one recently posted video on her social media feeds, where she said a properly sized club grip correlates to a correctly hit golf ball. It directly affects your distance and ability to launch, she said.

So how do you check it? You only need your lead hand. (For righties, this is your left hand; for lefties, this is your right hand.)

Then put the stick on your fingers and close around it.

“You’ll see my fingers reach into the palm — there’s not a lot of space, or a lot of overlap,” Stenzel said in the video.

“So it’s really important that your club, when it fits you properly, that your toes form that perfect circle and then you know your grips are the right size for you.”

For those of us who buy clubs off the shelf – and get the grips off the shelf – it’s good advice. What about my clubs? Especially, after I check out, I will be going here for a larger catch.

Let’s continue the conversation stuck by the club. In 2020, GOLF.com wrote a story titled “Pay Attention to This 1 Aspect When Looking for New Golf Gloves” and you can read that story by clicking hereor scrolling down.

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So you’re starting to notice that your golf gloves are showing some wear and tear. there are tricks you can try to extend the life of the rubber compound, but sooner or later, there will come a time when you will need to start for fresh gloves.

Grips are relatively inexpensive compared to a set of clubs—prices typically range from $5 to $12 per grip—and currently come in new colors and designs that should add some excitement to the hunt. Of course, you can always stick with the current selection control if you don’t want to mix it up.

Either way, there is one aspect you should consider before making a purchase: grip diameter. It is definitely the most overlooked aspect when it comes to the golf grip. In reality, even the most advanced grip can affect your swing whether it’s big or small.

If your hands are on the larger side and you’re playing a standard size grip, the small muscles in your hands have to work harder during the swing. The extra movement can cause you to get handy and release the ball too quickly at the stroke, negatively impacting pitch interaction, consistency and shot distribution. You are also more likely to hook the ball if the grip is too small.

A grip on the larger end of the spectrum will engage the larger muscles and take the hands out of the equation. You should expect the hands to slow down and rotate less during the swing – although this may not be the case for every golfer – reducing your ability to face up into the shot. If you are already cutting the ball, an ill-fitting grip will magnify your loss.

It is important to note that there are exceptions to every rule. If you do hook the ball, it may be worth trying a larger grip to see if it can help adjust your shooting form. That said, be sure to consult a certified club fitter before testing different grip diameters.

So how do you determine if your grip is right for your hands? Observing your glove size is a good place to start. For those who wear a small, medium, or small women’s glove, a petite glove with a smaller diameter is likely a good option. Medium-sized gloves usually fit in the standard size range; large and extra large are best to start in the medium to large category.

If you still feel like something isn’t right, grip it normally in your top hand—this would be the left hand for a right-handed golfer—and watch how the tip of your longest finger interacts with the edge of the cushion. of the thumb. If you notice that your finger is digging into the pad, it likely means that your grip is too small. A large gap may mean that your check is too large.

These days, every manufacturer offers a wide range of sizes to fit any hand size. But if the grip doesn’t fit like a glove, consider adding tape wraps below the tire to change the size.

Finding the right grip size is one way to keep your ride on track and ensure you’re not picking up any bad habits you’ll need to correct down the road.

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