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How do I break the habit of gripping my tennis racket or golf club so tightly? After I play either sport, my fingers are killing me.

"Most amateur golfers tend to grip the club too tightly because they think it helps hit the ball farther or harder," says men's golf coach Gary Skrinar, who is also professor and chairman of the department of health sciences at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. "But this actually has the opposite effect. A tight grip tenses the muscles at both the lower arm and upper arm and significantly impacts the natural rhythm of the golf swing. To find out how tight your grip is, before a swing look down at your fingernails while holding the club. Tension produces a white appearance around the edges. To break this tight grip, imagine you're holding a small bird in the palm of your hand and that you are gently trying to keep it from flying away. This will help you to keep a light, loose grip on the club."

Lesley Sheehan, who is the women's tennis head coach, offers this advice for tight-gripping racketeers. "First, check on your racket's grip size with a tennis pro," she says. "Usually a tight hold means your grip is either too small or too big. It's also a good idea to inspect the grip itself. If you're playing with an older racket, your grip may be too hard to handle. Grip wrap will help in this case. Finally, between points, hold your racket in the other hand to give the dominant hand a rest."

8 June 2001
Boston University
Office of University Relations