The Grip - Which One is Right?
The Grip - Which One is Right?
Hi, I’m Mel Sole, Director of Instruction at the Mel Sole Golf School, headquartered at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in Pawleys Island, SC. We conduct 1, 2 and 3-day golf schools, hourly golf lessons, and senior golf schools—any golf instruction program your heart desires. Give us a call at 800-624-4653 or 843-237-4993. We will be happy to book a commuter school or a package that contains accommodations, golf, and golf school.
The grip is the most neglected element of the golf swing. As an instructor, I see more bad grips than bad swings. I have never seen a good player with a bad grip.
For reasons of clarity, I will be referring to the top hand and bottom hand rather than left or right.
The problem begins when the student is unsure of which of the three grips is best. First, decide your body type - do you have strong hands and arms, or are you weak in that area? Are your fingers long and thin or short and pudgy? This will determine the right grip for you.
#1 The Baseball Grip
The baseball or 10 finger grip is good for lady golfers and senior golfers who do not have much strength in their wrists and forearms. This allows the lower hand to be a little more active through the hitting area. This helps wrist rotation and results in straighter shots and more distance.
#2 The Overlapping Grip
The Overlapping or Vardon grip (named after Harry Vardon) is the most popular. It is suitable for most male golfers and female golfers with strong arms and wrists. This grip unifies the hands and helps them work as one unit.
#3 The Interlocking Grip
The interlocking grip works well for people with short fingers and pudgy palms who find it difficult to get the small finger to overlap correctly or sufficiently. The small finger and index finger of the opposite hand interlock, unifying the hands to work as one unit. (Jack Nicklaus uses this grip)
There are several common denominators, regardless of which grip you choose.
The top hand position.
The top hand needs to be placed on the club so that as you look down, you can see two knuckles. The line formed by the thumb and the back of the hand is pointing to the right shoulder. (left shoulder for left-handers)
The bottom hand position.
The bottom hand is placed on the club with the palms adjacent to one another, and the lines formed by the thumbs and the back of the hands are parallel to one another. The lifeline of the bottom hand fits snugly over the thumb of the top hand. The thumb and index finger of the bottom hand form a slight "trigger grip" with the tip of each finger touching.
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