Proper Golf Grip – How To Grip A Golf Club?

Learning how to grip a golf club correctly is the most important part of mastering your swing. A good grip anchors your entire swing and, as it is the only physical connection you should be making with your club, you need to ensure you have properly mastered it. When it comes to gripping a golf club, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for some may not work for you. However, in any case, practice makes perfect. Read our in-depth guide on what you need to be keeping in mind when it comes to learning a proper golf grip.

Proper Golf Grip | The Basics

Before we talk in-depth about specific golf club practices, it is worth taking the time to get familiar with the clubs you will using most frequently. Regardless of the specific golf grip you go for, you should also strive to achieve the same basic foundations to ensure a reliable base for your chosen grip.

To begin with, you should hold your club at waist height in front of you. The club should be horizontal in relation to the ground, while the club face should be square. If you are right-handed, you should always begin by taking the club in your left hand. Once you have done this, you should stretch the fingers of this hand. The club handle should be aligned with your left palm. If you have carried out this step correctly, the club handle should fall diagonally in a straight line across the fingers of your left hand.

Next, you should aim to close your hand around the club itself. As your left hand grips around the club, the heel of your left hand should be resting along the top of the handle. However, the handle tip should still be visible. You should now begin to rotate your hand toward the right. Do this until two knuckles on the left hand are visible when you glance downwards. Provided you have done this correctly, this will provide you with a neutral grip. This is a good grip base for many golfers.

You should finish off by moving the heel of your right hand to the top of the thumb of your left hand. The heel of the right hand should be covering your left thumb. You then need to create a V shape with your forefinger and thumb by closing your hand. This V needs to be pointing toward the centre of your chest.

Main Types of Golf Grip

You have three main types of grip to consider when golfing. These include the overlapping rip, the 10-finger grip and the interlocking grip. To find out which one works best for you, it is advised you practice all of them.

The overlapping grip is one of the most commonly used in the game of golf. Otherwise known as the vardon grip, this grip sees the little finger of one of your hands placed between the index and middle finger of the other hand. This go-to grip is often deployed by golfers with larger hands.

The 10-finger grip is another popular choice with golfers. This grip gets its name from the fact that every digit is placed on the club itself. The 10-finger club is rarely used by professional golfers, but less experienced players find it a very accessible option and a more comfortable approach. Provided you have positioned your fingers correctly, the 10-finger grip is a particularly powerful option. If you have smaller hands than most people, the 10-finger grip is definitely advisable.

The interlocking grip is a good next step for anyone who has mastered the 10-finger grip. To start, align your hands in a 10-finger grip configuration. Next, interlock the little finger of one hand with the index finger of the other hands, bringing the hands together more closely. As this grip involves you bringing your hands together, it can grant your swings some serious power.

Different Grips for Different Clubs

In any given golf bag, there are half a dozen main types of club to master. The same grip will not prove suitable for every club in your collection. It can take a long time to master specific grips for individual club varieties. However, perfecting separate grips for putters and drivers is a good starting point.

When it comes to learning how to properly hold a driver, the approach is relatively simple. To start, hold the club at the handle base with your left hand (if you are right-handed). Then rotate your hand so the knuckles of your middle and index fingers are visible. The next step involves you placing your left hand on the club itself, followed by the right hand. The right hand should overlap the middle finer and ring finger of your left hand. Your right index finger and thumb should form a V shape that aligns with the centre of your torso. If you are left-handed, simply reverse the steps as described here.

Handling putters requires a slightly different approach. First, you should hold the putter up to an outstretched hand. This will be your left hand if your are right-handed. The putter handle should run across the middle of your hand. Compared to other club types, you have far more options when it comes to holding a putter. Cross-handed and overlap grips are particularly common, while a claw grip is also regularly deployed by golfers.

Key Things to Remember Regarding Golf Grip

There are many common mistakes that result in poor grip. Positioning your hand too high on the club is one issue many golfers struggle with. An easy way to determine whether you have positioned your hand too highly is to check to see if the handle tip is visible. If you can not see the tip of the handle, your hand is positioned too highly. This is easily resolved, however. Simply move your left hand down slightly so the handle becomes visible, then reposition your other hand to accommodate for the changes made.

You should regularly check to see if you are making a V shape with your forefinger and thumb to determine whether your trail hand is correctly positioned. Remember, your right forefinger and thumb need to be making a signature V shape that is pointing toward the middle of your torso. You should also pay special attention to your lead hand. If the knuckles of your middle and index finger on the left hand are not visible, you will need to work on your lead hand.

Pressure is another thing you need to keep in mind when perfecting a good golf club grip. In simple terms, you should avoid squeezing too hard. Your grip should be firm enough that your hands will not shift as you swing, but you should also allow for a sight amount of give. Heavy-handed individuals will probably need considerable practice to ensure they are exerting the correct amount of pressure on their golf clubs. However, practice does pay off.

Proper Golf Grip | In Summary

By now you should have enough information at your disposal to begin mastering a perfect grip of your golf club. Remember, if you are left-handed, simply reverse the guidance laid out. If you have followed the advice to the letter and are still experiencing some trouble with your grip, avoid getting frustrated and simply step back for a minute or two. It makes little sense to make countless minor adjustments to a fundamentally flawed grip.

Instead, put your clubs down, take a break and return to a clean slate. Take plenty of time to familiarise yourself with the three main types of grip until you find one that works for you. Avoid tackling more advanced grips until you have mastered the basics. A comfortable grasp of a more basic grip will boost your playing confidence and significantly improve your performance across the board.