Grip

[Bama Duffer]

I had an interesting experience this weekend that I'm trying to come to terms with. For the past year or so, I've been consciously weakening my grip, so much so that my left thumb was pretty much on top of the grip. I do this to fix my tendency to hook.

This weekend I played Emerald Bay in Destin, Florida. On the range before the round, my shots were all over the place. In desperation right before our tee time I tried hitting with a strong grip, left thumb about a quarter turn to the right side of the grip. My next shot was straight as an arrow. I hit a few others with the same result. My shots even seemed to go 5 - 10 yard farther. Except the driver. I still had to use a weak grip to hit it reasonably straight.

I played this way, even though my hands felt way out of place. Shot 44 on the front 9. Not bad for me, especially after making such a drastic change. On the back 9, everything fell apart and I finished with a 97 for the day. But I was curious about the grips others here on the site use. Strong, weak, neutral? Or do you just place your hands comfortably on the club?

I know set up is a major part of the game, but the alteration I made was huge for me. Next time I play, I'll at least start out with a strong grip and hope to work on driver with this grip. That was the only change I made, and the results were surprisingly good.

[Loop]

I started playing with a weak grip. My irons were straight, but all my drives were slice, fade. Sometimes I'd hit a draw, but that was rare.
6 weeks ago, I changed to a strong grip, left thumb at North East. Now my drives are straight or fade. Sometimes I pull the ball because I'm out to in. Also have a tendency now to pull hook my irons.

In analysis, I prefer the strong grip, because it requires much less thought and is easier in squaring the clubface. The weak grip requires some forearms manipulation and more timing. Ben Hogan had a weak grip, because he hooked the ball.

[Bravo]

BD:

I would recommend having a professional evaluate everything you are doing now because changes in grip can be related to the way you set up to the ball and swing. It is very tough for us to be able to give you good advice without seeing all three factors work together....

[MAHALLEDAY]

I use a neutral to stronf grip somewhere in between. I perfer staright to drawing ball flight. If i want to TRY to hit a fade i weaken it just pas neutral. As a rule I try to stay as neutral as i can. Its most comfortable and just chanign your grip either super stroong or weak is a bandiad fix to a bad swing at best. I have never actualy seen someone play suddenly better just by changin their grip.

[Bama Duffer]

Loop, I think your comment about manipulating the swing hits on my thoughts. My swing tends to be inconsistent and I wonder if struggling to return the club face square has contributed to that inconsistency. I play again Thursday and I'll give it another try.

I'm not trying to say that this is the solution to all swing problems, or even the total solution to my own difficulties. I have had a few pros look at my swing and they've all told me I have pretty good fundamentals. But something is wrong somewhere. Perhaps moving my grip slightly has helped.

[Bama Duffer]

So much for strong grip as my holy grail. I played last Thursday and was inconsistent on the front nine, then had six pars on the back nine, including the last five holes. This is it, I thought. Went out yesterday and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn all day long. Man, I hate this game!

[JuniorGolf]

I started off at lessons and was told not to grip the club hard as it resulted in hook hook hook.
Stood up on tee, hands comfortably on grip and gripped firm made my swing, couldn't have hit the ball batter so if you ask me, strong grip is better. As long as your swing is correct and stays on line.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by Bama Duffer

So much for strong grip as my holy grail. I played last Thursday and was inconsistent on the front nine, then had six pars on the back nine, including the last five holes. This is it, I thought. Went out yesterday and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn all day long. Man, I hate this game!

BD - get professional help...

I am a 9 index - up from 7 and I can feel my game slipping away. I am enjoying it much much less and do not know what is causing my problems.

Without hesitation I am going for a video lesson today at 5:30...

$50 with a pro might be the best money you can spend now.

[Bama Duffer]

I think lessons is where I'm headed. The ones I've taken, though, have not been particularly good. I took some through a high school extention program years back and the teacher (who I don't think was even a pro, just a guy who built his own clubs), had a particular teaching method that has taken me years to get rid of. Although my wife still uses his method fairly successfully. The other was just last year from a pro I know and like. While it was worthwhile because he improved my putting, his major contribution to the rest of my game was to tell me to slow my swing down. I've heard good comments about some of the local pros, though, so I may contact one of them.

I feel for you, Bravo. Nothing is worse than reaching a point and then falling backwards from it and not knowing why. I've never reached your level, but I can empathize because I'll have a couple of great holes, then simply can't seem to even find the ball with both hands even though everything still feels the same to me. So many small, small things can go wrong. What's affecting your game, as you know, is likely to be something tiny.

[Loop]

Just my point of view, I don't like it when someone says to slow down my swing. I have my own natural tempo where I take my club back naturally at my own speed. What I make sure though is that I do everything in sequence (also called rhythm). For example, I complete my backswing before doing my downswing.
But you can get away with any crappy swing as long as you've got great rhythm and tempo.

[Bama Duffer]

I've got the crappy swing down pat. Now I guess I need to work on my rhythm and tempo.

Seriously, though, I have noticed that if I start my swing forward slower and build speed through impact, I have better control. Not that I'm able to do it on a regular basis. It may be that the pro was telling me to let the speed build. I guess that's sort what you mean by the rhythm of the swing.