People take their golf very seriously. In fact, golf was one of only two sports actually played on the moon. And if you are like most golfers, you’re probably interested in finding out how you can improve your game. Your grip is one of the key elements. Without the right grip, you can’t hit the golf balls the right way, you can’t swing with the right follow-through, and you just can’t get the power behind your drive. Even if you’re currently looking into the best golf grips for sweaty hands, the best gloves, or even thinking about trying out grip spray, you can still follow a few simple mechanical tips to improve your grip.
- Take a good hard look at your current style. Try to picture yourself just about to tee off. Notice how you pick up your club. How do you hold it? Exactly what position are your fingers in? Doesn’t feel comfortable to you, and do you feel confident that you can make a good shot?
- Understand how grip size works. All clubs come with rubberized grips in a standardized size. This does not mean it is your size. You’ll be able to pick the grip you need later on, but for now, if you find that you are often pulling or slicing, you may need new grips. In general, petite hands and short fingers require smaller ones, while bigger your hand, the bigger your grip needs to be.
- Make sure that you are positioning your hand correctly from the beginning. You should always pick up your club in your weaker hand first. Once you have picked up your club, turn your hand over so you can see the two knuckles on your gripping hand. Your index finger and thumb should have created a V-shape. Point that shape at your right shoulder if you are left-handed and toward your left shoulder if you are right-handed. The palm of your weak hand should be pointing down the side of the shaft. Now take your dominant hand and grip the club so that the palm of the thumb is sitting on top of the thumb that’s already holding your club.
- Find a way to mark your grip. You can use a pen or some colored tape, but whatever you use make lines on your gloves to indicate the angle you need to hold. This will help you understand where your grip should be, give you some confidence that you are holding it correctly, and allow you to pick up your club with more confidence.
- Hold the club with the right amount of pressure. Don’t grab on so tightly that your knuckles are turning white. At the same time, hold it with enough grip you don’t lose control. If you hold the club too tightly you may hit with the club’s heel instead of face. If your forearms strain as you swing, you’re probably holding too tightly. You should relax your arms, and for many people it helps to shake the club first to get rid of some of the tension in the wrists and arms.
- Practice and consistency are key. The grip just described is known as “neutral.” There are other grips, and everyone uses the grip that is right for them. As you become more confident, you’ll learn to hold the club in the way that is best suited to you. At this point, however, you should practice using this neutral grip until you feel confident in your game and it begins to improve. The key to mastering the grip is constant and consistent practice. Once you’ve done this enough, holding your club in the right way will become a habit. Then you can concentrate on perfecting your golf game without worrying about how you’re holding the club.
The perfect golf game starts with the perfect golf grip. Your grip is very important, but it’s not difficult to master. Practice and be consistent and you’ll see results soon.