The most common mistake golfers make is that the hands work against each other. You can check this by noting the position of the V’s formed by the thumb and first finger of each hand while holding the club. What usually occurs is the front hand V points toward the front shoulder and the back hand V points toward the back shoulder; thus, the hands work against each other. Once the V’s point at about the same spot, somewhere between the back shoulder and back ear, the hands will begin to work together. (Be aware of your hand pressure–light and equal.Hand pressure will be reviewed at the end of this section.)
Front Hand Position
With the club head on the ground, hold your front hand out with the thumb against the side of the palm. Try to keep the thumb solid against the side of the hand, from the base of the thumb down to the knuckle, at all times.
Next, point your fingers at the ground with golf club handle next to your palm. Make sure the grip goes diagonally across the first knuckle of your first finger and across the top of the little finger at the base of the palm. Once in this handshake-like position, the back of the front hand and your clubface should point in the same direction.
Now close your hand around the handle. The front thumb should rest on the backside of center of the grip, remembering to keep the thumb and the first finger-palm touching from the thumb knuckle up; thus forming the V in your front hand. Pay careful attention that the V created by the thumb and first finger points to a spot somewhere between the back eye and back shoulder.
Back Hand Position
Follow the same procedure for preparing to hold the club as you did with the front hand. With the thumb against the side of the hand, begin your back hand placement.
Reach down and take hold of the club in your second and third fingers between the first and second knuckles. Next, close the hand around the handle and front hand. The front thumb should fit between the two pads of the back-hand palm. You will notice that when you wrap the rest of the fingers around the club you will be holding the club in the fingers and the palm on a
diagonal. The back-hand’s forefinger and thumb should also touch down to the joint of the thumb and the V formed by this should point to the same place that the front-hand V points.
When the rest of the fingers are wrapped around the club, the first three fingers are on the club. The placement of the little finger of the back hand determines which one of the accepted “grip” variations you use and with which you are comfortable.
Grip Variations (Accepted Hand Positions)
There are several accepted hand position variations. Each is distinguished by what is done with the little finger of the back hand. Some of these are described below:
1. Vardon Overlap
With the Vardon overlap, the little finger of the back hand lays on top of and between the first and second finger of the front hand. This is considered a power grip. It is the most widely accepted and used grip.
2. Interlocking
We do not encourage the use of this grip because it forces the club too high into the back- hand palm. With the club in this position it requires too much pressure to keep it from slipping. Too much pressure causes tension and tightness which prevents the hands from working freely.
3. Baseball
Also called the ten finger, the baseball grip is usually used by people and juniors with very small hands or when the club is too heavy. Let all the fingers of both hands hold the club. Make sure you keep the club diagonal in both hands with equal pressure and maintain the thumbs-to-palm (the V relationship) correct. Also recommended for golfers with arthritis.
4. Over-Lock
This is the same as the overlap except for the fact that you place the back-hand little finger into the space between the first and second fingers of the front hand. The tip of the back- hand little finger actually rests on the grip. This was made famous by the Australian golfer Greg Norman.
Regardless of what you do with your back-hand little finger, you must remember to hold the club more towards the fingers than the palm. A palm grip creates too much tension because it takes too much pressure to maintain control of the club. With the club held in combination with the fingers and palm you can maintain a light but secure grip. Remember, tension and over-control are two of the biggest killers of a productive golf swing.
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