LeeD's and Retrospin's first are the only posts that have anything to do with my question. I am not asking whether it is better or worse to have a smaller grip size. I am asking how people adjust their hand positions (of whatever grip type) to work well with a smaller than traditional grip size, which would normally result in pain from necessarily holding the grip more tightly because the grip is smaller and would fall out of the hand otherwise. There are god players who do this. How do they adjust? Is it really just because of calluses etc as LeeD says? Please no more about large vs smaller grips better or worse. that is a different topic.
thank you
I have changed to a smaller grip size for all my racquets. Some background:
After playing some 5 hours a week for a couple of months now with a "correct" standard grip size, I realised that I have begun to hit much much better ground strokes when I hold the handle relaxed and low, with pinky almost off the buttcap.
My strokes are somewhat in between the traditional and the modern, with a languid medium loop in a late take back and fast strike speed, using waist and shoulder rotation. My stance is semi-open. My grip style is an extreme eastern, almost semi western. I needed the late take back because the margin of error was high when hitting a fast heavy incoming spinning ball with an early take back and fast swing speed.
Everything gels really well when I grip the handle down low, with easy access to wrist pronation.
That was when I realised that hey, I could wield the stick much much better if te grips were smaller. So I took off all the grips and wrapped thinner ones around and I must say they feel very comfortable for my style.
Players who hold the handle fully in their palms may prefer the standard grip size.
