Your golf grip is one of the most foundational aspects of the swing. Get this wrong, and your consistency will suffer. You need a great grip to achieve consistent results, so today, we’re going to take a look at how to grip a golf club and common mistakes that people make that can throw off consistency.
How to grip a golf club
Learning how to grip a golf club isn’t as hard as you might think, especially if you don’t have any bad habits. If you’re just starting out, I recommend using a glove like the one from Me and My Golf. This glove has a blue line across the fingers so you know exactly which angle to hold your club at. These tips from Me and My Golf are for right-handed players. If you’re a lefty, just reverse everything.
How to grip with the left hand
- Hold the club up so that you can see your position easily, and position your left hand about half an inch from the end to avoid gripping too close to the top.
- Then, grip the club in your left hand’s fingers, not your palm. Position the grip so it runs diagonally from the middle joint of your index finger to the base of your little finger for the best control.
- When you look down at your hand, you should see about 2.5 knuckles. This signals a neutral grip that helps maintain a square club face at impact. Make sure there are no gaps between your fingers.
- Next, align the “v” that forms between your thumb and index finger. It should point toward your right shoulder.
How to grip with the right hand
- Once your left hand is in place, put the fleshy pad of your right thumb directly on top of your left thumb. The left thumb should fit snugly into the lifeline crease of your right hand.
- Wrap your right hand’s fingers around the grip and your other fingers.
- The “v” made by your right hand should point toward your chin.
- Now, you can lower the club to tee off.
Alternate grip styles
Once you have the standard grip down, you can try some alternate grip styles. Many golfers like to interlock their fingers in various ways. Some variations offer an extra measure of stability, while others are just more comfortable for some people. If the basic grip doesn’t cut it, try to find what feels most natural to you.
- Interlocking: Interlock the pinky of your right hand with the index finger of your left hand, made famous by Tiger Woods. This option is best for those prioritizing stability, but can feel uncomfortable if not aligned properly.
- Overlapping: Rest the pinky of your right hand on top of the gap between the index and middle fingers of your left hand. This option is best for golfers with medium to large hands, but might lead to hand separation during the swing.
- Baseball grip: Both hands grip the club without overlapping or interlocking, similar to a baseball bat. This option is best for beginners or golfers with hand strength concerns like arthritis, but who have reduced stability.
Common mistakes while gripping a golf club
Gripping in the palm instead of the fingers
If you grip the club in the palm of either hand, rather than the fingers, you will reduce the hinge of your wrist, which will lead to weaker shots. To fix this, double-check that your grip runs diagonally across, from the middle knuckle of your index finger to the base of your little finger. When properly done, you should be able to balance the club between the heel of your palm and your index finger in what is known as the “one finger hold.”
Gripping too high or too low
Make sure that you grip your golf club about half an inch to 1 inch from the top, so there’s a little space there. Too far down and you’ll shorten your arc and reduce your power. Too high up, and you might not have the leverage you need.
Misaligned “v” positions
If the “v” between your index fingers and thumbs is not pointed in the correct directions, you could be misaligned. Make sure that the “v” of your left hand points to your shoulder, and the “v” of the right hand points toward your chin. When you lower the club, you should see those two and a half knuckles, which will signal that you have the correct position.
Leaving gaps between your fingers
Leaving gaps between your fingers disrupts the unity of your hand, which will cause the club to shift while you swing. If you hold your club this way, you will experience a loss of power and inconsistent contact. Make sure that your right hand’s lifeline crease snugly covers the left thumb, and that your fingers wrap firmly around the grip with no gaps. If you choose to use an interlocking or overlapping grip, make sure that it’s all secure before you swing.
Using different grips for each kind of club
It can be popular to switch up your grips for drivers, woods, or irons, and putters or wedges, but I recommend trying to keep the grip as similar as possible across all club types. This will help develop muscle memory, which will keep you hitting consistently. For wedges, just move your hand 1 to 2 inches from the end so that you have better control and precision. For putters, use a reverse overlap grip where the left index finger extends down to rest over the fingers of the right hand.
The next time you’re out on the green, try one of these tips and see if you hit more consistently than ever.
