Baseball grip...

[spitz20]

did i say that?? lol idiot

[mdl]

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.

You must not have been a very good hitter. Like a golf swing, there are lots of ways to swing a bat, but in the end there's some key fundamentals that all good hitters have, and one of them is a good grip. A good grip with a baseball bat has the handle held in the fingers. Of course, you don't put your thumbs down the bat like you do with the top hand on a golf club, but it's definitely in the fingers.

[Shanks A Million]

You must not have been a very good hitter. Like a golf swing, there are lots of ways to swing a bat, but in the end there's some key fundamentals that all good hitters have, and one of them is a good grip. A good grip with a baseball bat has the handle held in the fingers. Of course, you don't put your thumbs down the bat like you do with the top hand on a golf club, but it's definitely in the fingers.

And a golf club can be in the palm. 50 years ago, the idea of gripping a club in the fingers was something your average 20 handicap did. Leo Deigel said that "no pro could break 80 gripping the club in his fingers." Things change. Today, quite the opposite is true. Golf pros say no pro could break 80 with the club in their palm. The point is that a good grip that allows for proper hinging and unhinging of the club is a good grip, whether it be ten finger, interlock, overlap, cross handed, or double overlap. There have been successful tour pros who played with all of these grips.

[CoolBreeze20]

did i say that?? lol idiot

What you DID say was inaccurate and a bit ignorant, by implying the "baseball" grip was inferior. Plenty of players in this world using it that could smoke you.

[ControlJunkie]

And a golf club can be in the palm. 50 years ago, the idea of gripping a club in the fingers was something your average 20 handicap did. Leo Deigel said that "no pro could break 80 gripping the club in his fingers." Things change. Today, quite the opposite is true. Golf pros say no pro could break 80 with the club in their palm. The point is that a good grip that allows for proper hinging and unhinging of the club is a good grip, whether it be ten finger, interlock, overlap, cross handed, or double overlap. There have been successful tour pros who played with all of these grips.

Exactly. Read Hank Haney's book

Essentials of the Swing . He teaches to keep the club more in the palm as well because it promotes stability and consistency.

[Shanks A Million]

Exactly. Read Hank Haney's book

It also promotes a steeper swing, but I think it's a bit more controlable. Personally, being 2° upright, I prefer the fingers method. If I were to swing with the club in the palm, I would probably be 3° or more upright. If you're flat, and you want to hit it higher, the palm grip might just suit you. So, realistically, what ever works for the individual is more important that what any teacher may feel is the best option.

[finoky]

Im not sure but I think Tommy Gainey(a Big Break Contestant) has a baseball grip. He is the only big break contestant that has any chance of making it ton tour aside from Ashley prange.

Bit of a hijack but I would disagree with this. James Nitties, 2009, $931,532. Matt Every, tour rookie has $128,719 already this year. Tommy Gainey, $562,000 in '08 and $128,000 in '09. He has played no PGA events this year and 2 Nationwide events for zero cash. Looks like his game has taken a downturn and I would give Nitties and especially Every a much better shot. Now back to our regular scheduled programming about the baseball grip. I seem to remember Brad "Dirt" Bryant using that grip too.

[J_Bone]

This is my experience as well.

I naturally hit a draw and when I'm off, I hook my drives really bad. Now I've gone from an interlock to overlap grip 2 years ago. I've gained more consistency in my wedges and irons, but my driver really suffered. I was puttin big draws to snap hooks more frequently. I was seriously adding 6-10 strokes a round because of the lost balls and/or re-hitting. I went and tried a 10 finger grip on my driver at the range one day. Whoa...I was hitting them strait. I thought "AH, it's just a new change that will fade and have me back to my old ways". Nope, for the last 6 months I have been more consistent on hitting the fairways and it's actually going where I want.

Now, it seems weird to only use it on my Driver and 3 wood, but it has helped me gain confidence and enjoy Golf again. Seriously, it was so frustrating to hit only one fairway a round, I almost quit. For me, it's what works and has me back playing!

[Twelfth Son of the Lama]

I play 10 finger and have tried to switch. It is not comfortable to use anything else. I also am not convinced that switching would get me any lower than the 9 handicap I currently play. 2 and a half years ago I was a 30 handicap with a baseball swing. Now my shotmaking and course management are much better and my putting has improved dramatically. I am also improving every month. I think I can get to a 3 or a 4 in a year or 2 if I keep playing enough. After that, how much lower is there to go considering I'll never be a pro. Realistically, only 2 shots per hole on average are even dependent on grip. After that, you are putting, where grip is almost a non-issue.

When I played at a 30 people always told me to change my grip. When I was a 20 people were still telling me to change my grip. Now that I am sub10 and getting better they don't say anything. It is fun to watch peoples looks when we tee off. In reality, grip only matters if it causes you to be off kilter on impact. Good hand/eye coordination is probably one of the best deodorants for the game of golf. Those that play baseball and later take up golf without having "converted" to a golf grip are likely going to be good bc they have good hand/eye already.

These are just my thoughts.

[ApocG10]

I have tried the baseball grip and it felt absolutely horrible.

My golf season was ruined last year, but I had the opportunity to take indoor lessons with an instructor twice a week all winter. We went through the interlocking and overlapping grip, and we found the overlapping grip worked best for me. But he doesnt even really consider the baseball grip a viable alternative.

But both the interlocking and overlapping, felt fairly natural. The baseball grip feels like an abomination, and causes my traps to tighten up. Swinging just feels akward with it. No offense to anyone who uses it though, as I know theres better golfers than me who do use it.

[Deryck Griffith]

I played baseball for the JR Blue Jays here in Toronto and in college at the NCAA DIV 1 level before playing golf and naturally gripped the golf club with 10 fingers and haven't changed in 7 years. I tried to change due to the myth of a 10 finger grip "not being right" but quickly srapped that by realizing that whatever grip that feels comfortable is what should be followed. (bearing the basics - making sure your Vs are proper, left thumb in right hand seam, etc). At the end of the day, grip will not "make or break" your golf game. Your swing dynamics, contact and mental toughness will.

[p_funk]

I have never tried the baseball grip. But after reading this thread I might give it a try next time I go to the range.

[scott71law]

Just for kicks I tried the baseball grip this weekend a little and it was VERY awkward to say the least.

Scott

[DavidFehertysBike]

I know a player that uses the baseball grip. He has a unorthadox swing but he is a very fine player with a load of power. He used to be a +2 or 3 but hoovers around 2 these days. Awkward grip for an awkward swinger.

[c. lassiter]

With enough practice, I think you can play decent golf using all sorts of unorthodox grips, but there is a reason that the overwhelming majority of accomplished players and instructors do not use and/or recommend this approach.

I would also say that no matter how you grip the club now, if you go to the range and try something new and different it will feel absolutely horrible and unnatural at first.

[mrmiller8]

I have a friend who currently uses baseball grip and he hit his 8-iron 140-150 in the range (not mentioning real golf ball and roll that would add the distance even more). While I'm only hitting 125-130 using overlap grip. I tried baseball grip but it didn't work because I'm not used to it. So, is it true baseball grip add distance if all variables stay the same?

No thats not true, what is true is that most people who do use a baseball grip grew up playing baseball before golf and tend to swing harder and are probably a little more muscular than most people who grew up playing golf (not always the case but most serious baseball players are a little stockier than most golfers). I use a baseball grip and was a baseball player all the way through college and im a stocky( 5-11 230 and not chubby) guy, tree trunk legs and wide shoulders. not a whole lot of 5-11 230 pounders out on tour. hahaha

[muggs]

I don't release the club properly when I've tried to use it. I interlock. Works for me.

[holeinon3]

I heard somewhere that most pros actually prefer the overlap grip compared to the interlock, but more on topic - very few pros use the baseball grip and many respectable teachers will wane you away from it.

Edit: Oh I forgot to add, I interlock for everything except putting. Baseball just feels better for putting.