Golf Grip Technique Help

by Samir
(USA)

Hi,
I been playing golf for 2 years, not good though, the problem I have is squaring my clubface at impact. I need help with the grip. I am lefty playing right handed, sorry, can not change my habit.

My left side is obviously stronger than my right side especially the left hand. Please help me with my grip so it can balance both hands better to work more like one unit. I am 35 years old with a small built. Thanks for your help.

Hi Samir,

Welcome to the club! I am also left handed, and play right handed, and I can relate to what you are saying here. There are many great players who are also left handed and playing right handed. For example, Nick Faldo.

Golf is neither a left or right side dominant game. We need to use both sides of our bodies to play good golf. If you have two perfectly useful hands then use both as equally as possible is my advice.

The advantages of being left side dominant and playing right handed is that you already have a strong side to hit against.

Make a start by checking your grip position of both hands. You may need to experiment with some minor adjustments till you find what is right for you.

How strong you are in your hands will determine the best position each hand should be on the club.

Start with a neutral grip

where the palms of both hands are facing each other and are also parallel to the club face. The right hand fits very snug against the left thumb as I have illustrated on this page.

The closer the hands feel together the more likely they will work as one unit.

Now, take up your address, swing back and down to impact and stop there. Check to see if you have allowed the clubface to rotate square when it reaches impact.

If the club face is still open, then your grip pressure in both hands could be too tight and you are not allowing the hands to naturally release the club head in the down swing squarely into impact.

When you have released correctly, your left arm and club will almost be in a straight line at impact and the clubface will be square to the intended target. It is the right hand that controls the clubface position.

Should a neutral grip position not square your club face position at impact, make your left hand grip a little stronger by turning it one notch over to the right side of the club face. Looking down onto your left hand while in an address position you will then be able to see both knuckles of the first and second finger of your left hand quite clearly.

This left hand position will help to close the clubface more naturally into impact by rotating anti clockwise. Take a look at this page to see the difference of a correct placement and wrong placement of the left hand on the grip.

If none of the above are working for you Samir, then it is likely that you shoulders are too dominant (turning prematurely) in the down swing.

This will prevent you from getting a natural hands release. Check to see if your shoulders are square to your target when you are in the impact position.

Let me know how you are progressing and hope this article helps you.