Golf Swing Series: The Golf Grip

If you look at various PGA Tour players and how they grip the club, it’s different and unique across the board. There is not one correct way to grip the club just as there is not one correct way to swing the club. Because of this, this article is not meant to teach you the correct way to grip the golf club; this article is meant to inform you on some basics of gripping the club as well as teach you potential grip issues you may have and how to address them.

My Grip and Tips:

If you are new to golf this will help you establish a good foundation for gripping the golf club.

Step 1

The first step is to ensure you are interlocking your right pinky finger with the left pointer finger (if you are right handed). This ensures greater control of the club (smaller mis hits).

Step 2

The second step is to ensure proper positioning of your right and left hand. You’ll notice when you grip your club, the thumbs and pointer fingers of both hands create a ‘V’. It’s best if these ‘V’s are pointing toward your right armpit.

Step 3 (My Feel)

Feel is a big thing in golf. Giving yourself a “Feel” is crucial for every aspect of golf. Whether you’re fixing something or in the middle of a big tournament, having a feeling that you feel as you swing or before you swing can make you more comfortable and be the difference between double bogey and a birdie. For me and the grip, my feel is specifically in my right hand. I feel the grip run through my palm and down into my right pointer finger. From there, i feel my right thumb wrap over my left thumb and pinch the grip between my right thumb and right pointer finger.

The Potential Issues

There are many issues that will come up if your grip is extremely weak or strong. Remember how I said there was no correct way to grip the club? Well, I sort of lied. While there is not a correct way to grip the club, there is most definitely some wrong ways. You can 100% be a scratch golfer with a terrible grip, but it will also be incredibly difficult to reduce your bad shots.

Try This!

One thing to try that will help you understand how the grip has a major effect on the swing is to get into your golf position. Now, grip your club however feels comfortable. Now let go and let your hands return to its natural position. If your hands aggressively turn, your grip may be too weak or strong. The key is to understand that during your swing, your hands want to return to their “natural” position at the bottom. See picture below for reference:

Grip Too Strong

If your grip is too strong you will inevitably hit a draw. Your misses will either be a huge hook to the left (if you’re right handed) or a large block out to the right. A strong grip is when your grip is too much in your palm and in turn your right hand is almost under the grip. The ‘V’ from both hands would be pointing to the right of your body.

Grip Too Weak

If your grip is too weak, you guessed it, you will most likely hit more of a cut. Your miss being a slice or a pull. A weak grip looks like the opposite of the strong grip. The right hand is too far over top the grip. In terms of the ‘V’ it would be pointing to the left armpit or even more to the left of the body (again for a right handed golfer).

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