No matter what specific technique you use to grip your club, it is critically important to have a firm but gentle grip. If you hold your club too tightly, your swing mechanics and hand motion might be thrown off. If you hold your club too loosely, you won't be able to control your club and you'll use too many muscles in trying to swing your club. Think of it like a business handshake. You don't want to grip someone else's hand so firmly as to be overbearing and painful, but you still need a certain level of firmness and control. A too-loose handshake will leave your arm floppy and leave people unimpressed.

A gentle, firm grip can improve your game by simplifying your swing. If there aren't a whole lot of unnecessary motions in your swing and your swing is under complete control, you'll be able to generate much more speed and much more power when striking the ball. Your swing will probably become more fluid. Instead of trying to slap at the ball or hit it, you're going to be able to consistently swing through the ball. Swinging through the ball is in many ways what golfers are looking for when they talk about a shot having good feel to it. Because so much of golf is centered around shots feeling good when they come off the club, it only makes sense that a firm, gentle grip will help to keep scores lower.

Unfortunately, there might not be many strategies to quickly learn how to hold the club gently. Some people suggest that the amount of pressure you should hold the club with resembles the amount of pressure you'd use to hold a small bird in your hands. It really should be that light. Your grips should fit well enough, be tacky enough and be textured enough to stay in your hands with a minimal amount of pressure. That's why it's so vitally important to always make sure that your grips fit you properly. Be sure to always be holding the club in your fingers, not your palms, and remember that if you do it enough, muscle memory will kick in and you won't have to think about it anymore.

The gentle, firm grip is what most golfers aspire to do, if they're not doing it already. Learning how to master this grip might take some time, but it will be well worth it once you get out on the course.

This post was created by the makers of PURE Grips, the most durable all natural rubber golf grips now available in full color. Find out more about our tapeless installation, advantages and color options.