Golf — Get A Grip

Dozens of different factors play into a good golf shot —— grip, posture, stance, balance, swing, concentration, and many more. But it all starts with the right grip. Though there are a variety of different grips for different purposes, here are some steps to start out right.

"Top hand holds, bottom hand throws" is a catchphrase heard among experienced golfers. Keep that in mind, for all the following (Notes: Steps assume a right-handed golfer):

Step #1 With the golf head down, grip using only the last three fingers and the pad of your left hand. Grasp with your left hand and adjust the club so the grip is in your fingers, not your palm.

Step #2 Make sure your left hand thumb is straight down. The point where your thumb meets your hand should be near the top of club.

Step #3 Now grip with the fingers of your right hand. Note the small vertical crease in your right palm near the wrist. Overlap the creases of your hands.

Step #4 Grab the pinky of your right hand with the index finger of your left. Note the index finger and thumb of right hand. You should see a 'V' where they meet. That vertex (the point where they meet) should point to your right shoulder.

Step #5 Make sure your right thumb is not running straight down the club but instead is pointed slightly toward your right shoulder.

Those are the five basic steps. Now let's check some qualifications and exceptions, and other important items.

Check #1 Players with large hands should use an overlapping grip, with the right pinky finger resting between and on top of the left hand's forefinger and middle finger. (See Step #4)

Check #2 Players with smaller hands should use a 10-finger grip, with all fingers on the grip like a baseball grip. This is an exception to the general rule of Step #4.

Check #3  Players with medium-sized hands should use an interlocking grip, with the pinky on the grip, but between the middle and forefinger of the left hand.

Check #4 To double-check that your grip is correct, make sure you can see three of your knuckles on your left hand.

Check #5 Hold the club lightly, but firmly with both hands. The more relaxed your grip, the straighter and farther you'll hit the ball.

Don't squeeze the life out of the club. To ensure you avoid this, extend your target arm. Hold the club at an angle in front of you with the heel pad of your left hand on top of the handle. This puts the club across the top joints of the fingers (where the fingers meet the hand). The heel pad supports and traps the club, relieving you of the need to hold it in a death grip.

Some final words of wisdom:

One of the most common errors among golfers is a weak lead-hand grip (left hand for the right-handed golfer). This produces a shot that slices and lacks power. So later, we'll cover how to avoid slicing.

Left wrist and forearm strength are critical to golf success, so we'll discuss some good exercises elsewhere. But for now a simple daily routine is to hold the club straight out in front of you using the last three fingers of the left hand. From the wrists, move the club up and down 10-12 times. Three controlled sets without bending the arm will strengthen your muscles and get the proper motion into your muscle memory.

Practice daily, and try to build up to a consistent grip.