We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Do you work on your grip and if so how?

Howzat

Howzat

I'd Rather Be At The Hideaway
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
24,294
Reaction score
61
Location
Minnesota
There would be times this year that even with short irons, I would hook the ball off the planet. I can only think my grip played a huge part. Now I need to figure out how to make sure I eliminate this variable by some how practice this basic thing. Do you practice your grip and if so how?
 
Take an old glove and put lines on it how you're happy (or your instructor) is with your grip. Then, put colors on the knuckles (red for bad, green for good) so you can see when you're too weak or too strong. Red on 1 and 4, green on 2 and 3. Lastly, put a line up where you want your right hand to cover on the grip so you can monitor if your hands are getting too far apart from each other or if you're jamming them too tightly together.

It sounds complicated, but it's not.
 
Yep, I do. Even now, in the throws of winter, I have one of my irons sitting next to my desk in the home office. At least once a day, I'll deliberately work on hand placement. So deliberate, that I am "feeling" each finger get into the right spot. I do check the grip against the mostly neutral club face setup.
 
It's something I'm working on now and will keep an eye on over the course of the year. I started using Mike Malaskas thought about everyone having a different neutral grip. In his video it's about letting the left arm hand in front of the body naturally and then grip the club with the left hand in whatever the position it's hanging. Similar thought to leadbetter and gripping the club with your left hand hanging by your side.

The thoughts ward had about drawing lines on an old glove is a good way to double check
 
emart2173 said:
It's something I'm working on now and will keep an eye on over the course of the year. I started using Mike Malaskas thought about everyone having a different neutral grip. In his video it's about letting the left arm hand in front of the body naturally and then grip the club with the left hand in whatever the position it's hanging. Similar thought to leadbetter and gripping the club with your left hand hanging by your side.

The thoughts ward had about drawing lines on an old glove is a good way to double check
Click to expand...

I am going to need to do some research and see what feels "natural" to me. It makes me feel silly that I have spen thours working on my putting grip and never even thought about how I grip the other 13 clubs in the bag.
 
Howzat said:
I am going to need to do some research and see what feels "natural" to me. It makes me feel silly that I have spen thours working on my putting grip and never even thought about how I grip the other 13 clubs in the bag.
Click to expand...

Here are the leadbetter and malaska grip videos



[video=youtube_share;OqcLpiD-Yqk]https://youtu.be/OqcLpiD-Yqk[/video]
 
I don't really work out it but make sure my grip is correct on every shot. My instructor fixed my terrible grip in March and when ball flight problems started to arise the grip played a big part. So as part of my routine I always check it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I always played with a weak grip, and struggled to square the face at impact. Been working on a strong grip with instructor last few weeks. It's amazing how much better I'm striking the ball!
 
I've always been a proponent of the natural grip. It's obviously the only part of us that touches the golf club, so it's one of the most important things to get correct. That being, however your arms (hands) hang naturally at your sides, is how you grip the club. That may sound "simple" but not many don't do this. The jest of it being. If you grip the club this way, and you have a square face with this grip, you won't have to manipulate the clubs face more than what feels normal with your arms/hands. Your arms and hand will want to return to what's natual with your body. I've always been a less is more type of instructor with the golf swing. Everything starts with the grip, if it's not correct it's going to make you have to do at least one extra thing to hit a better golf shot.
 
The one thing I started doing about 5 years ago that seemed to really help was putting the grip in my left hand the same way every time. I hold the club by the shaft with the grip facing my belly button, then place the grip in my left hand running from the joint in the pointer finger nearest the tip, to the last joint on the pinky finger nearest the palm. I then place my right hand on by setting the grip in the channel of my middle two fingers. I made it a habit to do this every time i pick up a club. I actually do something similar with the putter at the end of last year and it helped me greatly.

I second Wardy's suggestion of marking up a glove, once you decide what grip works for you.
 
I like those videos. My left hand conforms with their ideas but my right hand is significantly stronger than they illustrate. I'm going to work on this as I'm having some hook tendencies.
 
I haven't changed my grip since I was in my early 20's, a little over 30yrs ago.

I was taught the proper grip by a guy who was taught by Mr. Ben Hogan. I don't remember the details, it's something that's been engrained into my memory. The only change I've ever made was moving from interlocking to overlapping.
 
I work on my grip a lot. I find that when I start struggling, its almost always because something with my grip is off.
 
MWard said:
Take an old glove and put lines on it how you're happy (or your instructor) is with your grip. Then, put colors on the knuckles (red for bad, green for good) so you can see when you're too weak or too strong. Red on 1 and 4, green on 2 and 3. Lastly, put a line up where you want your right hand to cover on the grip so you can monitor if your hands are getting too far apart from each other or if you're jamming them too tightly together.

It sounds complicated, but it's not.
Click to expand...

That's some of the best info regarding grips I've seen.
I'm going to save it.

Thanks, Mward!!!!
 
Not really. I have an anal pre shot routine that I've been doing for 20 years that ensures my grip is good. That said, if I do start spraying the ball, the grip is the first thing I always check.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
No I don't really work on it. I grab the club what feels like the same way every time or unless I am trying to do something different for a reason. I figure it is comfortable to me and seems to work. All my gloves wearout the same way so I thought I was gripping the clubs the same every time.
 
Haven't really given it much thought at all. I've used the same grip for so long, it's just second nature to pick up the club and I'm in the grip I want. If I were to be strong or weak when I grip a club, I'd know right away as it wouldn't feel right as I address the ball.
 
Agent Jay said:
I've always been a proponent of the natural grip. It's obviously the only part of us that touches the golf club, so it's one of the most important things to get correct. That being, however your arms (hands) hang naturally at your sides, is how you grip the club. That may sound "simple" but not many don't do this. The jest of it being. If you grip the club this way, and you have a square face with this grip, you won't have to manipulate the clubs face more than what feels normal with your arms/hands. Your arms and hand will want to return to what's natual with your body. I've always been a less is more type of instructor with the golf swing. Everything starts with the grip, if it's not correct it's going to make you have to do at least one extra thing to hit a better golf shot.
Click to expand...

I understand your point and, for years, my grip reflected that perspective.

But a few years ago, I decided to strengthen my grip from what was "natural" and it was the best thing I could do. I think the reason that works is that the natural grip squares the club face when one is squared, at address in a static sense (where you are when you start the backswing). But when you actually return to impact, your body isn't squared at address. At impact, your body is dynamic, turning, your left shoulder is more open, your hands should be ahead of the ball and the shaft has a forward lean. What was a square club face at address won't be a square club face at impact in the swing. For me, a stronger grip than "natural" is necessary to square the club face at impact.
 
I changed my grip through lessons early on in 2016 to keep everything absolutely neutral in my setup. I set my grip on the club before I even pick out a target or ground the club, it's the first step in my pre shot routine. I use the logo or alignment marks on the grips to keep my grip centered and neutral. My biggest problem with my grip is I strangle my clubs sometimes and it can hinder the release, that's gonna be my grip focus for 2017.
 
Yes, I recently changed my grip from neutral to slightly strong, very slightly, but the change has helped and I check it often!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top