Over the years we’ve seen quite a variety of technology aimed at shaving a few shots of a golfer’s game, from robots such as the Top Swing to motion analyzing systems such as the PSProSwing and iClub system. While such systems provide great feedback about the motion of a golf swing, they can overlook one of the most basic but no less important aspects of a natural golf swing – a relaxed grip. German-based company, Sensosolutions, has come up with a compact way to measure the level of grip pressure in the form of the SensoGlove, the world’s first digital golf glove.
The SensoGlove is made of high quality cabretta leather with four tiny sensors sewn into it. These sensors read the user’s grip pressure 80 times a second and a computer analyzes the readings and displays the results on a sweat-proof 1.2-inch LED digital monitor located on the back of the glove.
Before a swing, the user dials in their target pressure on a scale of 1 to 18. The lowest settings (1 – 12) are less sensitive, while the highest settings (13 –18) are the most sensitive and encourage a very light grip pressure, useful for chipping and putting. The company recommends users try out the glove at the driving range to test various pressure settings until they find one that gives them the perfect swing.
Once the ideal target pressure is set, the glove then reads and displays the pressure and warns the user with an audio warning if they are gripping too tightly exactly when it happens during their swing. The glove will even show which finger is griping too tight to allow fine-tuning of the grip.
“Every golfer wants to hit the ball far and the natural instinct is to swing harder and faster,” said David Bauer, President, Sensosolutions. “But trying to swing with more power causes a death grip, creating tension in the hands, wrists, arms and shoulders. The result is a less than smooth swing and, even worse, tightened muscles. Tight muscles result in slower – not faster – club head speed.”
The company says the SensoGlove will allow all golfers, from beginner to advanced, to quickly learn how to hold the club and avoid the dreaded “death grip”and improve every part of a golfer’s game – from backswing, downswing, impact, follw-through, to driving, putting and chipping.
The computer/display can be easily removed from the glove and snapped onto a replacement glove if the glove wears out, or if you just want to play without it. It is powered by standard watch batteries which last for 80 – 100 hours of play. It is available in S, M, ML, L and XL men’s sizes and S, M, and L women’s sizes. All sizes are available for the left and right hands and can also be used together to control the pressure in both hands at the same time.
The SensoGlove is available from the SensoGlove website priced at US$89. Replacement gloves without the computer are priced at $22.48, while a left-hand/right-hand value pack sells for an equally specific price of $132.94.
