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Struggling With Grip

Craig Mac

Craig Mac

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Well over a decade(heck, maybe even 2) ago I was a golfer that could slice any club in the bag. I was able to play it for the most part, but yet still struggled with distance control. I read an article at the time, where Steve Jones(who had just won the US Open) claimed that an overlapping grip was "sliceproof", so I gave it a shot. Common sense told me my slice was a much deeper problem than just the grip, but I was desperate to try anything to cure that dreaded slice. I switched to overlap and continued to play that way until recently. My slice over the years turned in to a hook, and for some reason a few months ago I felt the need to "go back" to an interlocking grip. I hit the range several times with it and the results seemed pretty good so I took it to the course.... and proceed to shoot 3 of the worst rounds I have had in a long time. It was so bad the last round I had no idea how to even grip the club, back and forth between overlap and interlock, strong grip/weak grip. I hit the range this last weekend and the same thing, felt good and results were decent and then walked a few holes before dark and was struggling with the grip again. Lately it feels like a golf club is a completely foreign object in my hands and the game has been overly frustrating to play. I am thinking I need to go back to the basics and get some lessons, anyone else ever have this problem and how did you go about fixing it?
 
I changed to overlap about 4-5 months after I started and haven't messed with it since.
 
I'm one who can tell you that an overlap grip is far from slice-proof!
 
Are you slicing it with every club in the bag or is mostly off the tee?

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I started with a 10 finger, then an interlock and now an overlap. I finally feel comfortable and confident but it's all about practicing and finding what works for your swing.


Tapatalking on my iPhone!
 
Craig correct me if I'm wrong but Steve jones had a reverse overlap, right? Instead of the pinky overlapping the index, I thought his index overlapped his pinky. I'm may be so off base but I seem to remember that.
 
I would say your best bet would be to find one that you feel even remotely comfortable with and stick with it. Choose whichever one you like best and just practice with that one until it feels comfortable again. I think all the switching is messing with you a little and the constant change makes it hard to get comfortable.
 
I started out w/10 finger grip and had a huge slice problem. I resisted change for the longest time since it was most comfortable for me but finally my instructor put his foot down and 'strongly requested' that I: 1. move to overlap 2. move to mid size grip (which is pretty big to me, I have small hands) 3. always be aware of grip strength (loosen my grip A LOT). I won't say I am slice free, but slice is not my main miss anymore.
 
Maybe try a molded practice grip
 
Last edited:
brepublican said:
Are you slicing it with every club in the bag or is mostly off the tee?

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I don't slice it any more really, my miss is usually a pull. The reason I switched to the overlap was an attempt to try something different many years ago. It seems like now I am "going back" as an attempt once again to get different results. But all I really accomplished was a complete mess apparently.

I didn't even think about the molded grip, and that is probably exactly what I need to get a feel for the proper position. I had my head so jacked up last time I played wondering if my grip was too strong or too weak. I have never even worried about it before.
 
Damaikis said:
I would say your best bet would be to find one that you feel even remotely comfortable with and stick with it. Choose whichever one you like best and just practice with that one until it feels comfortable again. I think all the switching is messing with you a little and the constant change makes it hard to get comfortable.
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I'm no pro but golf is hard enough without the added distractions of grips.
 
I was thinking the same thing last night. I switched to and overlap mid summer due to a blister it was causing (from interlocking) and stuck with it, I wasn't getting a blister so it was all good. Yesterdays round revealed a case of the shanks, especially half swings, I thought maybe it was in my grip. I tried interlocking, overlaping, weak right hand, strong right hand and wasn't seeing any consistent results with anything. My lessons teacher told me to have a weak (i think) right hand grip, as in I slide my thumb clockwise when I rotate it back. My dad recently had a lesson and his pro said strong. So now, I don't know what to do. A grip should be universal, it shouldn't vary from player to player was my thinking, so what pro was right? I ended it going somewhere inbetween and calling it good.
 
I almost want to use the old line, "Take two weeks off and then quit the game", but that wouldn't be nice. Seriously though, take two weeks off, don't pick up a club. Then go hit a small bucket, just before a practice 9. By practice 9, I mean don't keep score, just let your muscle memory spring back. You're getting so caught up in your head that nothing is in sync. By taking the time off, you allow your "swing clock" to reset.
 
Custom Method said:
I was thinking the same thing last night. I switched to and overlap mid summer due to a blister it was causing (from interlocking) and stuck with it, I wasn't getting a blister so it was all good. Yesterdays round revealed a case of the shanks, especially half swings, I thought maybe it was in my grip. I tried interlocking, overlaping, weak right hand, strong right hand and wasn't seeing any consistent results with anything. My lessons teacher told me to have a weak (i think) right hand grip, as in I slide my thumb clockwise when I rotate it back. My dad recently had a lesson and his pro said strong. So now, I don't know what to do. A grip should be universal, it shouldn't vary from player to player was my thinking, so what pro was right? I ended it going somewhere inbetween and calling it good.
Click to expand...

Same thing I am dealing with, but I also think my lack of playing has me looking for a simple fix. I am thinking I just need to go back to the overlap I used for so many years and try to get better results with fixing the swing. I plan on hitting the range a few times a week and seeing what happens.
 
Yeah. I also didn't play enough in the summer with tennis practice. I'm going to stick with an overlap, just need to find out where to positon my right hand. And then learn how swing again. But thats for the rant thread...
 
Hardrock1a said:
I almost want to use the old line, "Take two weeks off and then quit the game", but that wouldn't be nice. Seriously though, take two weeks off, don't pick up a club. Then go hit a small bucket, just before a practice 9. By practice 9, I mean don't keep score, just let your muscle memory spring back. You're getting so caught up in your head that nothing is in sync. By taking the time off, you allow your "swing clock" to reset.
Click to expand...

That's the thing, I have been taking a lot of time off and not worrying about what I shoot. But the results have been some of the worst golf I have played in the last several years. I wanted to be more "focused" last time I played 18 and felt so out of whack with the grip thing, never got comfortable
 
Craig Mac said:
That's the thing, I have been taking a lot of time off and not worrying about what I shoot. But the results have been some of the worst golf I have played in the last several years. I wanted to be more "focused" last time I played 18 and felt so out of whack with the grip thing, never got comfortable
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I think you should go to one that you're comfortable with and really give it an earnest go. Give it a chance. If that's the interlock, then so be it. But at the same time, you shouldn't be so comfortable that you don't check it with each shot. I've worked checking my grip into my pre-shot waggle and routine, and its given me a bit more consistentency...

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Pick one and go with it. I had thought the interlock was supposed to be good for smaller hands, but you can slice with anything. Heck, right now I have a strong interlock for the driver which becomes a weak interlock with irons...and I can't say I slice either with any frequency. If anything I slice the driver more, which in theory shouldn't happen.

Lessons. Maybe even one, because I can't imagine your troubles are all grip related. Don't build a swing made of compensations like I have, get it right off the top and do it with one grip.
 
jmatt said:
Pick one and go with it.

Lessons. Maybe even one, because I can't imagine your troubles are all grip related. Don't build a swing made of compensations like I have, get it right off the top and do it with one grip.
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Lots of great advice right there.
 
My biggest problem has been grip too, I think I'm finally getting over my pretty severe fade on almost every shot.
 
jmatt said:
Lessons. Maybe even one, because I can't imagine your troubles are all grip related. Don't build a swing made of compensations like I have, get it right off the top and do it with one grip.
Click to expand...

I don't feel it is all grip related, but in the past have always been able to somewhat "fix" my own problems. My biggest problem right now is just not playing enough to have any sort of consistancy. I just have never struggled so bad with the grip before, to the point I don't even know know whether I want to use overlap or interlock right now.
 
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