The Proper Golf Grip - Check Your Knuckles
Written By
Bobby Eldridge
Founder of Online Golf Lessons
In order to hit the golf ball further and more consistent, after you grip the club-check your knuckles EVERY TIME. I have a question for you that you have to answer in two seconds. Is gripping the golf club an art or a science? Think about it for 10 seconds if you want to. Do you know why I am giving you 10 seconds to think about it? Ten seconds is longer than you take to think about gripping the club when your on the golf course.
When most amateur golfers struggle with their golf game it can be traced right back to the grip the golf club. What I have heard for the past 35 years is “I am really struggling with my swing”-DON’T TOUCH MY GRIP. “I keep coming over the top”-DON’T TOUCH MY GRIP. “I can’t stop hooking the ball”-DON’T TOUCH MY GRIP.
Here is the problem. Changing your grip can be a nightmare. I don’t care if you have played for six months or 30 years, for you to make a grip change, it can be a long and painful process. I started playing golf when I was 2 years old, by the time I was 13 I was bigger and stronger and I had a very strong grip. I hooked the ball way too much. My mom told me it was time to weaken it, It was the longest year of my life.
I am going to let you in on two little secrets that nobody talks about. If you slice the golf or if you hit weak fades to the right, changing your grip will be the most exciting and rewarding thing you will do for your golf game. You will fall in love with me in five minutes. (OK, maybe a little overboard-can you tell I am excited)? On the other hand. If you hook the ball you will want to wrap that driver around my neck for about three months AND then you will also fall in love with me.
That is secret number one. Now for secret number two. Whether you are a slicer or hooker of the golf ball, changing your grip can be very uncomfortable. I have a saying that I have used with my students for 20 years. As soon as they change their grip and make solid contact they always say to me “it doesn’t feel good”. And I always say to them “you have a choice, you can either hit it poorly and feel good or hit it great and feel poorly”.
Let me tell you why the knuckles are so important. Let’s talk about slicing first. After you grip the golf club and address the golf ball, when you look down at your left hand, you probable don’t see any knuckles. of the left hand. You see the top of the left thumb. The problem is the clubface will not close in time for you to hit a draw. This next part is really important. Before you start your backswing, simple turn BOTH hands to the right the same amount. Do it in baby steps. Turn the hands on the club so you can see one knuckle, and hit some balls from this position. If you get rid of your slice then stop. You have hit gold, that is the correct grip for you. This is a very powerful change, that is why you will love it.
On to the golfers that hook the ball. After you grip the club and address the golf ball you will look down and see three or four knuckles of the left hand. The clubhead will close way to fast in the downswing from with this grip. You have to move BOTH of your hands to the left the same amount. Do it in baby steps, one knuckle at a time. The reason this is more painful than the grip change above is because you are going from a stronger position to a weaker position. You will not feel the love for some time. I know you can do this, I did.
In closing after you grip the club-check your knuckles EVERY TIME and you will begin to see the ball start flying straighter and further.
