Strong Grip for Short Irons, Neutral for Long Irons?

[rhodes81]

Alright, I have been hitting my short irons and wedges really well lately and I think a lot of it has to do with the strong grip I naturally use. It really helps me trap the ball and explode through it on these short clubs where tearing up divots is no big deal. But, when I get to my long irons (3,4,5), I think the strong grip is too risky as it often promotes a hook. I think I am going to try a more neutral grip for my longer clubs. Has anyone ever tried this? What was your experience? Is it just complicating too much to try different grips?

[Arthur]

One way to find out is to try it. One word of caution is that it sounds more like a band-aid than a cure. It seems that the shorter clubs are more forgiving with swing faults than the longer ones. Might want to get a lesson from a pro and see where you can improve your ball striking. Just my humble opinion and I am sure more knowledgeable and wiser heads can give you more concrete advice.

[bigoak]

sounds backwards to me. how long is your swing. Asinger has a strong grip and traps the ball but his swing in shorter.

[rhodes81]

I'm 6'2" with long arms and it takes a long swing for everything to feel loaded. Its not overly long but the club definitely goes a long ways from address back to impact.

[Tifosinumerouno]

My pro and I were both having this discussion Sunday with an older (80+ y/o) member. He was looking at the pro's Vokey, and noticed when the pro took his swing with the wedge just how strong his grip was and told him he was doing it wrong (gotta love the old timers, they are very entertaining!) he showed him how he swung his wedge just like any other club (by flipping). I was in there looking at golf shirts, so I chimed in that I used the same strong grip as the pro, but that I hadn't learned it from him. He asked if I hit all my shots like that, to which I replied that I did not, only on wedges, and that my driver grip was actually a little bit weak. I then tried to show him about the flying wedge and how I generated speed and power through my torso. He looked at me like I was stupid. But to the point, myself and my PGA professional both do this, the grip gets weaker as the club number goes down.

[The Recreational Golfer]

It could be that the added loft of the shorter clubs hides the hook spin that you truly might be imparting. If that is the case, you don't need two grips, but one correct one. Try weakening your grip until the hook goes away with the longer clubs, and see if that still leaves you with the ball flight you want with the shorties.

[jgreen85]

any new thoughts on this thread?

I noticed recently, as I've moved to a weaker grip on my irons/driver, that my wedge game fell off a cliff. This is after a month or so when wedge game was spot on, but irons less so and driver distance was really, really down. Switched to a weaker grip and driver distance is back as well as irons are much more consistent, slightly longer, but with less effort. This morning I was frustrated that I'd drive it to ~100-110, which should be the ideal distance for my wedges, but I'd hit a shank shank or hit a weak, weak fade. On the back 9, i tried a stronger grip w/ my wedges, and was all over the pin.

[cutshot878]

I got tired of changing my swing arc (inside or outside) to hit fades and draws. It's much easier to just adjust your grip. I'm right handed. My right hand grip stays the same for all clubs but I use a stronger left hand grip for the short irons and gradually weaken it from the 6 iron on up to the hybrids and the 3 wood and Driver. My right hand is too dominant (OTT and releasing early) and this gets me hooking pretty badly with the longer clubs. If I need to hit a big push fade drive on a dog leg right I weaken the right hand (turn it counterclockwise) too and that does the trick. Haven't quite figured out how to hit the pull fade---perhaps my hip slide is too much which causes the push fade. If I need to hit a low hook out of the woods or around a dog leg left I will strengthen the right hand grip too (the v of the right hand aiming at the shoulder, thumb more along the right side of the shaft instead of straight down it.) If I hit it correctly it is a very powerful, solidly trapped ball, very low trajectory, shallow angle of attack with a big hook. I guess the face really closes.

[mdl]

I have the opposite problem.  With a more neutral grip I can be all over the scoring irons but only hitting a (UGLY, uncontrolled) push-fade with the long irons.  With a strong grip I can get comfortable with the long irons, even hitting some perfect baby draws on my best smoothest swings, but then I really struggle not to pull the s**t out of my short irons.

As of now I have an easier time adjusting with the strong grip on the short irons, and I don't want to go to some ridiculous system of having a graduated grip from neutral at the SW to quite strong at the 3i, so I'm working on getting the feel for the on target strong grip shot with the short irons.

[JediFish]

I'm the opposite too. Neutral with the wedges and strengthening the grip as I move to longer irons. I personally don't mind it and yes I know I'm not fixing a problem but hiding it. On the other hand I've become pretty consistent with it so I can't complain too much. As for the post earlier about using grip to promote draws and fades. I have a natural draw swing so when I try to use my grip to promote a draw I usually end up hooking or I hit a pull shot that then also has a draw. I like knowing that I can do these things when needed but I try not to use it all the time. It's fun to play with new people though because as a lefty I'm immediately "supposed" to have a big slice so when I hit the draw you can see the puzzled look on their faces haha