How to get the perfect grip for you
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How much do you know about the golf grip?
Learn from TG Top 50 Coach Ian Taylor, who talks you through the three types of golf grip, gives you advice on how hard you should grip it and the biggest issue amateurs have with their grip.
How hard should I grip it?
Imagine you are cradling a bird in your hand. You need to hold it tight enough so it can’t fly away, but not too tight so you are hurting it. Joe Miller, a former world long drive champion, has an incredibly light grip pressure to enable him to create that force and whip in the golf club.
Don’t palm it!
The biggest issue I see is amateurs gripping too much in the palm of the hands, which doesn’t allow the wrists and arms to articulate properly. The grip should be positioned in the fingers, so you can create more speed and force.
There are three types of golf grips: Which one are you?
Baseball Grips
This is easy to implement and ideal for beginners or people with small hands, particularly kids and ladies. The main benefit is the added control, which comes from all 10 fingers being in contact with the club. The downside is that the hands work independently. For someone who is right- hand dominant, this can result in the trail hand dominating and shutting the face at impact.
Interlocking Grip
Used by Tiger and Rory, this grip is formed by interlocking the left fore finger and right pinkie finger. That means the hands work together as one unit, with the ‘link’ forcing them to stay connected throughout the swing while limiting excessive wrist movement. It’s probably the most comfortable grip, but having two fingers off the grip can limit control and lead to the clubhead twisting at the top of the swing.
Overlapping or Vardon Grip
The grip of choice on Tour. The technique is similar to interlocking, except the right pinkie finger rests on top of the channel between the left index and middle finger. The little finger functions as a clasping mechanism to hold the two hands together and aid stability. It’s arguably the least comfortable grip, but you could argue it’s the most effective.
