Right hand slips at impact... regrip?

[Jaff]

Hi all...

I've been practising my golf for about a month now (driving range only) using a set of RH Skymax Ice IX-1 steel shafted irons (6i - SW).

Recently i've noticed that at impact my right hand has a tendency to slip a little, sending the ball off target. I'm swinging the club within myself so i don't think i'm going at the ball too hard.

Also, although i have medium sized hands i'd say, the grip feels a little thin. I'm wondering whether i might benefit from a re-grip to something like this http://www.nevadabobs.co.uk/Golf-Accessories/Golf-Grips/59scid/429prodid.asp which appears to be thicker?

The grip on my Alien Tour Wedge is thicker and it feels and handles great. I think something like that on my irons could be a solution.

I should also mention that i'm noticing this more towards the end of the practice session so perhaps hand fatigue has something to do with it as well? Nevertheless, the grip still feels a touch thin IMHO.

With your advice, i might get one club re-gripped and give it a try.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[brendy]

Your right hand shouldnt be slipping, are you locking your baby finger on your right hand between the left index and next finger? I find wrapping my right finger round the grip almost like a trigger makes it less suceptable to moving. It could also be that your left hand is turning the club and leaving your right hand nowhere to go.
edit: I use med large gloves and all of my irons are standard golf pride thickness, my driver, sw and putter (my babies!) are all one wrap thicker with tape but still using normal thickness grips. The yellow/black tour pride grips are very tacky if you feel a change coming.
Im using these on my driver, wedge and a similar putter version on my scotty cameron.

 

[Jaff]

Thanks for replying... I'm using the Interlocking Grip.

Also, as mentioned above, i think i'm noticing this more towards the end of the practice session so perhaps hand fatigue has something to do with it as well? Nevertheless, the grip/handle still feels a touch thin IMHO.

 

[brendy]

Sorry, editted my post. If you are interlocking then you must be twisting the grip at some point beyond your right hands' comfort grip zone, ie twisting the club out of your right hands' grip. Whe you take the club back, do you consciously twist the club clockwise or anticlockwise by any significant amount of degrees?

 

[Jaff]

No conscious twisting, no. But i'll try and look out for it the next time i'm on the range.

I usually hit a 100 balls or so a session and notice that my fingers ache considerably the next day, especially my right hand. Also the right forearm as well.

I'm swinging the club within myself so i don't think i'm going at the ball too hard.

Perhaps it is just early days and i'll get used to these aches and pains or overcome them. Could the steel shafts have something to do with it?

This could be contributing to hand fatigue which is why i'm noticing the hand slipping more towards the end of each session.

 

[brendy]

if your hands are getting fatigued, then maybe the grips are a little too thin, also perhaps you are gripping too tightly and the muscles in your hands/wrists are getting strained, I used to grip the club like it was going to be yanked out of my grasp, these days after reading the Ben Hogan book, I basically grip it via my left and right fingers, the palms play very little in the actual grip.
I have a 1980's revision but cant see it being any different
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Lessons-Modern-Fundamentals-Golf/dp/0671612972
Steel shafts are the better shaft for irons, graphites flatter for a while but you soon get fed up with them.

 

[Jaff]

Thanks, brendy.

A few people have recommended that book before so i think i'll give it a go.

I'm consciously gripping at around 60-70% of maximum... hand fatigue is a definite issue right now.

 

[brendy]

Ive never used one but what about those hand exercise spring jobbies, usually used in rehab for injuries etc? they might build you up a bit, my dad used to use a squach ball as it does the same thing and can be carried in your pocket or put it in the car and noone will look at you strangely either.

 

[viscount17]

bearing in mind I'm a golfing novice,

I'm trying to visualise what you are doing. Unless you're over-doing the right hand grip I can't see why it would be fatigueing, and especially the forearm as well, unless they are particularly weak. It's only my fingers that ache (usually the next day) - and that's mostly down to the age thing.

I think you should talk to your instructor before doing anything else, as I suspect it's a grip fault not your club grips.

Oh, and take your time over the 100 balls.

 

[BunkerMentality123]

As a temporary solution, why don't you just hit 50 balls on the range. This may sound silly, but lets say you go round in 100 and take 36-40 putts (ie mostly 2 putts with the odd 3) you would only take a max of 60 shots in a round. Therefore hitting over one hundred balls in a range session is alot and may play some part towards the fatigue.

Otherwise get a coach to check your grip first before you do anything else and then maybe get measured for new grips as a last resort.

 

[Jaff]

^ Yes, i'll try 50 balls the next time and see how much hand fatigue is a factor.

 

[HTL]

Did you put your hand up and admit to buying a Alien wedge "as seen on the golf channel" Whats it really like?

Best thing to strengthen your grip mate is to buy a Power Ball

http://www.powerball-gyros.com/powerballs.htm?gclid=CN_b7b2E-I4CFSBCEAodazooLQ

 

[Jaff]

^ Yes, got myself an Alien Tour Shot Wedge for £9.99. Not sure if it is the same one as on the golf channel - this is the one i have http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/golf-clubs/alien-tour-shot-wedge.asp#buy. 60° with 7° bounce.

I have to say i really like it. It is bladed and has a nice feel to it. I've only been playing a month and have good success with it at the range lobbing the ball 50 yards into a bunker.

 

[brendy]

haha very good.
lob wedges are a bugger to get right, there is very limited times and places for them. I have a mizuno black ti LW and it has a seriously low bounce (4 or 6 degrees If I remember rightly) and its excellent for wet or hard compacted sand and also tight lies, if there is any mount of grass though the sandwedge comes back out or if theres room to run it, the 8 iron - pw instead.

 

[Jaff]

Well, i went for it and hand my 6i-8i regripped... it is a 'Tour Match' grip (a bit like these ones) and came at £5 fitted per club.

They are noticeably bulkier than the original grips on the Skymax. I'll see what difference they make.

Also, i tried a Hybrid club this weekend (hit about 75 balls) and the combination of the graphite shaft and hitting off the tee considerably reduced any hand fatigue/ache.

I'm still sticking with steel shafts with my current irons though.