A golfer's problematic ball flight can be blamed on more than one area. Some items such as setup and posture, alignment and swing path take practice to master. A few can come down to playing with equipment that fits. Check that the grips on your clubs aren't too big for your hands, and you can eliminate one of the causes of poor shots.
Pushed Shots
A noticeable effect of playing with golf grips that are too large is that shots tend to stay right of target for right-handed players and left of target for left-handers. Master clubmaker Ralph Maltby, who teaches PGA golf professionals about club fitting, uses a cucumber to show that using a too-large grip inhibits the wrist action. Restricting the wrists makes it harder to square the clubface at impact with the ball, leaving the face open and causing a pushed shot.
Loss of Feel
A grip that is too large also lessens the feel of the clubhead, Maltby says. With the loss of feel, it's harder to be aware of the position of the clubhead at impact. That makes a big difference for advanced players, who often play more by feel than beginners.
Loss of Distance
With grips that are too large, a player might grip down the shaft of the club a bit. Gripping down even an inch can cut back on the distance that the club can send the ball, because a shorter club has a shorter swing arc.
Change in Swing Weight
Grips that are too big could be heavier and affect the swing weight of the club. Grips sized properly could be lighter, depending on the material, shifting a greater proportion of the weight to the clubhead. More weight in the clubhead can mean a greater clubhead speed, the key element in hitting the ball farther.
Not a Sole Cause
An oversized grip isn't the only cause of pushed shots. The same kind of shot could be caused by an upright swing path that moves the club slightly outside the target line to across and inside the target line after the ball. A weak grip, where the hands are rotated too far toward the target side of the grip, could also be the culprit. If your grip size is correct and you still push the ball, check these areas.
Putters
A grip too big isn't bad on every club. An inhibited wrist action is a good thing when swinging the putter, because the clubhead swings mostly straight back and through. Some players, PGA Tour professional K.J. Choi most notable among them, find an oversized putter grip helps them perform better on the greens.
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