The Grip-

To increase clubhead speed you need to have light grip pressure.  If your hands are gripping the club too tightly then you won’t be able to swing freely.  Tension kills speed. Spend a few minutes today thinking and working on your grip.  You can perfect your grip while you watch TV.  Do a few drills and make a few practice swings while you watch TV and you will get comfortable with any changes you have to make in no time.

Everything you do before you swing determines how well your shot will turn out. You need to review the basics no matter what level golfer you are. Only once you have a solid and consistent set up can you develop other areas of your game like consistency and power.

Spend as much time as you possibly can working on perfecting your set up.  Check your grip, posture and ball position.  Once you have corrected any flaws, then you will want to rehearse setting up in the correct position.  This is something you can do inside or away from the golf course.  It only takes a few minutes to work on these basic fundamentals.

Grip Essentials

Nobody’s hands are the same, so you grip might not be the same as your fellow player’s, but that doesn’t mean it is wrong. How you join your hands together is up to you. There are three basic grip choices to find one that best suits you. Use whatever grip feels comfortable to you. Most importantly, use the grip that helps you square the clubface at impact with the least effort. Experiment with your grip by hitting balls with the different grips to see what works best.

The Vardon Grip: The most widely used grip by golf professionals is called the Vardon grip, named after the grip’s inventor, Harry Vardon. This is where you piggyback the pinkie finger of your right hand on top of the forefinger of your left hand.

The Interlocking Grip: The interlocking grip is where you interlock the pinkie finger of the right hand with the forefinger of the left hand.

Baseball or 10-Finger Grip: This is where all 10 fingers are securely on the shaft, as if you were holding a baseball bat.

Learn to waggle

It is important to get the correct grip pressure before each swing, to keep your swing consistent.

Place your hands on the club and hold the club head just below waist high. The club head should feel heavy. If it feels light, you are gripping way too tightly and your won’t be able to release the club face and hit a good shot.  Make sure the grip pressure is the same in each hand, not tighter in one than the other. Keep the grip pressure the same throughout your swing. Don’t tighten or loosen your hands at the top of your swing, especially not at impact. Learn to waggle. A waggle is a little motion each golfer does before hitting to ensure proper grip pressure and take tension out of her hands and arms. Hold the club above the ground just below waist high. Now make small, controlled clockwise circles with the club head, making sure that your hands stay securely on the shaft. The club head should feel heavy. If it feels light, you are holding it too tightly.  When you are confident that your grip pressure is just right, you are ready to place the club head behind the ball and swing.

Consult your local PGA or LPGA Teaching Professional about your grip.  If you don’t have access to a teaching professional, video tape or take a picture of your grip and email it to me for a free evaluation. KPJ@swingbladegolf.com.