GOLF LESSONS

CLUBFACE GOLF: The Proper Golf Grip

The golf grip is one of the most important fundamentals golf lessons a player can learn. Why is it so important? How does your golf grip influence the quality and success of your golf swing?

There are two main reasons a good golf grip is so important:

1. The positioning of your hands on the club directly influences the position of the clubface throughout the golf swing. This determines the shape of your ball flight.
2. Your golf grip provides support and control of the golf club throughout your swing. Your golf grip allows you to take control of the pressure you exert onto the golf ball with every swing. Your golf grip gives your swing consistency and stability.

Understanding why the golf grip is important is the first step in perfecting your technique. The team at ClubFace Golf is committed to helping you improve your golf game, and we understand the need for golf lessons tips on mastering the proper golf grip.

Proper Golf Grip - The Left Hand

The Left Thumb: Golfers with a proper golf grip understand that the positioning of the left thumb is crucial to success. The entire thumb, from base to the tip, needs to be slightly right of the top of the club. This golf grip technique acts as a major support element for the club. Placing your thumb here also rotates your entire hand slightly to the right.

The Fingers: Once you’ve mastered the positioning of your left thumb on the golf grip, you will notice that this grip technique should position the club within the fingers of the left hand rather than the palm.

The Heel Pad of the Palm: With the thumb slightly to the right and the club more in the fingers, this should place the heel pad of your palm directly on top of the club. The heel of your palm should never be to the left of the club.

The Left Hand V: The crease formed between your left thumb and index finger when you grip a golf club is called the “V”. When you've established a proper golf grip, this V should be pointed towards your right shoulder.

Proper Golf Grip - The Right Hand

The Fingers: Place your golf club in your fingers and not in the palm of your hand. When you hold the club in your fingers, you can really start to develop a feel for the club, the club head and your overall golf swing. Keeping your club in your fingers is a primary key to a proper golf grip.

The Lifeline: The lifeline of your right palm should be positioned to cover the thumb of your left hand in order to achieve the proper golf grip. The lifeline needs to completely mesh with your left thumb. It should feel as though your right hand's lifeline and your left thumb are glued together. In a proper golf grip, this technique allows the club, the left hand and the right hand to become one cohesive unit.

The Index Finger: For golfers looking to achieve a proper golf grip, the most important element of your right hand is your index finger. Pay attention to this finger as work to achieve a fundamentally sound golf grip. You should feel as though you are gluing your right thumb to the side of your right index finger. Make sure that there are no gaps. Form a hook with your right index finger, forming your finger as if you were going to pull the trigger of a squirt gun. Your right index finger will supply the major support to your club.

The Right Hand V: As with the left hand, the V of your right hand should point towards your right shoulder.

The Right Pinky: Where and how you choose to place your right pinky during your golf grip is a personal choice. The placement of your pinky determines which category of golf grip you fall into, the Overlap, the Interlock or the Ten Fingered.

Categories of Golf Grips

The Overlap Golf Grip: This is the most commonly seen golf grip among the world's greatest golfers. With the Overlap Grip, the right pinky finger rests on top of the left index finger.

The Interlock Golf Grip: With the Interlock Golf Grip, the right pinky and the left index finger are crossed. Tom Kite, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods utilize this form of the golf grip.

The Ten Fingered Golf Grip: The Ten Fingered Golf Grip is relatively uncommon compared to the Overlap or Interlock golf grips among good players. While not typically seen among the golf pros, it is a great golf grip for people with small hands. The Ten Fingered Golf Grip is perfect for juniors just starting out as golfers.

Good golfers understand that there is an undeniable relationship between a proper golf grip and their golf swing. One of the most important fundamentals you must master is a proper golf grip. Work on improving your golf grip and you will see a difference in your overall game.