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Golf Tips
Good Golf Begins with a Good Grip
During a recent session one of my clients and I were discussing the dynamics of
ball flight and how the spin (imparted on the golf ball) largely determines how it will curve during
its trajectory.
I explained to him further how the angle of the clubface at impact governs how
the ball will spin, and by merely ensuring that your hands are placed on the grip handle in a correct
fashion, one’s chances of squaring the clubface at impact are highly improved. It is this factor
that provides support for golf-teaching legend, Harvey Penick’s, statement: “Good golf begins with
a good grip.” In fact in my opinion, a correct grip is THE most important fundamental aspect of
the golf swing.
Ensuring that you have a sound grip will put you well on the way to improving
your ball-striking and control thereby lowering your scores. A proper grip will also allow the
following: (1.) A firm but not rigid hold on the club; and (2.) the correct hinging and unhinging
of the wrists during the swing.
A sound Grip: (for a right-handed golfer)
In a good grip the right and left hands compliment each other and form a compact unit. A critical
success factor in a good grip is that the handle of the club is held predominantly in the fingers
- and NOT the palm - of the left or leading hand. The palms of both hands will also oppose each
other as the arms hang naturally in front of you at address. In order to grip the club correctly,
strive to meet the following criteria: -
Left Hand -
The handle/grip of the club is held diagonally across the base of
the palm and predominantly in the fingers. That is, across the middle joint
of the forefinger and across and above the base of the last three fingers.
With further regard to the left forefinger, it should assume a trigger-finger
type position as it fits around the grip handle. Importantly also, the heel of
the palm (the fleshy pad) should rest on top of the grip handle providing
support for the club as the last three fingers squeeze the grip handle.
Right Hand -
The handle of the club should lie across the base of the two middle fingers
(where the two middle fingers meet the palm). It will also sit slightly
diagonally in relation to the hand. As the right hand closes correctly around
the grip, the right palm should cover the left thumb.
Helpful Checkpoints in a Sound Grip:
-
The left hand will be on top of the
handle, and the “V” formed by the thumb and the forefinger of the left hand should point toward
the middle of the right shoulder;
-
2 to 3 knuckles, and a slight glimpse of the glove logo of the left hand should be visible;
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A slight cupping or dish-angle in the left wrist will be evident;
-
The left thumb will run down the right center of the shaft
(eventually hidden in the complete grip as it fits snuggly into the palm of the right hand);
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The “V” formed by the thumb and the forefinger
of the right hand should point toward the right ear;
-
The palm of the right hand will primarily
face toward the target; and
-
The hands will be molded neatly
together with the palms opposing each other.
Further, there are generally
three accepted and correct ways for the hands to mesh together in a good grip: (1) the Vardon
or overlapping grip; (2) the interlocking grip; and (3) the
ten-finger or baseball grip.
-
The Vardon or overlapping
grip: For players with longer fingers and it is characterized by the little finger of the
right hand riding ‘piggy-back’ between the forefinger and middle finger of the left hand.
-
The interlocking grip: For people with smaller hands and is
characterized by the little finger of the right hand locking between the forefinger and the middle
finger of the left hand.
-
The baseball grip: For weaker players
and children. It is characterized by all of the fingers touching the handle of the club.
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