Grip Pressure in Golf: How It Impacts Your Swing, Wrist Mechanics & Getting It Right

Britt Olizarowicz

Sep 29, 2025 . 5 mins read

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You’ve heard the advice to ease grip pressure and let the club swing naturally.

However, very few people talk about the true benefits of doing this and why having the proper grip pressure can make all the difference in the movements you try to make in your swing.

We’ll show you how to get the right grip pressure, why it matters for your wrist action, and how you can reduce strokes by improving something as simple as grip pressure.

With HackMotion, you can measure how grip pressure affects your wrist angles in real time — giving you instant feedback on whether you’re restricting movement or allowing a smooth, natural release.

Grip Pressure in Golf (Key Takeaways)

Here are a few of the most important things to know about grip pressure and your wrist mechanics. Take these tips with you now and then head to the range to work on your wrist mechanics.

• The proper grip pressure allows you to control the golf club without restricting motion.
• Too much grip pressure restricts the movement of the wrists, especially during the release. Golfers who struggle with late release are often gripping the club too tightly.
• Loose grip pressure is not the solution; if you grip the club too loosely, the club can move around in your hands and create inconsistent clubface angles at impact.
• HackMotion helps you test different grip pressures by tracking wrist mechanics, so you can find the balance of control and freedom that produces your best swing.

Mistakes Golfers Make with Grip Pressure and Wrist Mechanics

Holding the club too tightly creates tension in your hands, arms, and shoulders.

This extra tension reduces power, creates poor swing mechanics, and can even lead to injury and fatigue. HackMotion data shows that overly tight grips often lead to reduced lead wrist flexion at impact, which makes it harder to square the clubface.

Gripping the club too loosely leads to inconsistent ball contact and less accuracy in your shots. Some golfers also experience less power with this lighter grip pressure. On HackMotion, this often appears as large variations in wrist angles from swing to swing.

Early Release

The early release happens when the wrists unhinge too soon in the downswing.

This causes a loss of power and a shot that doesn’t fly as high or as straight as expected. The early release can also result from too-loose grip pressure.

Late Release

If you hold on to the wrist hinge too long, you may block your shots to the right.

Golfers who struggle with this issue are often gripping the club too tightly and can’t feel the natural timing of the release.

HackMotion confirms this by showing delayed extension and reduced release patterns through impact.

Getting the Right Grip Pressure for Better Wrist Action

The proper wrist action in the golf swing encourages natural hinging, releasing of the wrists, and the correct flexion and extension angles through impact.

If you hold the grip too tightly, you restrict the natural release of the wrists.

With too little grip pressure, you’ll have a hard time maintaining the bowing (flexion) in your lead wrist through impact, which often leads to flipping.

Full Swing

A good way to find your ideal grip pressure is to add a little waggle of the club. Grip your club and hold it upright in front of you. If you can feel the clubhead hinge slightly in your wrists, your grip pressure is about right.

HackMotion makes this even easier by allowing you to measure whether your wrist hinge is consistent. With the right grip pressure, you’ll see smooth, repeatable flexion and extension patterns rather than sharp spikes.

Putting

Grip pressure in putting is just as important as grip pressure in the full swing.

For golfers with a smooth tempo and short putts, lighter grip pressure helps you feel the clubface angle and wrist action more clearly. For golfers with a faster tempo or longer putts, a slightly firmer grip can make it easier to control the clubhead.

Use HackMotion to run a quick test:

• Hit 10 putts with a tight grip, 10 with a medium grip, and 10 with a light grip.
• Check your wrist angle consistency in each session.
• Compare which grip pressure produced the most repeatable stroke.

Most golfers find medium grip pressure works best, but HackMotion helps you discover which option gives you the most control and awareness.

Drills to Find the Proper Grip Pressure in Golf

Grip pressure is all about feel, but HackMotion helps confirm what’s actually happening in your swing. Try these drills to find your balance:

Heavy Club Drill

If you can’t feel the weight of the clubhead, your grip pressure is too tight.

Grip as Tight as You Can Drill

This drill is perfect if you tend to over-grip.

Pull Up, Don’t Push Down Drill

If you struggle to find a firm but not rigid grip, focus on pulling up instead of pushing down.

HackMotion Grip Pressure Test Drill

Use HackMotion to directly test grip pressure’s effect on your wrist release.

Final Thoughts

Grip pressure problems creep up on golfers slowly, and they can derail both power and accuracy. The best way to manage grip pressure is to measure how it affects your wrist mechanics.

By using HackMotion while you practice, you can clearly see whether your grip pressure is helping or hurting your swing. With this feedback, you’ll quickly find the balance between control and freedom, and that’s where your best ball striking and putting consistency will come from.