GRIP - HOLDING THE CLUB
Starting to see your grip as free shoulders, light arms, flexible wrists and strong fingers gives a clear picture of this important point. Any energy the body can transfer to the arms and club must pass through the shoulder joints, and if they are not free and oily, the swing’s power will not reach its potential.
So what is the correct grip?
A grip that repeatedly delivers the club face squarely to the back of the ball at impact, at speed, repetitively with maximum pressure - this is the grip that is right for you!
Your grip controls your club face alignment.
A good grip will allow you the flexibility enough for your wrists to hinge without restriction, creating a pure swinging motion.
The grip - The importance of this could be described as a Gibralter sized rock solid PRINCIPLE around which to build a golf swing. A good grip helps shape a swing correctly and influences its rhythm and smoothness. To be specific is difficult because of individualistic preferences. Better player’s ball flight, ball position and alignment have to taken into consideration. Beginners hand size and coordination factors govern what is right.
Position 1 - The hold
Start with the club up in front of you. This gives you the best view of the position of the hands - to control the clubface we must make sure this is done correctly.
The left-hand goes on first and the right-hand slides down to meet it. (Right-handers)
If we create good habits now we won’t allow the bad habits to slip in.
If we make things a habit we don’t have to think about it - we want to do things without thinking about it!
SUMMARY
1. Hold with the last three fingers of the left hand, feel with the first two.
2. Hold with the middle two fingers of the right hand, feel with the first two.
3. Left thumb right of centre.
4. Right thumb left of centre.
5. Club to feel in the fingers.
6. Grip pressure for all full shots should be firm but flexible.
Left hand hold
Step One
Place the left hand about 1 to 2 cms down the handle so that the club
runs from the middle joint of the forefinger, diagonally to a point just
below the root of the little finger.
Securing the hold with the left hand, the hand should now be closed comfortably around the club, your thumb resting comfortably on top, just right of centre.
The V that is formed between your thumb and forefinger should point between your right ear and the inside of your right shoulder. A slight cupping should appear at the back of the wrist and at least two knuckles visible on the back of the left hand. The main pressure is to be felt in the last three fingers.
Right hand hold
Step two
The right palm mirrors the clubface.
Lay the club in the middle joint of the forefinger diagonally across the bottom part of the middle fingers then close the middle two fingers around.
The main pressure is to be felt in the middle two fingers.
Completed hold
Step Three
In positioning the right hand over a cup is formed about the lifeline
allowing enough space for the left thumb to be secured, (like two pieces
in a jigsaw fitting together) the right hand thumb left of centre.
The little pinkie of the right hand overlaps the index finger of the left hand or may be placed in the cleft between the index and the second fingers - this depends on the length of the pupil’s fingers. (known as the over-lapping grip)
There are two other kinds of grips that should be experimented with, because the same grip will not suit every golfer. Being comfortable in the beginning is essential.
First, the interlocking grip, where the little finger of the right hand goes inside the index finger of the left hand. The interlock grip is used by Tiger Woods and also the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
Second, the baseball or ten finger grip. Generally, for beginners and golfers who have small hands particulary children. All 8 fingers are placed on the handle, both hands together. The two thumbs the same as for the over-lapping and inter-locking grip.
