How to Improve Your Grip Strength for Golf

When it comes to improving your golf game, most players immediately think of swing mechanics, equipment upgrades, or playing more often.

But one of the most overlooked performance boosters is your grip strength.

Your hands are the only connection to the club — and if that connection is weak, so is your ability to control the clubface, maintain wrist angles, and deliver consistent power.

Whether you’re trying to add distance off the tee, stay steady in the rough, or simply finish a round without hand fatigue, improving your grip strength can make a noticeable difference.

In this article, we’ll break down why grip strength matters in golf, how to know if yours is holding you back, and the best ways to build it — both in the gym and through everyday habits.

Resource: Get the All Access Pass. Learn about our training programs with step by step practice drills, weekly schedules and routines to follow so you can break 90, break 80 or scratch golf. Plus access our video lesson library in addition to following the practice plans.

Why Grip Strength Matters in Golf

Your hands are the only connection between you and the golf club — and the strength of that connection can have a major impact on your performance.

While grip “technique” is often talked about (strong vs. weak grip positions), grip strength itself is just as important — and often overlooked.

A stronger grip doesn’t mean squeezing the club harder. It means having the endurance and power in your fingers, wrists, and forearms to maintain control of the club throughout your swing without tension.

When grip strength is lacking, several problems can creep into your game:

• The club may feel unstable at the top of the backswing
• You may struggle to maintain lag or wrist angles through impact
• The clubface may twist on contact with rough or wet grass
• Over time, weak grip endurance can lead to fatigue or wrist pain

Improving your grip strength leads to a more stable clubface, better energy transfer, and greater confidence when swinging at full speed — especially when hitting long drives or escaping from tough lies.

It also plays a key role in injury prevention, helping support your wrists, elbows, and hands through repetitive motion.

Whether you’re a weekend golfer or playing competitively, grip strength is one of those small changes that can yield big results.

Signs Your Grip Might Be a Weak Link

You may have solid swing mechanics and good tempo, but if your grip is underpowered, it can quietly sabotage your performance — especially under pressure or late in the round. Here are some common signs that grip strength may be holding you back:

• The club feels unstable at the top of your swing — especially with longer clubs like the driver or fairway woods
• Wrist angles collapse early in the downswing or through impact, leading to loss of lag or early release
• You lose control in thick rough or wet conditions, where more force is needed to keep the face square
• Shots start spraying left or right even when your swing path and contact feel consistent
• Your hands fatigue quickly during a range session or back nine — leading to tension and mistimed swings
• You frequently regrip or adjust your hold mid-swing, which disrupts flow and consistency

A weak grip doesn’t always show up in obvious ways — but it often reveals itself in inconsistency, missed shots under pressure, and poor control of the clubface. Building strength in your fingers, wrists, and forearms can help correct these issues at the source.

Best Exercises to Build Golf-Specific Grip Strength

You don’t need a full gym setup to strengthen your grip. In fact, some of the most effective grip-strengthening exercises use minimal equipment and target the exact muscles that matter most for controlling the golf club — fingers, forearms, wrists, and hands.

✅ Farmer’s Carries

• Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells or kettlebells at your sides
• Walk 30–60 seconds while keeping shoulders back and arms straight
• Keep your grip firm without clenching
• Improves endurance and grip under fatigue — just like holding the club late in a round

✅ Wrist Curls and Reverse Curls

• Use a light barbell or dumbbells
• Curl only with your wrists — palms up for regular curls, palms down for reverse
• Perform 12–15 reps per side
• Targets the wrist flexors and extensors that control clubface stability

✅ Dead Hangs

• Hang from a pull-up bar with both hands
• Keep shoulders engaged and arms fully extended
• Start with 20–30 seconds and build up to 60+ seconds
• Great for pure grip endurance and forearm strength

✅ Hand Grippers or Grip Trainers

• Use spring-loaded grippers or silicone resistance tools
• Squeeze and release for reps or hold for time
• Train both crushing and pinching grip
• Can be done anywhere and builds raw hand strength

✅ Towel Wrings and Rope Twists

• Twist a damp towel tightly to simulate wringing
• Or use a thick rope anchored at one end and twist it with both hands
• Great burnout finisher for the wrists and hands
• Improves functional twisting strength used in your swing and follow-through

Incorporating 2–3 of these exercises into your weekly routine — even for just 10 minutes — can make a noticeable difference in how confidently you control the club.

Daily Habits That Build Stronger Hands

Improving your grip strength doesn’t always require structured workouts. In fact, some of the best progress comes from consistent, low-effort habits you can do throughout the day.

These small actions add up and help reinforce hand and forearm strength over time — especially useful for busy golfers who don’t always have time to hit the gym.

Practice Club Holds

• Grab one of your irons and hold it in your normal golf grip for 30 to 60 seconds
• Keep wrists neutral and avoid tension in your shoulders
• Try it with one hand at a time to build individual hand strength

Squeeze a Tennis Ball

• Use a tennis ball or stress ball while watching TV or on calls
• Squeeze and hold for 3–5 seconds, then release slowly
• Aim for 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps per hand
• Improves crushing grip and finger coordination

Use Grip Trainers During Chipping or Putting Practice

• Add a grip-enhancing tool (like a weighted grip sleeve) to your short game club
• This reinforces proper hand activation while building endurance
• Be mindful not to create tension — feel the club, don’t squeeze it

Go Gloveless During Range Sessions

• Skipping the glove occasionally forces your hands to work harder
• Increases hand awareness and pressure control
• Helps train feel and connection between hand and clubface

The key is frequency over intensity. A few short bursts of grip activation each day can build long-term endurance, making your grip feel stronger and more natural on the course.

How Much Grip Strength Is Enough for Golfers?

You don’t need to crush walnuts or deadlift like a powerlifter to benefit from grip training. For golf, the goal is functional strength — the ability to maintain a secure, stable hold on the club throughout your swing without creating unnecessary tension.

So what’s “enough” grip strength for a golfer?

Practical Benchmarks:

• Dead hang from a pull-up bar for 60–90 seconds without slipping
• Farmer’s carry with moderate to heavy weights for 45–60 seconds
• Consistent grip pressure during range sessions — no slipping or twisting at impact

If you can meet these simple benchmarks, your grip is likely strong enough to support your golf game. However, if you’re noticing issues like regripping mid-swing, wrist breakdown at impact, or inconsistent clubface control, it’s worth building more strength and endurance.

A Key Balance: Strength + Feel

More isn’t always better. Some golfers overtrain grip and end up with tension in their hands and wrists, which can reduce fluidity and disrupt the natural rhythm of the swing.

The goal is to build a grip that’s strong enough to support power, yet sensitive enough to deliver precision and feel — especially around the greens.

Grip strength might not be the flashiest part of golf training, but it’s one of the most essential. A stronger grip leads to better control, less tension, and more confidence in every part of your game — from full-swing drives to delicate chip shots.

The good news is you don’t need a complex program to build it. With just a few targeted exercises and simple daily habits, you can gradually improve your hand and forearm strength, leading to more consistency and better performance on the course.

If you’ve ever felt like your swing is solid but something’s just a little off at impact — your grip might be the missing link. Strengthen it, and you might be surprised how quickly the rest of your game sharpens up too.

Golf Practice Plans to Follow

• How to Score in the 60’s Golf Training Plan
• How to Score in the 70’s Golf Training Plan
• How to Score in the 80’s Golf Training Plan
• All Access: Get Every Practice Plan (Lifetime Membership)

Thanks for reading today’s article!

Nick Foy – Golf Instructor