Golf Tips: The Grip
There are three grips in golf:
The Baseball
The interlocking
And the overlapping or Vardon grip
The interlocking grip is a very popular grip and used by some
Tour players such as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus just to name a few.
The interlocking grip is where the little finger of the right hand interlocks with the forefinger of the left for right handed golfers.
The overlapping grip is the most popular grip in the world today, it is used by most of the tour players and top amateurs in the world. The overlapping grip is where the little finger of the right hand overlap’s the forefinger of the left.
The baseball grip is recommended for those golfers with weaker hands.
No matter which grip you choose, remember the position of the hands on the club is virtually the same.
The club should run from the pad of the left hand diagonally to the middle of the forefinger. Then you wrap your hand over and let the thumb of the left hand run down the shaft just off center on the right side. With your right hand you will either use the baseball, interlocking or overlapping grip.
Hold the shaft in the fingers of the right hand and wrap your hand over so that the fold between your thumb and palm of your right hand fits over the left thumb. The pressure that you hold the club with should be firm but do not squeeze the club. This will only cause tension.
Problems that can arise from a poor grip can range from a hook or slice, to a shot that goes low and left and never gets in the air, to a high weak shot that goes to the right.
When you get your hands turned too far to the right, where you can see the back of your left hand. This is revered to as a strong grip. This can cause a hook or a shot that flies too low and goes left.
When you get your hands turned too far to the left, where you can see the back of your right hand, this is referred to as a weak grip. This grip will cause a slice or a shot that goes high and to the right and usually will come up very short of your target.
So remember if you have a good grip the chances of returning the clubface to the ball squarely at impact will increase dramatically.
Review these pictures over and over again until you have a good mental picture of what the grip should look like. Then practice it in the mirror until it becomes easy and more comfortable. Then just grip it and rip it.
