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Opinion

Good golf starts with the grip

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In golf, one of the most overlooked areas of importance is how you hold the club.

My students often resist a grip change until they see the instant and dramatic improvement it can have on ball flight.

Before discussing the placement of the hands, we must ensure the club is aligned properly. The grip end of the club should point to the center of the body, perpendicular to the club face, which should point directly at the target. The most common error I see is when the student pushes the grip end of the shaft toward the lead leg. This position forces the grip onto the side of the club and places the sole of the club too much on the leading edge. This is not how the club was designed.

Now that we have the club aligned properly, we can work on placing our hands on it. Begin by placing the top end of the grip about two inches above the pinky of the lead hand and in the palm. The palm should wrap on top of the grip, not the side. The lead hand grip is half in the palm and half in the fingers.

Next, connect the hands either by using an overlap, or 10-finger baseball grip. The interlock grip is not recommended as it forces the trail hand too much on the side of the club.

The trail hand grip is held exclusively in the fingers. Too many players place it in the palm, which misaligns the hand with the club face. Look at your trail hand and notice the three sections of the fingers. The bottom of the grip should rest in the middle section of the fingers with the side of the grip aligned with top section. Notice how this grip aligns the trail hand perfectly with the club face.

Work hard on your grip, resisting the temptation to go back to what is thought to be “natural” or “comfortable.” These sensations are often not associated with the correct positioning.

Editor’s Note: David Layman is the PGA Professional owner of Golf 4 Less. Visit golf4lessaz.com or call 623-584-8393.

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