How to Grip a Golf Club, Commonalities of a Functional Golf Grip

[parlor]

@mvmac On your advice, I'm working on getting the club into the fingers on my lead hand. I see this is your trail hand in the photo above BUT I felt like my fingers (on my lead hand) were getting pinched in the same place as the calluses on your trail hand, is that something I should be feeling? Thanks in advance... :)

[mvmac]

@mvmac On your advice, I'm working on getting the club into the fingers on my lead hand. I see this is your trail hand in the photo above BUT I felt like my fingers (on my lead hand) were getting pinched in the same place as the calluses on your trail hand, is that something I should be feeling? Thanks in advance... :)

I'm a little hesitate to guess on how it will feel for you, but I think it makes sense you'd feel it more in the base of those fingers if the grip is more in the fingers/heel pad on top. If it's palmy, the grip won't be in contact with that part of the hand, so it's a new feeling for you.

[saevel25]

@mvmac , would this be a good representation of where the grip should lie along the left hand?

[mvmac]

@mvmac, would this be a good representation of where the grip should lie along the left hand?

I think that looks about right.

Couple pics I just took.

[parlor]

Thanks Mike, and Matt. That helps!

[saevel25]

I think that looks about right.

Couple pics I just took.

My only tendency is that I get in a bad habit of gripping the club with a closed clubface. Not sure if it is due to the weight of the clubhead, to more forward or not. Just tough to grip the club with neutral or open face more.

[mvmac]

My only tendency is that I get in a bad habit of gripping the club with a closed clubface. Not sure if it is due to the weight of the clubhead, to more forward or not. Just tough to grip the club with neutral or open face more.

Funny, I tend to do the opposite. I forced myself to do it last week, the clubface looked "shut" to me and I only hit one push in two rounds, really cleaned up my start lines.

Just set the face first and then grip it. Can do it with the clubhead behind the ball like Sergio below or before you walk into the shot. Last thing you want to do is adjust the face when both hands are on the club and you're over the ball.

I do something similar to what Rose does. Before I walk into the shot I hold the club up with my right hand, get the face looking good, then grip it.

[MacGruber]

is it possible to get the grip TOO much in the fingers?   I feel like I had this problem for awhile, but i always read that having the grip more in your fingers would lead to more lag and more power.  I didn't feel like the club was not loading properly and I felt like i had no control over anything.    Last night I went to the range and experimented with moving the grip up in my hand and i felt really explosive and instantly i was adding 20 yards to my short irons and i compressing the ball again.  it was the first time i have felt like the club was releasing properly in 3 months.

[mvmac]

is it possible to get the grip TOO much in the fingers?   I feel like I had this problem for awhile, but i always read that having the grip more in your fingers would lead to more lag and more power.

Does the placement of the hands on the grip look similar to what I've posted?

[MacGruber]

Does the placement of the hands on the grip look similar to what I've posted?

It does now.  I don't know how i was even playing like this, but i had a gap between my left thumb pad and the shaft that was really large.  I can easily fit the index finger of my right hand in the gap.  any abrupt transition and the shaft would move in my hand leading to all sorts of problems.   the other adjustment i made was using a 10 finger grip instead of my usual interlocking grip.  I have pretty large hands and i know a 10 finger or baseball grip is really uncommon, but this feels comfortable and natural as well.

[mvmac]

It does now.  I don't know how i was even playing like this, but i had a gap between my left thumb pad and the shaft that was really large.  I can easily fit the index finger of my right hand in the gap.  any abrupt transition and the shaft would move in my hand leading to all sorts of problems.   the other adjustment i made was using a 10 finger grip instead of my usual interlocking grip.  I have pretty large hands and i know a 10 finger or baseball grip is really uncommon, but this feels comfortable and natural as well.

Ok, good.

[dchoye]

I been noticing that in my left hand grip I hold the club under the heel pad of my left hand. Which is how I hold it normally for most of my shots. However I been holding the club more like I'm holding an umbrella with my left hand and this puts the grip of the club more into my fingers especially feel the pressure over the base of my left pinkie. This seems to give me more crispy iron shots

[Vinsk]

i am not going to say i "found it" from trying this tonite. we all know if you think you got this game you are in for a rude awakening soon. then u wont be able to hit a single shot. plus it is often we get a band aid or just a feeling that works. so all i will say is that i tried getting it out of my palm tonite. i didnt realize until i went to course and put down a club that i wasnt entirely in palm but i was not fully in the fingers of the left hand (im a righty) either. so i did that...plus the long left thumb advice and holy bejesus. i hit the ball straighter, lost my little hook thing that the ball does at the end. i could land as ball went higher and longer and with almost a slight fade (im a hooker). im used to landing ball and then it goes sideways to the left either a little or allot. this allowed me to land softly. my drives went straighter and longer. i had issues with aiming right and when no draw happened and iron and driver shots went powering straight...i turned my quick 9 after work into a practice because i had to adjust to aiming more at target...or gulp...left of target (us hookers will know how scary that is). it is just 9 holes....who knows long term...but i dont think a better foundational grip than my old one can be bad. it can only be good. i want to thank the op a ton. i will post in future after a few more rounds of 18 rather than this quick implementation. i didnt have range time until after so i need practice. it felt weird at first...all good changes must feel this way...as anything feeling normal is just old habits...but op i thank you. ps...i am a 9 handicap...good golfer...i did manage to par 6 out of the 9...holes...and only bogeyed the others due to hitting powerful straight shots...not my hooky ones...so that is pretty damn good. will update in next week or so.

Always encouraging to read these types of posts. But I have to admit, as you stated, I take caution when I get a "light bulb" moment. I hope this continues for you but while reading your post I could hear the faint sound of the "Jaws" theme playing. Lol. Damn golf.

[ChrisWev]

Once thing I've just noticed on my grips, is the old Ping grips had long lines on them. If you drew a line all the way from the bottom "white" groove of the club so it runs up the shaft it would continue into a long line on most of my clubs. I had always set up the grip of my club to one of the long lines (as they were all bang straight when I bought them). I noticed earlier that my 7i is about 5 degrees closed if I set up on the line now and a couple of others are the same.

Might be something to keep an eye on if you've got grips with lines on them.

[Jeremie Boop]

I started working on my grip as per your suggestion @mvmac and it does mostly feel more comfortable. I do have a couple questions.

1. When I have the club gripped it almost feels like I'm only gripping the club with the middle and ring fingers of both hands. I barely feel like there's any pressure on the index or pinky fingers. Does this sound right?

2. I have a small callous on my left thumb,

which I think is from my previously improper grip *as I basically always shredded the thumb of my glove as you illustrated in the picture*. The added pressure on my thumb due to the changed grip causes some discomfort. Should I feel pressure on my left thumb or is this an indication that I'm not gripping it correctly still?

[mvmac]

I started working on my grip as per your suggestion @mvmac and it does mostly feel more comfortable. I do have a couple questions.

1. When I have the club gripped it almost feels like I'm only gripping the club with the middle and ring fingers of both hands. I barely feel like there's any pressure on the index or pinky fingers. Does this sound right?

2. I have a small callous on my left thumb,

It's tough for me to say how it should feel to you. Someone coming from a strong grip is going to feel something different than someone coming from a weak grip.

1. Yeah you don't want much pressure in that right index finger. I think you feeling the grip in the middle fingers is probably a good thing.

2. I do as well, lower/center part of the thumb. Here's where my left thumb is on the grip. Also note the position of the "snuff box".

[mpb1472]

Amazed at how long and flat you can get your thumb. I got space under mine all the time. Is it very important to try and extend it as far as you can? I do it on flops around the greens when I choke up, seems to eliminate the chance of a fat shot.

[mvmac]

Amazed at how long and flat you can get your thumb. I got space under mine all the time. Is it very important to try and extend it as far as you can? I do it on flops around the greens when I choke up, seems to eliminate the chance of a fat shot.

I like to stretch it out, really makes the grip feel "secure" to me and that I can uncock my left wrist aggressively and "smack" the ground.