Grip Basics


To play golf to any degree of success, you must have a sound, natural grip. The hands are your only attachment to the club and thus control much of the function of the swing. A good grip will:

• deliver the clubface squarely to the back of the ball
• keep the handle from slipping in your swing
• allows the swing to be a fluid continous motion
• transmits power through the ball by allowing some wrist hinge

The Left Hand Grip


Assume the left hand grip by placing the handle diagonally across the fingers of the left hand, making sure the heel pad is above the top of the handle. It is easiest to do this by making sure you place the heel pad on top of the grip first, before closing the rest of the hand. This is the most critical part of the grip. Never let the grip slide into the palm of the hand. Most amateurs place the grip in the palm and it becomes virtually impossible to hinge your wrists and also contributes to a slice.

On top of the grip, the thumb should be visible and slightly right of center of the grip. Without moving your head, the two knuckles in the left hand should also be visible. This indicates a natural left hand position. A line is formed by the left thumb and the index finger; this line should point approximately to the right ear.


The Right Hand Grip


In assuming the right hand grip it is important to remember that its purpose is to conform to the left hand grip, enabling the two to work as a unit. The club is held primarily in the two middle fingers of the right hand. The life line of the right palm rests firmly into the thumb of the left hand. After closing your right hand your left thumb will no longer be visible. The line formed by the right thumb and index finger should point in the same direction as the line in the left hand. Remember: you need to see some cupping in the wrists to allow for porper wrist hinge


Both Hands


The completed grip should like like the right photo. In addition there is three basic options to linking the two hands together:

• the overlap - the little finger of the right hand is overlapped over the forefinger of the left
• the interlock - the little finger of the right and the forefinger of the left are interlocked
• ten finger - all fingers are placed directly on the club.

The overlap is most popular of the three choices. It is best suited with normal and oversized hands. Players with shorter fingers and/or thicker hands might benefit from the interlock form. Those players with smaller or weaker hands might like the ten finger form. Use whichever form is best suited to you.