The Golf Grip Explained
Gripping the golf club properly is the first step toward making a good golf swing. If you are not gripping the club in the correct manner your swing could be affected in many different ways. The three keys to gripping a golf club correctly are fit, alignment, and pressure. But first, you'll need to find the type of grip that is most comfortable for you.
Primary Grip Styles
There are primarily three different styles in which a golf club can be gripped. These are the Vardon, or overlapping grip, the interlocking grip, and the baseball, or ten finger, grip.
The Vardon Grip
The Vardon grip is one of the most popular grip methods in use today. This grip style was first made popular by Harry Vardon in the early 1900's and is the choice of many top golfers and teaching pros. It consists of overlapping the little finger of your bottom hand (right hand for righties) between the index and middle finger on the top hand. The thumb of your top hand should fit inside the grip of your bottom hand along that hands lifeline. The lifeline is the crease in your hand that starts between the thumb and index finger and curves down around the thumb to your wrist.
The Interlocking Grip
The interlocking grip is formed by placing the little finger of your bottom hand between the middle and index fingers of your top hand, thus "interlocking" your hands together. This grip is popular for many golfers, especially those with smaller hands that find the Vardon grip to be uncomfortable.
The Baseball Grip
The baseball grip is performed by gripping the golf club the same way you would a baseball bat. All ten fingers are on the grip of the club, with the index finger of the top hand resting against the side of the little finger on the bottom hand. This "ten finger" grip is most often used by the untrained beginner or by those who find the above two grip styles to be uncomfortable. Golfers who suffer from arthritis or other joint pain, or who have small or weaker hands, may prefer this type of grip.
Size Does Matter - When It Comes To Golf Grips
Grip size is probably the most important part of being able to grip the golf club properly. Too small of a grip can cause the club to twist in your hands, a result of unconsciously squeezing the club at the bottom of the swing, resulting in a closed clubface. Too large of a grip and the club may come loose at impact, opening the club face. Either way, you?re not going to be making good, solid contact with any amount of consistency.
Along with making sure the grip size is correct for your hands, you'll need to make sure you are not playing with worn out grips. Grips become worn out through normal wear and tear, oxidization, and moisture damage. A tired or worn out grip will not provide the traction you need to keep the golf club stable throughout your swing. Replacing grips is easy and inexpensive and can make a world of difference in your golf game. Some of the touring pros will even change their grips after each round or tournament, just to be on the safe side.
Alignment - Pointing the V's
Having the proper grip alignment is a key factor in getting the clubface squared at impact. Too weak of a grip, rotating the one or both hands away from the other, promotes an open clubface, resulting in a push or slice. Too strong of a grip, rotating one or both hands more towards the other, promotes a closed clubface, resulting in a pull or hook.
The best way to make sure that your grip is properly aligned is to check the V?s. The V?s are the angle between your thumb and forefinger on each hand. These should point between your chin and back shoulder.
Experiment with weaker and stronger grips at the driving range to see how they affect your ball flight. You?ll find that the only way to consistently make accurate golf shots is by keeping your grip aligned properly. Don't make the mistake of adjusting your alignment to correct a flaw in another part of your swing. This will only hurt your golf swing in the long run.
Don't Choke the Club!
The most common mistake golfers make is trying to choke the golf club. They figure that if you squeeze the club harder you?ll hit the golf ball harder. Wrong! Choking the golf club actually tenses the muscles in your arms, which hinders a smooth swing and follow through, resulting in less distance and accuracy.
You want to be able to grip the golf club firmly, while keeping your arms relaxed. Only put enough pressure on the golf club to keep it from sliding around in your hands. If you are not applying enough pressure the golf club will twist and rotate during the swing. To make sure you?ve got it right, have someone try and pull the golf club out of your grip. They shouldn?t be able to do so. If they can, tighten your grip a little bit. Just make sure to keep your arms relaxed.
Remember, having the proper grip will lay the foundation for a good golf swing. Don't change your grip to correct a problem somewhere else or you could end up with an even less consistent golf swing and poorer shot results.
- Point the V's (angle between thumb and pointer finger) of both hands over your right (left for lefties) shoulder.
- Hold the club in your fingers, not your palms.
- Don't choke the club. Your grip should be firm but relaxed.
- Find out which grip style, Vardon, Interlocking, or Baseball that is comfortable for you.
- Golf grips should be replaced at the start of each season to avoid playing with worn or slick grips.
- Most top golfers prefer the Vardon or overlapping grip.
- Adjusting your grip to compensate for a different swing flaw will only hurt your game in the long run.