Grip doesn't matter.... BS

[Unkynd]

After watching Martin Hall's video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44fev4wqC6U&feature;=player_embedded )  about proper wrist hinging/unhinging in the master flipping thread, I came to the realization that my grip was completely wrong and with my grip it was impossible for me to properly hinge my wrists.  Because I wasn't hinging my wrists correctly, I would almost always flip through impact.

Based on that, I moved my grip around so that I could hinge my wrists properly, and the improvement in ball striking is unreal.

Some of you may remember me as the guy that was looking for advice on breaking 100 earlier in the year ( http://thesandtrap.com/t/43545/what-should-i-work-on-the-most ).  Well, after 3 weeks of working on my swing with the proper wrist hinge, I shot a 79 today (par 70 course).

I highly suggest that everyone watch the Martin Hall video to ensure that your grip is correct.  I know one of the big things that SnT preaches is that the grip isn't important, but there are certain aspects of the grip that are apparently more important than others.

[saevel25]

Grip is important if you have the right grip for your swing...

I have played golf with a super strong grip, classic Am mistake, right hand under the club. I have played golf with a very weak grip, both my thumbs down the center of the club, V's pointing towards the chin. I am now playing golf with the V's of my hands pointing to my right ear to right shoulder.

But i have played well at each change, the reason i knew the shot i could produce with that swing. But i like my current swing now, more powerful and accurate. Its comming along nice.

Grips can vary greatly, thats a fact.

Double Overlap, Overlap, interlocking, 10 finger grip

weak left/strong right, weak left/neutral right, weak left/weak right, neutral left/strong right, neutral left/neutral right, neutral left/weak right, strong left/strong right, strong left/neutral right, strong left/weak right

4 ways to connect the hands, and minimum 9 categories of hand positions, thats 36 different grip combinations, and there is a ton of variance between, how strong or weak the hands can get. Do you pull your right thumb up like greg norman.

So, i wouldnt' say there is one right way to grip a club, there is an optimal grip for your swing, and it might take some time to find it.

[garrettdennert]

Well said, saevel25, there are so many variations out there, it's unreal.  Some of them sound like horrible ideas to me, while others intrigue me.  As of recently I've been hooking the ball, sometimes a lot more severely than intended, and while most of it is probably because I haven't been out too much this year, I'd like to attribute some of it to my grip.  I have an interlock grip, one that's typically meant for smaller hands.  It's worked for me in the past, as it's kept my hands working as one, though I feel that there is too much room that wrist hinge you're talking about, Unkynd.  Sure, you want some wrist hinge, hell, sometimes you need it for extra power or for a better launch angle.  But when you start getting too comfortable, and let your wrists practically break, you're only providing more routes for your swing to go bad-- unhinge well before you hit the ball, or well after.  To repeat saevel25, it's all a matter of finding the grip that helps/matches your swing and body type the best.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Unkynd

I know one of the big things that SnT preaches is that the grip isn't important...

That's not at all correct.

A certain grip is simply not a commonality. It affects the first commonality very little, the second only a little, and the third a fair amount. It's simply not as important as many have been led to believe it is.

I can't speak for all S&T guys or guys who teach similarly to what I teach, but we adjust grips all the time.

[Precis1on]

One of my largest issue with my grip that I recently fixed was just to fuse the hands together and not let them separate. My hands were in the right position, but bad swing habits caused the palm of my right hand to pull away from the thumb on the left, causing a chain of issues where my arms wouldn't work together on the swing. Definitely something I continue to make sure that I do.

[saevel25]

Thats why i like the overlap, over the 10 finger. The interlock is a bit to strange for me. But i like the overlap, just enough continuity for me.

[tristanhilton85]

Grip isn't as important as some would have you believe but that's not to say that it isn't important... there are instances where it does cause problems.  In fact, earlier this year (maybe the end of last... I really don't remember) Erik recommended that I change mine a bit and so far it has helped a lot.