It amazes me how golfers continue to invest big dollars on their golf equipment to gain more distance and get better control and forget about their main equipment - improving themselves and their strength and fitness! As strength throughout the body is an advantage to the golfer, there are four reasons why grip strength to be a better golfer is no exception. Let me explain:

Firstly, for a light grip! In order to have maximum control on the golf club and to play better goal, a golfer must actually have a light grip. This appears as a paradox, yet holds true. A light grip strength allows the golfer to a relax the forearms and arms and generate not only great power, but a consistent swing plane as well. Yet, to have a light grip, the golfer must be very strong. A weak person with a light grip cannot control the golf club. A strong grip strength is required in golf to enable the golfer to be light with his or her grip and still control the golf club.

Secondly, in order to hit many specialty shots, the grip strength must be varied. This is mostly the case at higher levels of performance yet is a function of having access to a stronger grip potential.

Thirdly, over the length of the 4 to 5 hours that it takes to play a round of golf, fatigue is often a factor, especially for the weaker conditioned player. To have strong hands and forearms is a huge advantage, especially as the golfer plays later into his or her round. As the hands and forearms fatigue, a golfer must grip more aggressively leading to tense hands forearms and shoulders, in turn leading to loss of translated power and to loss of consistency in their swing plane.

Lastly and very importantly, when a player hits his or her golf ball into the rough, he or she must have an access a consciously much stronger grip pressure in order to square the club face through the resistance of the rough. When the rough is long or wet, this principle applies that much more.

As a former professional golfer, I have seen the many poorly understood approaches to grip strength training, even amongst the professionals. Most golfers address grip strength (finger flexor or closing muscles) only with no regard to the muscles of the forearm that stabilize the grip strength. These stabilizing muscles are the extensor muscles (muscles that open) of the hand and forearm and are equally as important as the muscles that grip (the finger flexor muscles). The finger extensor muscles are just as active as the grip muscles. In fact, it is my contention that when a golfer experiences fatigue in the hands and forearms, it is most often the fatigue of the finger and wrist extensor muscles that are causative. They are the weak link in grip strength because they are so often over looked!

As I have witnessed the continuous presence of repetitive grip injuries such as tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, extensor tendonitis and DeQuervain's Syndrome, I saw the vital need for proper education and training for proper grip, and thus the genesis of the Handmaster Plus.

Handmaster Plus is a cutting edge training device that uniquely strengthens all of the muscles of the hand in full natural ranges of motion. The hand is allowed to move naturally in three dimensions enabling proper sculpting of all of the muscles. The device also ensures that the user not only strengthens, but balance all of these muscles. Because the hand moves through its full range of motion, both in closing and in opening, the exercise guarantees that the user will establish maximum blood flow by utilizing the exercise. Checked to see if the device that you are using allows your hands to move through full natural three dimensional ranges of motion. If not, you are not training properly.

Handmaster plus is affordable complete and convenient and should be in the bag of every golfer who desires to improve their performance. At the same time, proper grip training using the Handmaster plus will reduce the risk of common repetitive golf injuries.

For more information and to purchase the Handmaster Plus , please visit www.handmasterplus.com.

Take proper care of your hands, wrists and forearms and watch your enjoyment of the game and your performance soar.

Good golfing,
Dr. Terry P. Zachary
doczac enterprises Inc

Labels: GOLF golf golfers elbow grip strength exercise training improve maximum forearm hand finger wrist strength stronger more distance control better scores fitness