How do you grip the club?

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NEWSFLASH - There is not one perfect way to hold a golf club!

In my coaching career so far, I have lost count of how many times someone has walked into my coaching studio and said the following words;

“Is my grip okay? I was told I have to hold the club like this!”

What follows is an attempt to hold the club in a so-called “correct” way, often causing pain in the player's hands, tension in their forearms and a general discomfort when addressing the golf ball.

Do you think this can provide a solid platform to hit consistent golf shots?

Typically, it is thought that one of three grips should be used by most golfers.

The Baseball grip, where all ten fingers are placed on the handle of the club. The Vardon (or overlap) grip, where the little finger of the lower hand overlaps the index finger. The Interlocking grip, where the little finger of the lower hands interlocks with the right hand.

In reality, there are of course variations of these grips. Jordan Spieth uses an interlocking grip, but in a very ‘weak’ position on the handle, whereas Zach Johnson uses the same type of grip, just in a very strong position. Jim Furyk on the other hand, utilises a ‘double overlap’ grip and you will agree that all have been pretty successful.

The biggest change I see ‘forced’ on people is a change from Baseball to either the Interlocking/Vardon Grip…..and I am not sure why. Sam Bairstow (6 DP Tour Top 10 finishes) and Matt McCarty (most recently T14 at Augusta) both use a Baseball Grip obviously to good effect. Additionally, the most recent World Amateur Number 1, and now PGA Tour Pro Michael Thorbjornsen utilises a Baseball Grip, and his recent college coach attributes his driving distance down to his Baseball Grip (He sits as the 4th longest hitter on the PGA Tour this season averaging 316 yards!)

If you ask the golfers named above, they will each have their own individual reasons for holding the club in the way that they do. Is one right and the other wrong, NO. It is what works for them!

I know of golfers that grip the club completely the opposite way to the conventional approach, so for the right-handed golfer, their left hand is the lowest on the handle. This particular method is often used by junior golfers picking up a club for the first time. I hypothesise that it happens because of strength, or the lack of it, at that particular age - something which usually corrects itself as the golfer grows.

What scares me is when I hear fellow golfers, or observers (who may or may not play golf!) on the range or practice area next to this individual say to them that they must change their grip and hold it like this - WOW!

I have just ONE rule when it comes to holding the golf club.

“I have no preference on which TYPE of grip you use, just as long as you are able to control the club and the clubface throughout the swing”

Let's try to remember that your grip will be individual to you, based on your own personal preferences and physical abilities and limitations.

I will finish this week by saying the following:

If anyone, be it a Professional golfer, a playing partner or a friend says that you MUST hold the club in a particular way, but is unable to provide you with any evidence that would support any change in your current grip, I can only suggest that you walk away, and ignore what you is being said.

Sounds a bit extreme I know, but unless you can confirm what you are being told, it will only lead to confusion, uncertainty and a guaranteed decline in your golfing performance.

Remember, we are not robots that are all programmed to do the same thing as the next person - we would live in a pretty boring world if that were the case!