Experimenting with the "Baseball" Grip

[smebiker]

I have used a ten finger grip ( not a baseball grip) for 30 years. I'm 61 and carry a 12 mostly due to a spotty short game. I have tried like many others Vardon or interlock but it just feels like it's not as solid a connection. My first pro many years ago told me my grip was fine and if it ain't broke don't fix it. So can you break 80 with a ten finger grip? Yep. I have done it several times.

[dchoye]

I used all types of grips in the past ten years I have settled on interlocking as my primary grip. However inside 100 yards I use ten fingered a lot of times. I like reverse overlap too. I never seem comfortable with overlap then yesterday i was fooling around with overlap and felt I could drive release better with that grip. So I guess there isn't a grip I don't like

[golfjunky0331]

I've used the 10 finger baseball grip all last year I shot some great rounds but this year I switched back to the interlocking. I feel I have more control of the ball and my hands feel more as one single unit rather than two singles fighting for control. I esp feel my short game has improved about 5 strokes and I'm compressing the ball better with my irons.

[Seniorhacker]

Nothing wrong with the Baseball, ten finger grip. I played with it for years, I now use overlapping grip. I think maybe I'm a little more consistent with overlapping. I won our county amateur with the baseball grip. It served me well but after changing for a few years it feels foreign to me now.

[sgt1372]

I just started playing golf 6 weeks ago and I've been using a "modified" baseball grip. I interlock the left index and right pinkie fingers but fully wrap both thumbs around the fingers of my hands to make a fisted baseball-like grip.

Tried using the classic grip w/the left thumb overlapped by the palm of the right hand and the right thumb lying over the right index finger, but it didn't work for me.  The 3 fingers of each hand are just not strong enough for me to hold the grip firmly enough without straining.  The addition of the thumbs wrapped around the 2nd & 3rd fingers of each hand (as you would do gripping a baseball bat) is much stronger and allows me to "relax" and take the tension out of my hands during the swing, which is what all the "experts" say you should do.

After also learning to keep my arms close to my body w/the upward movement of my arms while rotating my upper body and fully extended after unwinding prior to impact, I have virtually eliminated any slicing from my ball flight -- the ball now goes either goes straight, left w/a draw or right w/a fade, but w/o a distinct hook or slice.

Now I just need to work on hitting the ball consistently w/o any mishits and hitting the ball where it actually needs to go.

LOL!

[Sandbelted]

My first game of golf when I was about 12 years old, no lessons, but just grabbed the club like  i did a cricket bat, same as a baseball grip, I did it because it was natural to me and just about everybody I believe !!!

I played golf rarely as it wasn't my sport, but played for fun around the local public course…but the 10 finger was the GO…….. until later on in life I took up the golf clubs and played more seriously, had the lessons and played with the overlap grip because I was told it was the way to proceed,

It felt weird but I persevered with it got me down 5 handicap!! now ,age has caught up with me and the game has deteriorated to the point I have no idea where the ball is going to go , army golf they call it left,right,left right left left left and so on!!

My game today had hit rock bottom , until in desperation with 5 holes left, I did it, I changed back to the 10 finger grip not used for years!!!!

BINGO , praise the Lord, The grip felt like it always did, comfortable , solid , natural, and like your  old pair of jeans, and it worked a treat and finished off with 5 pars with a lipped out putt for birdie!!

So thats it,  hope restored !! until the next crisis!!!

[Gboroman]

I grew up playing interlocking.  I switched to overlap awhile back.  I think it was because I felt I could lag and release better, but I don't really remember.  I dabbled with the 10 finger for my driver a couple of years ago and liked it, but I don't remember why I went back to overlapping.

This week, I was listening to a golf instruction podcast and the speaker advocating using a 10 finger grip on the driver and an interlocking on the irons.  I remember instructors saying interlocking is more for accuracy.  Has anyone tried different grips for different shots, ie Driver vs irons?

[MrFlipper]

This week, I was listening to a golf instruction podcast and the speaker advocating using a 10 finger grip on the driver and an interlocking on the irons.  I remember instructors saying interlocking is more for accuracy.  Has anyone tried different grips for different shots, ie Driver vs irons?

I tried that maybe 8 years ago, I was a 6 or 7 at the time. Theory was 10 finger would help release the hands, and my fade had turned into a slice with the driver at the time. Tried it on the range on a whim, it worked, took it out on the course.  Stayed interlocking with everything else.

Worked for maybe 2 weeks (the normal lifespan for a band-aid for me). No consistency. Everything got messed up. Took longer than that to get right again.

Golf is tough enough as it is, no point adding difficulty on purpose. Band-aids are called band-aids for a reason

[Gboroman]

Thanks, MrFlipper.  Yes, now I seem to remember the 10 finger being good for a few short weeks and then not working.  Maybe I'll just continue to stick with one for simplicity sake.

[tmonty]

I've always been a good athlete but didn't get into golf seriously until about 5 years ago. I played a few times a year growing up and always used the interlock grip I was taught. Using this grip I went from around a 15 handicap (5 years ago) all the way to scratch about 6 months ago. I noticed, however, as I learned the Golf swing my miss was a hook more and more. I was getting pretty frustrated with it and my handicap started to climb again. Last week after watching some moe Norman youtubes I decided to try the 10 finger on the range. Couldn't believe how straight I started hitting the ball. Even my missed shots, which are now thin, went straight so I know the club face is square. I used it for the first time in a round yesterday and shot a great 73 on a tough course. So I started doing more research and found this thread.. Great stuff. I'm def gonna stick with the grip. Also noticed when I open the club face more on the backswing it has helped if anyone looking to try new stuff. Thanks

[tmonty]

Just read the last post above mine. I'll guess we'll see what happens with me I'll keep u posted

[surfinchina]

I'm a convert.

As a leftie who plays right handed, I've always struggled with the power play between hands ( as a couple of other posters pointed out, playing wrong handed can make the bottom hand too weak, or top hand too strong)  and on a whim I tried this grip today. Shot 15 under my usual! That 15 has always been shanks, thick edges/topping, and slices and none of that happened today so I'm really happy.

Gotta point out that I've played for 1 year, got under 100 for a month then started getting worse about 3 months ago. Down to 90 today is brilliant and has given me hope where I started to despair that I would ever be a good player.

Thanks thread :)

[stogiesnbogies]

Well, surf, as the OP of this thread I know that I speak for all posters when I say "You're Welcome ! "

As for your getting down to 90 and then getting worse, it's been my experience that this is not so unusual as progress in this game is a series of peaks and valleys.

Alas, you must slog on and persevere through the "slumps" no matter how discouraging and freakin' endless they may be and you will indeed come out the other side a better player.

When in those deep dark valleys, I find it useful to re-examine fundamentals like ball position, grip, stance, etc. as it is very easy to get lazy regarding these critical things and not notice misalignment and the like.

Play well and enjoy the baseball grip!

Cheers.

[surfinchina]

Thanks for your encouragement!

In New Zealand a lot of golf clubs are in trouble with member numbers (off the topic).

I think it's seen as a bit of an elitist game for the rich.

But my experience in a small city club has been so different, and you reinforce that - a bunch of great people.

I wish non players could know what a great family we belong to...

[tucsonsean]

When I started playing golf 20+ years ago, I used the 10-finger grip with great success, improving rapidly to an 11.2 index.  My single digit buddies and some well-meaning teachers convinced my that I would never reach my full potential using an 'amateur's' grip.  Over the years, my handicap climbed and I attributed it to advancing age (and, in fairness, it partially was).  But I had gotten to a point where I was struggling between relaxing my hands and controlling the club.  I lost most of my dwindling confidence.

A couple of years ago, I discovered Scott Hazeldine and SciGolf.  Scott uses a modified 10-finger grip to great effect.  I was barely breaking 100 at the time, so I figured, why not.  My shots with the 10-finger grip have been solid and straight, albeit about 5yds. shorter (I attribute this to the additional 1/2" further down the grip the 10-finger grip puts your hands).

I even adapted my putting grip to use all 10 fingers, and find that my distance control improved markedly.

BTW, my wife got me a 42* Niblick for Christmas--it's been a game changer for everything from 110yds in.  I liked it so much that I found a 56* to complement it.  I'm a walking golfer who carries a Ping Moonlite bag and 8 clubs:  D, 3H, 5i, 7i, 9i, 42* Niblick, 56* Niblick, putter-- and the 42* Niblick doubles as my PW/GW, and the 56* is my primary sand/pitching club.