We spend our days and nights talking about golf, our biggest passion, but we hardly ever devote any time to speaking about one central aspect we all take for granted: how to hold a golf club. Most people would refer to other parts of the game such as players, legendary golf courses, the mechanics of the wing, the best driver head, the ball which produces better performance, etc.
Let us start with the initial question: how to hold a golf club? You have to consider many things before hitting a golf shot.
It might sound simple, but it is essential to have adequate pressure on the grip and well applied to make the swing correctly, especially with your left hand. With our team of experts, we get tired of seeing a lot of beginner golfers holding the club too hard, so let us shed some light on this essential matter.
We know that golf is a demanding and challenging sport, full of technicalities and issues that can get boring. That is why there are a lot of bibliographies around it, and in the best books written by golf specialists, we always find the same thing: the grip is one of the golf fundamentals. Make no mistake, you cannot expect to make a good golf shot without an adequate grip.
There is more than one way to hold a golf club. The important thing is to do it in a way that suits your swing. Keep in mind that your hands are the only contact with the golf club. If you do not grip properly, your swing will be erratic, and your ball impact will be faulty. In other words, from a good grip, we can lay the foundations for a good golf swing.
In addition, you must know that not all clubs are holden in the same way. There is a big difference between how the club is held for the driver and the putter. Similarly, certain golf shots require a particular hand position in front of the ball, significantly changing how you hold the golf club.
The South African Gary Player is one of the best golfers in history. He won three Masters Tournaments, three Open Championships, two PGA Championships and a US Open. He once explained: “if you think your hands are more important in your golf swing than your legs, try walking a hole on your hands.”
Beyond the mischievousness in his comment, Player wanted to describe that you need the whole body to play golf well. In this article, we will focus on the importance of the hands to make a good golf swing.
To start, learn to hold a golf club
- Hold the club in front of you horizontally, and look for the clubface to be square.
- Start by holding the club in your left hand (or right, if you are left-handed). Take the club grip with the end of your fingers, making sure that you also feel it with the palm of your hands when you wrap the grip.
- The hands have to rest on the grip. First, the left one leads, lets the upper edge of the grip show and then wraps the grip with the right hand under the other hand.
- You will achieve a neutral grip by seeing two knuckles on the left hand facing down.
- As you close your right hand, make sure that the thumb and forefinger of this hand (your left hand, on your fingers) form a “V” pointing toward the centre of your chest.
The pressure on the grip
Keeping consistent pressure on the grip during all swing stages is key to a consistent impact. Many golfers (especially beginners) are prone to slackening their hands after hitting the ball. This defect affects the rest of the swing, as golfers begin to loosen their hands before hitting the ball. With this, only faulty and inconsistent shots are performed.
A lousy grip leads to shots without precision
Having a neutral grip allows you to get the clubface square at impact. It is essential to know that a weak or strong grip will deflect your forearms, leading to faulty shots and poor results. That is why the best golfers use a neutral grip, which will enable you to naturally keep your forearms in your stance in front of the ball. The posture will be natural by letting your arms hang down and then bringing your hands together.
One palm in front of the other when taking the grip
To achieve a neutral grip, you have to focus on the palm of your hands. When you hold the club, you must place one palm in front of the other. If this does not happen, one of the two hands will dominate the grip, which will cause erratic shots.
The position of the pinky
The great professional golfer Tommy Armour considered that the key to a good grip was that the little finger of the left hand (or the right, for lefties) had to be firm and well placed.
What was the reason? Armour believed that if the pinky stayed tight and firm, the other fingers would not move either, and you would remain equally strong in the overall grip. This is to say that these fingers are the ones that apply pressure to the club, which must remain constant throughout the swing.
Excessive pressure on the grip
Holding the club too hard is the initial phase of an inconsistent swing that will lead to poor golf shots. Many golfers (especially beginners) begin their swing with too much pressure. The more inadequate you take the club (and this has to do with the position of the palms of the hands and the fingers), you will increase the pressure for fear that your hands will loosen. Therefore, consistency should not be confused with firmness. Force is not necessary for the grip.
The key to a solid grip
Skilled players (especially professionals) are lucky enough to be able to grip the club in different ways. For example, they can switch between grip overlap and interlock without a problem. For amateurs, this is not so easy. Therefore, it is important to know what the capabilities of each one are when wielding a golf club. One has to even consider the different grip options depending on the size of your hands.
How professionals hold or grip the golf club
A grip overlap is more common for professionals, especially golfers with big hands. This grip pattern helps eliminate some of the pressure usually wielded before hitting the ball. For those players who exert a lot of pressure, the overlap grip has been the most chosen by several of the best golfers in the world.
Conclusion
Holding the golf club properly is crucial for a good swing, thus hitting the ball correctly. When taking the golf club, it is critical that you feel comfortable with your hands.
Achieving a consistent grip takes time. Therefore, it is good to practice and have certain routines that allow you to fix the positions of your hands correctly. This will enable you to have a natural and appropriate grip every time you make a golf shot.
It is very important to learn how to hold a golf club. A good grip will allow you to play better golf and enjoy this beautiful sport like no one else. Even if you are not on a golf course, you can train the position of your hands with the grip, whether at the office or at home. To sum up, always keep in mind that the position of your hands will define the future of your swing.