Table of Contents
Introduction
Golf is a relaxing and enjoyable sport to play. This is largely because the game is not physically demanding, and it can be played by people of all age groups and gender. However, playing golf requires you to use multiple equipment and have sufficient mastery of how this equipment works. The most important equipment you would have to master is the golf club. The golf club you use can make or mar your game. You have to make sure that it fits you perfectly so you can hit your ball harder and achieve more distance on your shots while maintaining the right direction. All of these takes time to master, and like any other skill, it can seem impossible at first. On your road to perfection, the first thing you would have to learn is how to hold your golf club appropriately. If you handle your golf club the wrong way, you are sure to hit the ball towards an unintended direction or farther than you anticipated. This problem is common with new golfers and even some intermediate players. The good news is that this problem can be fixed if you are ready to learn and master a few simple steps. These steps are simple, understandable and practical. We would advise that you read them thoroughly and carry them along with you when next you are going to the golf club. Enjoy!
Seven steps to achieving the perfect grip
Below are seven easy steps you can follow to have a better club grip and improve your overall golf performance.
STEP 1- Check your current grip
Before you begin the process of learning how to hold and grip your golf club, you should check out your current grip. This will allow you to spot the mistakes and correct them easily. We would recommend that before you start trying out the new grip, you should take a few shots and see how well you perform. That way, you can easily notice the difference when you begin to hold the club the right way, gain more speed on your shots and strike in the right direction. If you already play golf and your current grip helps you to produce your desired outcome, then there is no need to improve or change it. However, if you want to play like a professional, then you should keep on reading.
STEP 2- Ensure your golf club is straight
The main purpose of a golf club is to allow you to shoot with accurate precision. If your golf club is not straight, it will go off in the wrong direction, and you would not have your desired result. The golf club might be aiming a little too far to the right or the left, and you have to correct this if you don’t want your perfect grip to be a waste of time. You can recognize if your golf club is straight by looking at the alignment on the grip and the clubhead. If you hold your golf club straight towards the ground and the inner part of the clubhead is perfectly lined to the mid-section of your grip, then it is straight, and you can go ahead with getting the perfect grip.
STEP 3- Place your hands correctly on the golf club
This is the part where it gets tricky. Positioning your hands correctly on the golf club can be simple and complex at the same time. First thing you have to know is that your weaker hand goes on the golf club first. This means that if you are right-handed, then the first hand on your golf club should be your left hand and if you are left-handed, the first hand on the golf club should be your right hand.
Now that we have established this let’s try picking up the holding the golf club. You would want to pick up the club with the palm of your weaker hand inwardly and directly facing the club grip. While you are doing this, make sure that there is a little space between the base of the golf club and your ‘pinky’ finger. The grip is usually large enough to accommodate this space, so you don’t have to worry. Once you have gotten the position right, you should wrap your fingers around the grip in a comfortable way and then place your hand on top of your fingers. Make sure you don’t hold the grip using a closed fist method; the thumb should fall out and face the rest of the golf club.
If you want to check that you are doing this right, then you be happy to know that there is a simple technique to verify your grip. Let’s assume that your weaker hand is the left hand and you have completed this process; you should see the knuckles of your index and middle fingers sticking out. Getting your weaker hand in the right position will save you a lot of stress because most of the tension of the golf playing process will fall on this hand and that is why you should get a good golf glove to allow you play with more comfortability.
Placing the stronger hand on the golf club is quite similar to placing the weaker hand. You have to make sure the palm is facing the club directly while you wrap your fingers around it. Since the thumb of your weaker hand is already sticking out, what you will do is to place your palm on the thumb and close it gently. If you do this right, you would have a straight golf club. This step is the most important step to holding your golf club and creating the perfect grip.
STEP 4- Determine the kind of grip you want to use
We have already discussed what happens in front of the grip; how to get the perfect hand position. Now, this step will address what happens at the back of the grip. When you wrap both of your hands correctly on the club grip, you can easily choose which grip you want to use. Some of the more popular grip types include the 10-finger grip, the overlapping grip and the interlocking grip. The 10-finger grip is quite simple; all you have to do is make sure that the little finger of your stronger hand is closely placed on the index finger of your weaker hand. The overlapping grip is also quite simple and very similar to the name. It requires you to place your little finger just over the index finger of your weaker hand so that it overlaps and creates a stronger grip. Another one you can consider using is the interlocking grip. This requires you to knit your little finger and your index fingers tightly. All these grips are effective, and we would recommend that you try them all so you can know which one works best for you.
STEP 5- Apply Pressure on the golf club
After you have practised the grip and you have gotten it right, there is a question of how tightly you should hold the grip. The correct answer is that you should hold it firmly enough till you feel you have complete control over the club. Squeezing the club can be counter-productive, and it might even be painful for your hands. It would be best if you aimed for a firm hold on the golf club and not a tight one. This will allow you to swing in the right direction and with the appropriate force.
STEP 6- Make sure the grip is comfortable
Perfecting your grip will not happen at once, and you must be ready to repeat the process as many times as needed. However, if the grip is not comfortable, you should reevaluate process and make sure that you get a grip that works perfectly for you. The whole purpose of a golf club is to allow you to hit straighter, farther and faster shots. If your current grip helps you do that, then there is no need to change it. Ultimately, you have to pick what is comfortable for you.
STEP 7- Practice it until you have the right speed and direction
Handling your golf club the wrong way will stop you from achieving the perfect synergy of speed and direction. Once you have all the above steps on lock, you would want to practice them on a golf course. This will help make sure that your overall performance is improved and you are a better golf player. You would need to keep practising and with time, handling the golf club and achieving desired results will be a simple process.
Conclusion
Learning a new vocation, sport, skill, or anything will always require time and hard work. If you are serious about improving your game, then you should be ready to give it the required amount of time and practice. The purpose of learning how to hold and grip a golf club correctly is to help you become a better golf player. The steps above are simple, informative and practical. All you have to do is try them out when next you are on the golf course, and you are sure to experience improved gameplay. Enjoy!