Golf Club Grip Instruction: Get A Grip!

Most of what makes or breaks a shot happens before the swing. One of the keys to unlocking your golfing potential is making sure that you have a good, tight grip on the club. A little instruction can go a long way in improving your grip.

Think of it this way: the only part of your body that touches the golf club is your hands. This is why your grip is so important. If you're slicing, chances are you have a grip problem.

You have to keep a strong grip, but not too strong. An instructor can show you how to do this; you have to give it about 50% of your strength. This is intuitive, of course. How much is 50%? Instruction can help you to understand just how much pressure you need.

Here are some basic tips for your grip. This is a common type of beginners' grip. You may change your grip over time, but this will at least give you a good start. You can also visit http://www.getgoodatgolf.com to get more tips.

- The club should be held in your left hand. About 60% of your finger surface should be touching the handle. As a general guideline, this should be the last three fingers of your left hand, depending on how big your hands are.

- The callous pad that you wear on your left hand should be above the grip. This is really important; you shouldn't have it next to the grip.

- Have your left thumb next to the right side of the grip. Your thumb and index finger should form a V.

- You have to close your right hand over the left thumb, and take hold of the left side of the grip. It is difficult to understand this without some physical instruction on how to do it properly.

- Finally, keep your grip tight, but keep your arm muscles relaxed.

It sounds complicated, doesn't it? Well, it is, and for best results you need a little instruction, even if it's just a few pointers on how to do it. No amount of diagrams and videos can show you completely how to do it correctly; you have to really feel it.

However, there are some training tools you can use. You can buy trainer grips that will help you figure out how to grip your club if you're a first time golfer. They retail for about $10 and come with instructions and tips.

You can also get golf tips and tutorial videos. If you don't have time to take golf lessons with a certified instructor, this might be a good way to help you get your grip worked out.

The most common grip is the ten-finger grip, although some of the pros, such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, use an interlocking grip. This is a tricky one to get just right, and it's not very common. But, it works for them!

Every golfer's grip is slightly different from the next. And, lots of golfers gradually change their grip over time, when they find something new that works well for them. Find the grip that works for you and stick with it, but always keep your eyes open for new ideas.