More grip size talk

[nickarnold2000]

Tw, in one of their grip thickness advice articles, suggested that you should be able to fit a finger between your ring finger and the base of the thumb when holding the racket in an eastern grip. However, at tennis.com, a famous stringer said that lately the pros have been using smaller grips to "come over the ball more".
I've been getting smaller recently to maybe half a finger in width gap and haven't noticed any elbow problems yet. What's everyone else doing?

 

[DRtenniS1112]

I use 4 1/2 but my hand is the size of 4 5/8

 

[Ripper]

Tw, in one of their grip thickness advice articles, suggested that you should be able to fit a finger between your ring finger and the base of the thumb when holding the racket in an eastern grip. However, at tennis.com, a famous stringer said that lately the pros have been using smaller grips to "come over the ball more".
I've been getting smaller recently to maybe half a finger in width gap and haven't noticed any elbow problems yet. What's everyone else doing?

I have reduced that gap to zero! I want the tip of my ring finger and my thumb base to slightly touch.

Edit: This is while gripping as if I were going to hit with the raquet; in other words, with what I call a "pistol grip"...

 

[nickarnold2000]

So Ripper, do have any elbow problems or volleying difficulties when using such a small grip?

 

[Ripper]

So Ripper, do have any elbow problems or volleying difficulties when using such a small grip?

No elbow problems. I'm not much of a volleyer, to be honest (eventhough I'm working hard on doing more of that and it's going well).

 

[TripleB]

I typically have a "slightly less than a full finger" gap. Mainly because that's the gap I get when I put 1 overgrip on my 4 and 5/8" grip. If I go to a 4 and 5/8" grip plus 2 overgrips it feels too large. If go go with the 4 and 5/8" grip without an overgrip it feels too small and causes elbow pain.

TripleB

 

[bertrevert]

I had gone one grip size smaller and immediately got sharp twinges within my elbow. You won't notice until after a good hard match and then it is very painful and feels inflamed/hot. As if someone has hit the inside of your soft bones with a ball-peen hammer.

If you buy a grip size too small however you can always build it up.

I have however also tried reducing a size once. The handle didn't use pallets but rather was the hard foam variety so I bought a surfboard shaper and shaved away. What can I say, it is extremely hard to shave off glue coated foam EVENLY around the hexagonal shaft - it's ridiculously impossible and I consider myself suitably chastened by the experience. Ugh.

 

[AJK1]

I can close my eyes and my hand tells my brain what feels right, not some chart with finger measurements. If i followed the chart i'd have to use a 5" grip.