It all starts with a proper golf grip! Of the many different parts, the grip is considered by many to be the most crucial element of playing golf. As important as the grip is, it is one of the most straightforward to perfect, if you follow the basic rules we have outlined below. This Quick & Easy Guide for Beginners is basic by design to avoid the trap of overthinking when you hit the course. We want you to get the fundamentals right helping create a stable base you can use every round on the golf course.
Use your Finger Creases
When you grip the golf club, begin with the left hand for the right-handed golfers, and the right for the left-handed golfers. Imagine how you pick up a suitcase, where the suitcase handle aligns where your fingers meet your palm.
You are looking for the same feeling with the grip of the club. With your hand palm side up, rest the club, following the line between your fingers and palm. The picture to the right gives an example of the start of the proper grip
Use the V Method
There’s a golf tip to position your hands on the club. Use the V created by your thumb and forefinger to line up to your trailing shoulder. Aligning the V to your trailing shoulder will create a “neutral grip” position. A different alignment can create a “strong” or “weak” grip. For the beginner, focus on perfecting the neutral grip first. Let’s keep things simple.
In the first illustration showing the V method, you can see the arrow created from your thumb and index finger. In the second illustration, you can see a similar line for your other hand. If it helps, you can use a sharpie to draw a line on your golf glove to help with the alignment. When looking down on your grip, picture the line pointing directly to your trailing shoulder. Once you are happy that your hands a correctly aligned, another simple hack is using a reference point on your grip to replicate the same positioning each time.
I use the thumb of my dominant hand and try to position it to the same spot for each swing. It is generally useful when you have a pattern on your grip that can provide a reference point. The trick to golf is consistency. We need to be able to copy the same sequence for each golf shot.
Use the Knuckles
After using the V method, you should find that your hands are correctly aligned; however, perception is a peculiar thing. While you may think you have the perfect alignment, you may be slightly off based on your point of view. To boost alignment, position your glove so you can see the first two knuckles when looking down on your grip. Some say it’s two and a half knuckles, but it should be somewhere in that vicinity.
Interlocking Grip vs Overlapping Grip vs Baseball Grip
There are several methods to connect your two hands on the grip. You overlap the pinky finger of your trailing hand to the index finger on your glove, interlock the pinky and index fingers, or use a baseball grip where the two hands butt together. There is no right or wrong approach here. The advice is to do what feels natural. Once you have found the method that suits you, stick with it to build that consistency.
Pressure
The final consideration for the grip is the amount of grip pressure you direct to your hands holding the club. When starting, there’s an impulse to use a strong grip in fear of the club flying away when you swing, don’t do this. You need to hold the club securely, but not forcibly. On one of the few lessons I had with a pro, the guidance was to apply pressure at around 6/10. Ten on this scale would see your fingers white, and forearm muscles clenched. You need to keep a relaxed grip that will help with a smooth swing plane when you come to hit the ball.
Bring it all Together
When starting, focus solely on these basics. There’s a lot more to the grip to help control different types of shots; however, the secret is not over to complicate things when you first start. Resist that temptation to google different types of grips hours on end. Any changes should be gradual. We want that consistency to hit the same swing over and over. Continual tinkering can be annoying and mentally frustrating.
You can practice all of these tips at home to get the proper golf grip, with no need to travel to the driving range. In our next session, we will look at alignment where we line the club face to golf ball and the target. We can’t promise you’ll be the next Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus; however, we will help build a solid, reliable golf swing.
Training Aids for the Proper Golf Grip
There’s a lot of training aids in the market targeting the beginner golfer. Some are gimmicks, while others will help develop the foundations of the grip we discussed above. One of the most common is the SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer. I used this initially when I started, but to be honest, I found the tips above more helpful.
The SKLZ Tempo and Grip Trainer goes one step further and combines the grip with the tempo for your swing. The tempo is something we will look at when we discuss the swing plane. Combining these two skills can help drill good habits.
I would not recommend relying on training aids too much. They can help, but when you are on the course, it’s just you and the club. Practice and game time will give you the biggest boost. Good luck out there and leave a comment below with any feedback.
