Liam Mucklow
The first place to start with any golf instruction is the grip. There are two key components to developing a sound grip. Step one is to understand that we need to orient the hands in fashion that will deliver the clubface square at impact. The second is keeping the club in the fingers to allow for increased speed.
A poor grip is the single biggest roadblock to improvement in amateur golfers. When the grip is too weak, or too strong, it causes the golfer to make compensations and manipulations throughout their swing in order to orient the clubface square to the target at impact.
The most common grip error with the amateur player is for it to be too “weak“. This is a grip where the “V’s” of the hands are pointed straight up towards the chin, or in extreme cases the lead shoulder. If the golfer takes a weak grip and sets themselves up in the correct impact position; flat lead wrist, weight completely on the lead leg, and hands leading the club; they will see an open club face. The opposite impact condition occurs if the golfer applies a grip that is too strong; where the “V’s” are pointing outside the trail shoulder. This will deliver the clubface closed when in the correct impact position.
In order to orient your hands on the club in the correct position begin by sole-ing the club properly on the ground behind the ball with the clubface square to the target. From this position take the heel pad of your TOP HAND and place it directly on top of the club so it is making contact with the 12 o’clock position of the grip. From here curl your fingers around underneath the grip to secure the grip in your top hand. Then fit the lower hand on by running the thumb of your top hand through the life-line of the palm of your lower hand. The “V’s” of both hands should now be pointed towards your trail shoulder.
- Tip by Liam Mucklow
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