The right grip on the club can work magic on your overall golf game. Why is that? The grip is the sole connection between you and your golf club. The right grip allows you to have better control and position over the clubface. It can either help you in maximizing your distance or enhancing precision during a game.
Learning to grip the golf club the right way can drastically change your game, improving your technique and allowing you to make more consistent shots. Numerous factors are involved in maintaining the right grip on your club, including hand position, pressure, and the size of the grip.
This article will discuss the best way to grip a golf club to enhance your golf game:
Assessing Existing Grip
Before you start working on the grip, it is best to first evaluate your existing grip technique. This will help you in determining where you need to improve and what you are doing wrong. Notice the way you hold your club, the way you pick it up, the positioning of your hand and your fingers on the club.
Is the grip comfortable? Do you feel in control when you hold the club? Are you able to confidently take the shot? Do you feel you can hit an amazing shot?
There is always room for improvement. Once you have assessed the way you grip the golf club, you can now move on to understand the best way to grip a golf club to get more control over your game.
The Size of the Grip
All golf clubs come with a rubberized grip on the handle. The size of these grips is typically standardized, which doesn’t necessarily mean that is the right size for you. There are various different sizes available. It is best to try them out to determine the right one for you.
In case you are consistently slicing or pulling, even after adopting the hold, it is an indication that you might need a new grip. The right size of the grip depends on the shape and size of your hand. For shorter fingers and petite hands, the small grip option is ideal. For larger hands, try the bigger grips.
Positioning of Hand
When you are picking up your club, be sure to do it with your weaker hand (usually the left one for right handed golfers). Turn the hand in a way that you can view two knuckles of your hand. Point the v shape between your thumb and index finger towards your right shoulder.
Merely, half an inch of the club should be poking out on the top of the grip. Point your left thumb down towards the shaft’s right side. Next grip your golf club with your right hand. The thumb should sit on top of the thumb of your left hand. The right thumb should be placed on the left side of your club and faced downwards.
If this doesn’t feel comfortable for you or if you feel less confident in the hand positioning, you can always opt for the special grips available in the shops aimed to improve the hand position of the golfers. These grips are molded in a way to guide your thumbs, fingers, and hands in the right position.
Understanding Overlapping vs Interlocking Grips
You might have seen some golfers interlocking their hands and others overlapping them. Linking the hands together is now more prevalent among most golfers as it offers improved wrist hinge and a solid grip.
The best way of linking the fingers is with the overlapping grip. For this grip, you have to join your hands together by placing the right pinky between the middle of your left hand and the index finger. Then, align the left thumb with the middle of the right hand.
Determining the Pressure
Lastly, the pressure you place on the grip is also an integral element. The ideal pressure is somewhere between the two extremes. The grip should be so firm that the knuckles start turning white, but it shouldn’t be so light that you lose control over the club.
Too much pressure on the grip while playing the short means you will hit the ball with the heel instead of the face of the club. As a result, the strikes will be inconsistent and without control. If your forearms start feeling tensed up, then it is an indication that you are holding the club too tightly.
Make sure that you grip the club softly but with a firm grip, with your arms relaxed. Try shaking off yourself off to ease the tension from your arms and wrists.
Mastering the Neutral Grip
The technique and grip described above is a neutral grip. This is the most natural and common way of gripping a golf club to achieve the best shots. Therefore, it is best to start by mastering this grip before you move on to try out the other techniques.
As you become more proficient and confident in your neutral grip, you can start learning the other styles. This is how you can improve and adapt to the game.
Trying Alternative Grips
While the grip technique mentioned in this article is the most common and best way to grip a golf club, it is still essential to keep in mind that nothing is set in stone. Every golfer is different and while the majority of them prefer neutral grip, some might not be comfortable with it.
It is highly recommended that you opt for the way that feels more comfortable and natural to you and what works best for your game. You might start off with this grip and move on to learn alternative styles, or you can go with one of the alternative styles instead of the neutral grip.
Some of the top golf players prefer alternative grips. Let’s look at the grip style of the famous Jordan Spieth. His way of gripping the golf club is drastically different than the rest of the professional players. His grip is unusual but still gives him the best results. He doesn’t interlink or overlap his fingers in a way other players recognize. The left pinkie lightly sits on top of the right hand, and slightly linked with the pinky of his right hand. Even if his way isn’t conventional, it is working for him.
This shows that there is no right or wrong way of gripping your golf club. As long as you are taking the right shot and sending the ball towards the hole, you are good to go.
Our Final Thoughts
Once you start learning this neutral grip or any other grip, bear in mind that changing the way you grip your club will feel awkward initially. However, continue practicing it for a while and you will grow comfortable with the new grip style. Learning the best way to grip a golf club is the foundation of a successful golf player.
In case the grip still doesn’t feel right after a while, try out alternative grips instead of forcing yourself to play with the neutral grip. As mentioned above, all golfers are different. What works for others might not work for you. Experiment a bit and you will find the style that works best for you.
