Most amateur and professional golfers know about the value of a strong golf grip. It plays a vital role in your overall game because the way you grip your club will determine how you strike the ball, how effectively you swing through the ball, and your follow-through. There are various types of grip styles that you can master, and a pro golfer has several grip styles in their locker. They can use whatever grip is suited to the occasion, which allows them to get out of any tricky situation on the golf course.
It has been proven that a strong golf grip has many benefits, which include better distance and touch control with wedges, hitting lower shots, consistent fade or draw shots. The positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to playing with a strong golf grip. Most coaches will tell you that it is best that you have a neutral grip in the beginning and then transition to a stronger grip.
4 Tips to Have a Strong Golf Grip
Pro golfers who have won major championships while using the strong golf grip include Zach Johnson, Paul Azinger, and David Duval. If you want to adopt a strong golf grip and want greater consistency in your game, we will share the best tips with you right here.
1. Grip from Your Fingers
One of the worst habits that beginner golfers can get into is gripping their club with their palms instead of their fingers. When you grip the club with your palm, you lose flexibility in the wrist, which means you can’t get into a decent position during your backswing. To prove this point, you can try out a simple experiment.
Hold a hammer with your palm and try to hit a nail, you will find it is difficult to hit the nail consistently. When you hold the hammer with your fingers, you will get better accuracy and power when hitting the nails. If you want to get a strong golf grip, you must try and grip the club from your fingers.
2. Show Three Knuckles from Your Lead Hand
When you get into position to strike the golf ball, do you know how many knuckles of your lead hand are showing? The lead hand is the hand that is nearest to the target. If you followed the advice we mentioned above and only saw two or one knuckles, you may still be gripping your club with your palm. That is the reason why you have a weak grip as well.
If you want a strong golf grip, you must have at least three knuckles from your lead hand showing outward and looking down. If you see four knuckles, then you are gripping the club too strong, and you must loosen up a little.
3. Ensure There Are Parallel Lines that Point at Your Shoulder
Another way to determine whether you have a strong golf grip is to check if the lines or creases made between your forefinger and thumb are lining up. You can check that by getting into your stance and ensuring that your hands are aligned together properly. The creases on your hand must be parallel to each other, which means your hands must work together during the swing.
The lines must be pointing at the right shoulder to ensure that you have maintained proper balance and posture for your shot. If the lines point towards the chin, you have a weak grip, and if they are going in separate directions, your hands aren’t properly aligned.
4. Lean the Shaft Towards the Target
If you want to have a strong golf grip and connect with the golf ball solidly, you must lean your golf club’s shaft towards the target. When golf players hold the golf club too strong, they tend to get the club behind the ball and away from the target. You must remember that the club will come back to its original position when you complete your swing.
If you’re not gripping the club properly, you will get many mishits, and your shots will either be hooks or will go too high. To ensure that your shaft is leaning towards the target properly, you must ensure that your hands are in front of your belt buckle. That will mean you are in the proper position and can grip the club strongly.
Advantages of a Strong Golf Grip
Now that you have got the technique for the strong golf grip down let’s discuss some of the advantages you stand to gain when you adopt the strong golf grip. You can experiment with various grip styles, but at the end of the day, you can’t argue that the strong golf grip gives you the best control over your shots when you want results. Here are some of the advantages you stand to gain:
- Better timing and release on your shots
- Feels more natural at takeaway and setup
- Promotes a powerful and smooth release through the ball
- It makes it easier to hit fades and draws
- Promotes a stronger body turn and follow through the ball
If you want the best results on the golf course, it would be in your best interests to adopt a strong golf grip. The difference it will make to your game will allow you to become a more controlled player who will find it easier to hit longer shots on the golf course.
Our Final Thoughts
Even though there are several golf grips, there can be no denying that a strong golf grip is an incredible asset to have as a player. Even the best players in the world are fans of this golf grip because it gives them the control and power they want in their shots. However, everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to swinging a golf club, but you can make the game easier for yourself with a strong golf grip.
