The grip is your only connection to the golf club, so it is really important that you grip the club in the right way.
The three most widely used grips in golf are; The Overlap, the Interlock and the Baseball or 10 Finger grip. We at My time for Golf recommend that you find the right grip for you and in this blog we will give you the tools to do so.
In the Overlap grip the right hand is placed on top of the left hand and the right-hand pinkie overlaps with the left hand. This means that it rests between the index finger and third finger of the left hand.
You can easily practice your golf grip at home, and you do not necessarily need a golf club. If you can, though, of course that will be the optimal training tool, but you can also use the end of a broom stick or the handle of a wooden spoon and practice your grip while watching your favorite TV show from your living room couch.
So, let’s get started.
The left hand
The left hand is always placed first on the club, so we’ll start by describing how to place it correctly on the grip.
Start by gripping the club with your right hand where the grip meets the shaft and hold the club in front of you at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the ground. This is not where your right hand should grip the club when you hit the ball, but it makes you capable of gripping the club correctly with the left hand. The club head should be square (pointing towards the target), which means that the lower part of the club head (the leading edge) should be perpendicular to the target line.
Open the left palm and place the grip in a line that extends from the start of the second joint of the index finger to the where the pinkie is attached to the hand. The left side of the grip is held more in the palm of the hand, so that you are able to get the benefit of using your wrists like a hammer during the swing. The X is the pad of the palm that we call “the 6th finger” as when it’s placed on top of the grip it acts like an extra finger.
This grip is very similar to holding a hammer, as the moves are the same in the swing. You need to be able to hinge the wrists up and down.
The left thumb is placed on the top side of the grip. It will have a slight angle to it as the palm is more over on the right side but make sure that the thumb is placed on top. When looking straight down on your left hand, you should be able to see 2-3 knuckles and the “V” that’s created between the thumb and index finger should be pointing at your right shoulder.
The right hand
Pull your right hand towards your left hand and place the grip on a line from the second joint of the index finger to where the pinkie is attached to the hand. It should feel just like holding a shopping bag (pic #1). The right hand pinkie should come to rest in the small gap between the left hand’s index finger and third finger. Then “wrap” the rest of your palm and hand around the grip (pic #2). Make sure that the right thumb is placed on the left side of the grip and not on top (pic #3). The left thumb should end up sitting in between the two pads inside your right hand, almost like a hotdog in its bun.
When the grip is placed correctly in your right-hand palm, you fold the rest of the fingers around the grip. It is important that the third and fouth fingers have a good connection to the grip, so make sure to apply a bit of pressure. It should feel like the grip is placed in the hollow part of the second joint on both fingers.
If you can imagine that your body and golf club resemble a watch where the club head is 12 o’clock and your body is 6 o’clock, your right thumb should be pointing towards 11 o’clock.
If you are gripping the club correctly, you will now be able to bend the hands (holding the club) at an angle of 90 degrees upwards (180 degrees from the ground). If you do not have the flexibility to do this then it is probably because you are holding the club too much in your fingers or that you are gripping the club too tight.
When you hold the club softly, you are able to make a relaxed “waggle”. A waggle is a small movement back and forth or up and down in the wrists. Just like a dog waggles its tail. If you make a waggle it will help you relax the hands and arms before you hit the ball.
Good luck and have fun!
You get a more elaborate description in our “Just starting out” online course including video instruction. Sign up for our newsletter to get more information about upcoming courses.
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