Golf grip problems

[Desi2007]

I head read/seem countless books/pictures about the golf grip. I think it is the most important part of the golf swing. I have the ben hogan book showing in detail how the grip should be. I have short game bible by pelz. Total golf etc etc many other books and web sites. I am still struggling with my grip. Some people say it should be in the fingers.....or accross the base of the fingers. I think that is still too vague. Where exactly should it begin from? middle point of forefinger? first joint of forefinger? or third?
Where should it end? base of pinky finger? little higher? base of hand pad?
Should the left hand (for right handers) be rotated to the right little bit? There are so many conflicting pieces of advice that it gets so confusing. You read an article in golf magagine that contracts another article altogether.
So if anyone has any good advice, I would be greatful for any insight they could provide with the grip.

[hogannut]

Ironically I have been struggling with my grip too. Most books don't address the fact that the hands are in fact a mirror image of each other. Now I have smaller hands than most (I wear a cadet small glove size) so if you have bigger hands maybe a little less in the fingers would be correct, but for me I try to put the butt of the club at the base of my pinky and run it across my fingers so that my index finger supports the club at knuckle of the finger. I then tyr to lift my hand up and over so it sits on top of the shaft. As per most books....the "V" points somewhere around your right eye.

THe right hand grip intersects the exact same way on the right hand and the hand sits on top of the left thumb.

EQUAL OPPOSITION!

If you are wearing a hole in your glove in the palm then you are holding the club to much in the palm of your hand.

[Desi2007]

I have small hands too. Mine being medium or medium large cadet (short/stubby fingers). Its funny how you go from automatic/no problem grip to start struggling with it as if you never knew how to properly hold a club. Last 2-3 years it been a struggle. Sometimes the irons work and the driver does not and vice versa. I score anywhere from 74-94 mostly being in the mid 80s. I havent been feeling comfortable with my grip as it has been very inconsistent from day to day. Yesterday as Angus Glen, I drive was beautiful 260-290 down the middle, another all over the place. I will try holding the club in the fingers as you suggested and then bring the left hand over to right to make it sit on top of the shaft. Lets hope that works. Gonna play angus Glen north today at 5pm. Will go to range beforehand and try it out. Got a tournament this weekend.

[cdnputter]

A hole in your glove could also be from holding the club in your palms, rather than in your fingers. It could also be from regripping in your backswing, a good friend does this, due to his playing college level baseball in the States.

For me, also with small hands, I try to hide my left thumb when I overlap my right hand onto the grip. I also find that I need to start the right hand wrap by keeping the hand straight and putting the outer pads on the grip, then wrapping over. It takes a little getting used to but I've been hitting it solid, and can adjust to hit slight fades or my natural draw.

When I'm not hitting shots cleanly, I'll look down at address and try to see two knuckles on my left hand and two on my right. Hooks for me come from seeing 3 knuckles on the left. Hope this helps.

[Desi2007]

Good points all. For all the experts out there...

should there be gap between the left thumb and left forefinger when the clubs is gripped? or

should the thumb and forefinger be tight together?

I often have to conscientously fight the tendency for draw or hooks.

[Desi2007]

Good news. I seem to have found my grip back. I been hitting everything sold-irons-hydrid. However, I am still struggling with my driving. Very sporadic hitting. no distance...duck hooks,pop ups,some straight but very inconsistent. Obviously, I am doing something wrong....Gotta figure something it out. This problem is happening only with the driver. Today, I hit more greens than fairways at angus glen north (9 greens, 8fairways). I lost the tournament because I couldn't drive...took some penalties. Gonna need some advice as to what to look for.....any suggestions?

[hogannut]

Good points all. For all the experts out there...

should there be gap between the left thumb and left forefinger when the clubs is gripped? or

should the thumb and forefinger be tight together?

I often have to conscientously fight the tendency for draw or hooks.

NO GAP!!!! Look at the Hogan 5 fundamentals book. His thumb and index finger are together. Close that gap....you are not gripping it correctly if there is a gap.

Do you wear a hole out in the palm of your glove? IF so you are holding the club to much in your palms. Go look at David Leadbetters books, he shows a good in the fingers grip. It has worked for me so far.:shhh:

[guitarman]

NO GAP!!!! Look at the Hogan 5 fundamentals book. His thumb and index finger are together. Close that gap....you are not gripping it correctly if there is a gap.

Do you wear a hole out in the palm of your glove? IF so you are holding the club to much in your palms. Go look at David Leadbetters books, he shows a good in the fingers grip. It has worked for me so far.:shhh:

I have gotten my grip so that I no longer wear out my palm but lately I have been getting a blister on my right thumb. (I'm left handed)

[hogannut]

Your blister is a good thing. YOur skin will toughen up. You should wear a hole in the thumb before the palm of you glove if you are gripping correctly. SInce I have moved the club more into my fingers of my left hand (right hand for you guys who play backwards!) my glove has not worn any further in the palm. I also like the direction the V's are now pointing compared to before.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!

[guitarman]

Your blister is a good thing. YOur skin will toughen up. You should wear a hole in the thumb before the palm of you glove if you are gripping correctly. SInce I have moved the club more into my fingers of my left hand (right hand for you guys who play backwards!) my glove has not worn any further in the palm. I also like the direction the V's are now pointing compared to before.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!

Thanks. I was wondering if the blister on the thumb was something I was doing wrong. I was wearing the palm out and I knew that was wrong. Maybe this is why I've started to hit more fairways with my driver.

[Desi2007]

My iron grip is fine now. I never had any holes in the palm of my glove. I had a hole at the top of my thumb (left hand). Grip seems to be fine now ...except for the driver.....i am not feeling comfortable with my driver in the hand...all other clubs are fine from wedges to hybrid. I may need a lesson as I been struggling with my driver for couple of years off & on.

[Swenard]

I have been wearing through a glove, in the palm, at the base of the thumb, every single game!

Does anyone know why this is?

[hogannut]

THe wear point on the glove is on the thumb itself, not the base. I don't know what causes the glove to wear out at the BASE of the thumb, but I would assume it's still to much in the palm of your hand. Keep playing with it!!

Thanks. I was wondering if the blister on the thumb was something I was doing wrong. I was wearing the palm out and I knew that was wrong. Maybe this is why I've started to hit more fairways with my driver.

I would think you analysis is correct. Glad to hear you are putting it in play more now!!:D

[nearace]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmK07gRcVo0&eurl=http://ultimate-golf-blog.blogspot.com/2007/11/golf-instructional-video-grip.html great video

[hannah]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmK07gRcVo0&eurl=http://ultimate-golf-blog.blogspot.com/2007/11/golf-instructional-video-grip.html great video

That's a great video Nearace!.:)

[nearace]

slow day at work lol.

[hannah]

slow day at work lol.

Couple more days of rain would clean up some of those courses so you can go out, looks like by the w/end you might be playing again.:D

[cornerstone]

Grip is the only thing I work on and it is almost a science in itself.I think that after literally years of working on it I have conquered it.
The thing that finally dawned on me was that the club can be gripped correctly by some fingers in either hand while incorrectly by others in the same hand....this makes for problems.
The bottom line is getting the last 3 fingers of the glove hand on in a diagonal manner.
The last two pretty much do it naturally the middle has to be adjusted to be diagonal.
There is more but things get easier after dealing with this.

[nearace]

Couple more days of rain would clean up some of those courses so you can go out, looks like by the w/end you might be playing again.:Dthats what I was thinking,looking forward to a week in florida leaving next thursday:)

[hannah]

thats what I was thinking,looking forward to a week in florida leaving next thursday:)


:( :( :( , my wife said since I'm changing jobs it looks like I won't be able to take time to go away at Xmas, so she says do I mind if she takes Hannah to Miami!! for a few days for a break,!!!! oh well, looks like some people will get a break, I guess I might have to play more golf next year.:D :D :hyper: Have a great time in florida. Tom.

[Desi2007]

Seen that video before. You guys are right. The grip is so hard to master...its not even funny. You might think you have it right ....however, it makes a hell of lot of difference by tweaking it here n there. Having the right grip makes everything is easy. Towards the end of the year...my grip was getting a lot better....but still not perfect. I would hit great drives ....but my irons were suffering. I think I have it figured out now......have to see the results in real life for extended period of time where it counts to believe it. Even if you have it right....you can still lose it....its an ongoing struggle.

[TourIQ]

I also like the direction the V's are now pointing compared to before. NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!hogannut, do you want to eloborate on where the V's should point and thanks :D

[cornerstone]

I have been wearing through a glove, in the palm, at the base of the thumb, every single game!

Does anyone know why this is?

you must be holding the club in the palm instead of the fingers and not have it pressed up against the heel of the hand.
Hogan says the club goes through the palm of the left hand but fails to say that there is a very specific part of the palm it must pass if you use his method.It cant be just anywhere.
The better option is the fingers

[cdnputter]

hogannut, do you want to eloborate on where the V's should point and thanks :D

Harry,

Hold your hands at your waist, just let them hang naturally. Look down and see where the V from your thumb-index pad points... that's where it should point when holding the club. That's also the most relaxed position in which to hold a club, I've found it lead to more accurate ball striking, for me anyways. :cookoo:

[bk51]

Here's another really good grip video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYYYfFDTZrk&feature=related

With a Distance grip (in the fingers of the left hand) and a neutral position (snuff box on top of the club), you can see two knuckles of the left hand and the V of the left hand points toward the right ear. The right hand goes on parallel to the left, in the fingers of the right hand. That V also points toward the right ear.

Both V's always point to the same spot, otherwise your hands are not working in unison. To me, that's the problem with Hogan's grip, the right hand V seems to point farther left than the left hand V, and both V's are way too left for the average golfer. Here's an article from Golf Magazine that says the same thing, http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1565296,00.html

[dekker]

Here's another really good grip video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYYYfFDTZrk&feature=related

With a Distance grip (in the fingers of the left hand) and a neutral position (snuff box on top of the club), you can see two knuckles of the left hand and the V of the left hand points toward the right ear. The right hand goes on parallel to the left, in the fingers of the right hand. That V also points toward the right ear.

Both V's always point to the same spot, otherwise your hands are not working in unison. To me, that's the problem with Hogan's grip, the right hand V seems to point farther left than the left hand V, and both V's are way too left for the average golfer. Here's an article from Golf Magazine that says the same thing, http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1565296,00.html

Your description of the distance grip is a slightly modified neutral grip, with its light stress on the shaft resting in the fingers. This will encourage or permit a freer hinging and unlock the wrists for the extra distance.

Hogan's grip was very personal. The left hand's "V" pointed to his chin and his right was more on top as well because he played a very slight fade.
This is obviously different than many teachers advocate because most students would hit a pronounced slice with such a weak grip. Hogan had very fast strong hands and forearms and never had a problem squaring the clubface with that weak grip. Another player that had a similar weak grip was Johnny Miller and he probably hit the straightest irons of all time.

[cornerstone]

When i have my hands on the club correctly ,i just have to rotate my wrists to make my grip appear weak or strong.The actual grip never changes.