How to Grip a Golf Club
By Bill Herrfeldt
Of all the things you must learn to play better golf, the grip is the most important. The way you hold the golf club will affect virtually every other part of your swing, because your hands must work as one to hit the ball with both power and accuracy. This article discusses the proper way to use the so-called Vardon grip, or overlapping grip, because it is used by more than 90 percent of all golfers. The remaining players use either the "interlocking" grip or the "baseball grip."
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Place your top hand (left hand if you are right-handed) onto the grip of your club. Then place your other hand onto the club so that the pinkie of your bottom hand is securely resting between the middle finger and the index finger of your top hand. The thumb of your top hand should fit neatly in the palm of your second hand.
Check the "V"s made by the thumb and forefinger of your two hands and make corrections. When you look down the club, make sure the "V" of your top hand is pointing toward your chin and the "V" formed by your other hand is pointing toward your trailing shoulder. This method will produce a neutral grip, which you should use at the outset. If you are right-handed, you can create a "strong" grip by positioning the "V"s more to the right, and a "weak" grip by doing the reverse. With a "strong" grip, you will have a tendency to hook the ball; while with a "weak" one, you will be creating a likely fade or slice.
Make sure that the face of your club is pointing toward the target after you grip it. Too often, an amateur player will spend an inordinate amount of time making sure that he has gripped the club correctly and overlook this very important point. Notice that professionals make sure their golf club is aligned properly, because they realize its importance.
Sam Snead said you should grip the club as if you were holding a baby sparrow. Too often, amateurs believe they must grip the club tightly to hit a golf shot longer. Actually, the reverse is true. You should exert enough pressure to hold onto the club through your swing, and no more. Otherwise, you will create unwanted tension in your arms and legs that will translate to shorter distance and less than perfect accuracy.
About The Author
Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic." He graduated from the University of Louisville.
