How Your Grip can Influence Your Swing.
When we are looking att Tour players, we are seeing different ways of gripping the golfclub, like overlapping or interlocking and 10 finger grip. Also we are seeing different ways the hands are positioned on the grip of the club. Neutral, weak or strong.
A weak grip is when the back of the left hand (for righthanded players) is turned so it faces the target. Dustin Johnson is an example of this.
A neutral grip where you can see app. 2-2,5 knuckles of the left hand.
A strong grip is when you se more knuckles and mor of the back of the left hand. Paul Azinger is one of those.
All of these grips are ok and has to do with the anatomy of the player and can also influence the ballflight.
And the meaning of a good grip that suits the player is that, the player does not have to manipulate the hands during the swing. And this has also to do with the plane, if the plane is correct no need for correction (according to Butch & Claude Harmon).
And what happens at the top of the swing is depending on the set up.
We can here see three different ways the hands are angled at the top of the backswing.
The weaker grip gives a more bowed back of the hand with a closed clubface at the top and you can see the extrem version of this by Dustin Johnson.
The neutral grip in the set up leads most of the time, when the hands follow the arms on the right plane to a square position at the top.
The stronger grip leads to a mor cupped wrist at the top and with that an open clubface. Fred Couples is proof to that.
So what is correct, well that is an ever ongoing discussion. But as Claude Harmon and Jackie Burke said Do not manipulate with a grip that brings the clubhead square at impact on the intended path.
When an instructor is trying to change the grip on the top of the backswing, I will stich out my head and say that it is not 100% right. If you are reading the professionals ideas that I mentioned above and lets include Butch Harmon and Jim McLean to them, look at the set up and aim first.
According to them and also include John Jacobs and Harvey Penick; What happens during the swing is the result of the setup.
Summary; how are you going to find out what is rigt for you? Make an appointment with your PGA professional and work out the best grip for you. Meaning a grip that delivers the clubface square to the targe.
Then work on your setup and aim and it might trake some time, but believe me it is worth it.
Enjoy your practice
Bertil Garpenholt
