Have you ever wondered why you slice, hook, fade or draw the ball? If you have a big miss to the right or to the left, chances are you are not gripping the club correctly. I have followed many golfers over my last 15 years of teaching and I have seen many different style grips…the good, the bad and the ugly. When I see really good players hit the ball solid and fairly straight I see some great similarities. Follow my FORE tips below and stop yelling FORE on the course. In this article, I will not touch on whether you should interlock, overlap, or use the 10 finger grip. The only thing I would recommend is that both hands stay connected/ touching. However, if you would like some guidance on that please feel free to email me, call me or book a lesson with me in Casa de Campo’s new Learning Center located on the Teeth of the Dog Driving Range.
Remember, this article is written in right-handed terminology.
Strong Grip
1.) “STRONG GRIP”
A “strong grip” can be described as the “V” between the left thumb and left index finger pointing towards or outside the right shoulder. If you have a “strong grip” it is imperative to have a fast moving lower body or you will see the ball hook or overdraw like no other. If you prefer a “strong grip” and miss to the left I would suggest moving your grip more to the left or get with a trainer and focus on your lower body rotation.
2.) “NEUTRAL GRIP”
A “neutral grip” can be described as the “V” between the left thumb and index finger pointing between the right shoulder and collar of your golf shirt. This is a very safe grip that will not give you too much trouble. However, if you are consistently missing shots to the right, for example, I would strengthen your grip by turning your hands to the right. The opposite goes for if you are hooking it to the left then you will need to weaken your grip by turning your hands to the left.
Neutral Grip
3.) “WEAK GRIP”
A “weak grip” can be described as the “V” between the left thumb and index finger pointing at the center of your chest or even to the left shoulder. I see this type of grip very often in beginners and slicers of the golf ball. I see it often with beginners because it is a pretty comfortable way to hold the club. However, starting with a weak grip can be detrimental because you will see the golf ball starting and spinning to the right. So naturally, what will you do? Swinging over the top. This is a very common swing flaw and is very difficult to fix.
4.) “GRIP PRESSURE”
If you have ever talked golf with me or taken a lesson from me, chances are we discussed this question, “How is your grip pressure?”. Many people say “it’s pretty loose” or “I’ve never thought of that” and there are some honest people out there that have said, “too tight”. No matter what your answer is, keep your grip pressure loose. It does not matter what kind of grip you have or how straight you hit the ball, if your grip pressure is too tight you are losing distance on all
your shots.
Weak Grip
I encourage people to work on their grip everyday. “Good Golf Begins with a Good Grip.”-Ben Hogan. This quote came from the most known book in golf, “Five Lessons” by Ben Hogan. Hogan wrote 19 pages alone on the grip and mentioned the grip every other page. He was obsessed with the grip and I believe, because of that, he won 69 professional tournaments and 9 Majors.
Eric Lillibridge
Head Teaching Professional, Casa de Campo Golf Academy
(809) 523 – 3333 Ext. 3187 | (829)767-8563 | elillibridge@gmail.com
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*The “Golf Tips” by Eric Lillibridge series of articles is a reprint of “Conquering Casa’s Most Challenging Holes,” published in every edition of Casa de Campo Living Magazine-guide, the ultimate resource for everything to do in the Casa de Campo resort – from sports, to dining, to just admiring the views and the nature!
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