| The importance of a good grip cannot be over | | | | and club face control. |
| emphasized. The hands are the only point of contact | | | | NATURAL HOLD |
| between body and club. It could be said that the | | | | Not everybody's arms and hands hang in the exactly |
| mind must control the club in order to send the ball | | | | the same manner. Some may hang with the palms |
| to the desired target and its main tool for | | | | facing more toward the body, or some with the |
| manipulating the club face at impact and the point of | | | | palms facing more away from the body. It is |
| separation is the hands. | | | | therefore important to make sure each individual grip |
| Long hours perfecting a good golf grip would not be | | | | is built around their own natural biomechanics, and not |
| wasted, and indeed would separate this learner from | | | | a "one size fits all" philosophy. |
| the average golfer, ensuring superior results. | | | | Fortunately most people's arms and hands hang in a |
| Thereafter attention to maintaining a good solid golf | | | | very similar way and so most grips will be very similar |
| grip will insure that the player performs to their best. | | | | in fashion when talking in terms of strong or weak |
| It is no coincidence that the top golfers in the world | | | | hand positions. |
| appreciate the immense importance of developing | | | | Various checks are used for grip, including the way |
| and constantly checking and maintaining a sound grip | | | | the palms face each other, where the V's formed by |
| or hold. A good grip allows for natural biomechanics | | | | the fore fingers and thumbs point, and how many |
| of the individual to be applied to the golf club. These | | | | knuckles we can see on the target hand. Generally |
| natural biomechanics allow for the hands to work | | | | speaking the palms should face each other as much |
| back into natural positions while squaring the club | | | | as possible, the V's should point to a position |
| face, without the need for unnatural manipulation of | | | | between the non-target cheek and the non-target |
| the body/arm/hands. | | | | shoulder depending on your neutral grip position and |
| GRIP PRESSURE | | | | we should see 2 to 3 knuckles on the target hand at |
| Grip or hold pressure should be such that the club | | | | address for most people. |
| face can be held positively through impact and ball | | | | But what is the absolute neutral grip for YOU? Stand |
| separation area. While this pressure may vary slightly | | | | erect, looking straight ahead with your arms hanging |
| from individual to individual the following drill is | | | | loose and relaxed at your side. Without moving |
| recommended for most people. | | | | anything but your head and eyes look down at your |
| On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is almost no pressure | | | | target hand and notice how many knuckles you can |
| at all and 10 is squeezing the club as hard as possible, | | | | see. (If you cannot see all of a particular knuckle then |
| we recommend a grip pressure or finger squeeze of | | | | count this as a half knuckle) As we said most people |
| 3 - 4 out of 10. | | | | will see 2 to 3 knuckles and this would be their |
| It is important to reiterate that too light a grip | | | | neutral position but yours is what you see. The |
| pressure will result in a loss of club face control | | | | amount of knuckles you see when looking down at |
| through impact and point of separation. Equally, | | | | your hand in it's natural position is the amount of |
| squeezing the club too hard will result in tension | | | | knuckles you should see when you are holding the |
| through arms and back, a loss of free-flowing swing | | | | club at address. |