When you think about the game of golf, one of the most over-looked aspects is how to grip the club correctly and what golf grip pressure to use. Most people will just grab the club and are more concerned with what club to use, how to line up to make the ball go where you want it to and exactly how to hit the ball.
However, if you make the mistake, which many people do, of gripping the club incorrectly or using the wrong golf grip pressure you will struggle to succeed at the rest of the game.
There are three major types of grips you should consider and depending on your game, your experience and some physical considerations, one of these grips is the correct one for you.
Before we start talking about the different types of grips, let's spend some time on golf grip pressure. If you grip the golf club too tightly, you will likely end up with a lot of blisters and you will also see your ball consistently go past the hole because golf grip pressure which is too tight will cause over-swinging.
If you end up with golf grip pressure that is too light and you risk losing control of the club which can cause you to come up short of the green on a regular basis or, even worse, it can cause your slice to become worse.
The easiest way to think about golf grip pressure is on a 1-10 scale. A golf grip pressure of 3-4 on this scale is perfect.
The Overlapping Grip
The golf grip we will talk about first is the overlapping grip. The overlapping grip was made famous by Harry Vardon and is the grip most golfers will, and should use. Also, this particular golf grip is the grip you will see used and taught by most professionals.
The Interlocking Grip
The Interlocking Grip, or the Interlock as it is most-commonly referred to, is another favorite grip used and taught today. In this type of grip, both of your hands are actually locking together on the club. While this grip is not as popular with teaching pros, you will see it as the preferred golf grip by almost all of the professionals playing on the tours today.
Just like everything else, there is a risk with using this type of golf grip. Many people who try this grip for the first time find themselves struggling with keeping the club stable in their hands and can find their palms "straying" from contact with the club. It's almost a necessity, to use this specific golf grip, to have strong hands and forearms. Also, if your hands are smaller than average, then this isn't the golf grip for you.
You can always change your grip to the Interlock as you mature as a golfer and become stronger.
To become a user of the Interlock grip, place the little finger on the trailing hand (the trailing hand for right-handed golfers is the right hand) and wrap it with the index finger on the lead hand. The lead hand thumb should fit in the lifeline of the trailing hand.
To become a user of the Interlock grip, place the little finger on the trailing hand (the trailing hand for right-handed golfers is the right hand) and wrap it with the index finger on the lead hand. The lead hand thumb should fit in the lifeline of the trailing hand.
The Ten Finger Grip
The baseball grip. That is what this grip is referred to by most teaching pros as well as most beginning players; simply because it looks like how someone would grip a baseball bat. You will find this type of golf grip as the least-likely to be taught by most teaching pros but, it could be the right one for you and shouldn't be automatically disregarded without at least considering it.
As this is the easiest grip to teach, you will find a lot of teaching pros using this with true beginners so they can get them familiar with all aspects of the game while not spending an entire hour lesson on just how to handle the club.
Two of the most-important things to consider when determining if this is the right grip for you; your joint health and hand size. If you experience any type of joint pain or arthritis then you will want to use this golf grip as your chosen grip. Also, if your hands are on the smaller size, this will be the right grip for you as well. Surprising, many of the smaller women on the tour today use this type of grip simply because their hands aren't big enough to manage the club correctly when using the other types of grip.
So, if you determine this is the right grip for you, there is nothing to worry about. If the right grip for you allows you to play the best golf, then it really doesn't matter which grip you use.
When learning how to correctly put your hands on the club and use the Ten Finger grip, follow the picture below. It's really not difficult to do. The biggest error beginners tend to make with this type of golf grip is they allow a space to come between their hands on the club. This is a major error and will allow for weakness in your swing. Also, be sure to cover the lead hand thumb with the lifeline of your trailing hand.
If you follow these recommendations you'll be on the correct path to hitting the golf ball straighter and more consistent.
Steve Kilberg is a former Division 1 College Golfer and student of the game. For more information on Golf Grip Pressure and the proper way to grip the club visit Great Golf Solutions today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kilber |
