Baseball grip...

[Three Putt]

I used to use it. Everything went farther...but with a hook. It was terrible for me with the short game...to much input with the right hand...switched to overlap, much better.

No doubt though..."if" you nut a drive with a baseball grip it goes a ton with a nice draw, you can really slap it.

[TheLauncher]

Its not really a baseball grip. A baseball bat is held in the palm of the hand, where as, the 10 fingered grip still holds the club in the fingers.

I disagree. I hold a baseball bat in my fingers, the strongest part of the hand, and this is actually a recommended grip for baseball.

I like the overlapping because it helps my hands work as a unit and prevent the right hand from turning over too much, a move that works in baseball but is not always the best in golf.

[mbole]

I use it. I've thought about switching to an interlock but haven't had the time to dedicate to it.

[tim31x]

i have used the baseball grip since i started playing, it feels the most comfortable. i go to golf school and the pro at bay hill whom i took a few lessons from told me to never switch. i love the power i get and i am a very good ball striker, aiming or consistency has never been a factor for me. i found it more comfortable because i played baseball for 15years and took up golf the last 4 years. as long as your "v's" of your grip point the correct way it doesn't matter what grip you use.

[dkinser86]

i have used the baseball grip since i started playing, it feels the most comfortable. i go to golf school and the pro at bay hill whom i took a few lessons from told me to never switch. i love the power i get and i am a very good ball striker, aiming or consistency has never been a factor for me. i found it more comfortable because i played baseball for 15years and took up golf the last 4 years. as long as your "v's" of your grip point the correct way it doesn't matter what grip you use.

I'll second this. I've been playing for about 10 years, and had a baseball grip the entire time (from a baseball background) My high school golf coach tried to get me to change to an interlock grip, but I just couldn't get used to it. As stated above, as long as the "v's" made by the crease between your thumbs and forefingers, the grip is fine.

As for the 10-finger grip being a key for draw, I have a played a fade most of my career. And, have only recently began hitting a draw on command.

[tim31x]

As for the 10-finger grip being a key for draw, I have a played a fade most of my career. And, have only recently began hitting a draw on command.

you're preaching to the choir man. just recently started to hit a draw haha

[kris]

It's good to hear about people who use the 10 finger grip, especially some of the lower cappers. I started with the 10 finger, tried to switch to the overlap and have not been able to yet. I still might try but I am showing improvement in my game with my current grip and I really don't see the grip as what's holding me back (contrary to what I've heard). It simply feels right to me whereas the overlap feels foreign.

[Bluenoser67]

I play with the 10 finger grip and always have. I've fooled around with the overlap but the club never felt secure enough through impact for me. It seems to work pretty well to last week I shot our course record 62.

I was reading Harvey penick's little red book and he was saying that Tommy Armour who was contemporary of Harvey's and a three time major winner told Harvey that he felt the 10 finger grip should be the grip that most amateurs are taught. He felt that the 10 finger offered a stronger grip that would fit most amateurs better.

[soup]

Good stuff, as usual, guys.

I, too, use the 10 finger grip. Never had a lesson in my life. Also, I played baseball through college, so I'm sure that plays a role in it.

I actually utilize my left hand to determine the type of shot I want to hit. I'm a righty, so when I want to draw the ball my left hand thumb is actually on the right side of the grip - which helps me to close the face through impact. Just the opposite for a cut - thumb on the left side of the grip.

I've tried the inter-locking grip on the range often, but I just wind up hitting a bunch of lingering fades.

The best advice is to do what is comfortable and just do what you have to do to get that clubhead square at impact.

[BillyGoat13]

Used one for last 20 years. Major interest was baseball when little and playing through college and never thought of trying another. learned how to "hit around it" as i grew older as some people gave me advice to switch to overlap or interlock or else would not be able to hit all the shots i needed. never felt comfortable with others so here i am at 26 and still swinging away like willie mays.

[jharrell]

Its not really a baseball grip. A baseball bat is held in the palm of the hand, where as, the 10 fingered grip still holds the club in the fingers.

Not to get too far off-topic, but a successful baseball grip typically involves the bat being held loosely in the fingers.

[scott71law]

I got 'serious' about golf last summer and ditched my baseball grip for a more standard overlap grip and will never go back. I'm still only about a 11-12 hdcp but I now hit much better shots this way, although it was very awkward at first.

Scott

[MiniMoe]

I guess I'm pretty close to a baseball grip with my right hand because the club is more in my palm than in my fingers. The left hand is more in the fingers, but the right is more in the palm... for sure. It makes it very easy to hit the ball online. I face my right hand to the target and the ball goes there.

[R7Player]

I use the baseball grip and play fine with it. I can square the clubface back to address easier than the overlap. But when it rains I go to the overlap to Hold On to it, so it doesn't slip and go right. I lose distance with my overlap but it is accurate. Whatever grip is good as long as it is loose.

[Jooma]

Overlapping grip was invented for one and the one reason only: to prevent a vicious hook. This particularly applies to Harry Vardon and Ben Hogan.

The Master Ben Hogan was hooking so ferociously that he even invented and played onset golf clubs!

The best golfers in the profession are natural hookers of the golf ball and this is the only reason this grip is so popular on the tour.

The interlocking or the ten finger baseball grip are initially the best cure for slice, however due to a severely restricted wrist action it may cause loss of some distance.

I would advise all aspiring amateurs to experiment with the grip before settling into the overlapping grip because this grip does not suit majority of weekend golfers.

[ohiolefty]

I got 'serious' about golf last summer and ditched my baseball grip for a more standard overlap grip and will never go back. I'm still only about a 11-12 hdcp but I now hit much better shots this way, although it was very awkward at first.

This is my experience as well.

To be honest, after I switched I don't know how I ever golfed with a ten finger grip. For folks saying they hit it longer with a ten finger grip...I find that EXTREMELY hard to believe because it's so contrary to my experience. Also, as a 'baseball gripper' I was a horrible fader/slicer of the ball, now I fight a hook more than anything, especially with the long clubs. And, I can 'play a fade' with irons into greens now, whereas with a baseball grip I really couldn't work the ball much at all. Regardless, I guess all of this is relative. As long as you get your body and clubface in the proper position at impact, it's all good.

[spitz20]

read the name "baseball grip" ....if you like it you should try playing baseball instead of golf. Good day

[Shanks A Million]

read the name "baseball grip" ....if you like it you should try playing baseball instead of golf. Good day

So, then you could beat Moe Norman I guess, right?

Ignorant. Anyway, I played for the first 20 years with a ten finger grip. I had a very hard time breaking the habit. I do think it has its positives, but to me, an overlap feels more natural now. It took me some time. I had to hold a club often; for example, while watching TV or whatever, to just feel myself taking that grip. I kept just using it statically, holding clubs in my hand. I tried some swings with it, but couldn't control it. I continued to practice holding clubs with a Vardon grip. One day, I was hitting balls on the range, and I suddenly realized I was using the overlapping grip. I had unconsciously made the switch. And now, that's how I play.