How to Hold a Golf Club

Holding a golf club correctly is essential for playing well and avoiding injuries. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hold a golf club properly:

1. Choose the Right Grip

There are three main types of golf grips:

• The Overlapping Grip (Vardon Grip): Most popular among professional golfers. Place the pinkie finger of your trailing hand between the index and middle finger of the leading hand.
• The Interlocking Grip: Good for players with less hand strength or smaller hands. Interlock the pinkie finger of the trailing hand with the index finger of the leading hand.
• The Baseball Grip (Ten Finger Grip): Easiest for beginners. Hold the club like a baseball bat, with all ten fingers on the club.

2. Position Your Hands

• Lead Hand Placement: Position the club in the fingers of your lead hand (the hand closest to the target). The handle should run from the middle of the index finger to the base of the pinkie finger and under the heel of the hand.
• Trailing Hand: Place your trailing hand (the hand farthest from the target) below your lead hand on the club. Ensure that the thumb of the lead hand fits in the lifeline of the trailing hand.

3. Establish the Grip Pressure

Grip pressure is crucial—too tight and you lose flexibility and smoothness; too loose and the club could slip. Hold the club with enough pressure to maintain control without straining your muscles. A common guideline is to grip with a pressure of about 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

4. Align the ‘V’s

When you grip the club, two “V” shapes are formed by the thumb and the forefinger of each hand. These V’s should generally point towards your right shoulder (for right-handed golfers) or left shoulder (for left-handed golfers). This helps ensure that your hands are aligned correctly relative to the clubface.

5. Check Your Grip Regularly

Over time, even during a single session, your grip can shift. Regularly check to ensure your grip hasn’t loosened or shifted, especially after a shot that feels off or when you’ve taken several swings.

6. Practice

Like any part of golf, perfecting your grip takes practice. Use every practice session to reinforce these fundamentals, and consider using grip trainers or grip guides that slip onto the club handle to help maintain the correct positions.

By adhering to these steps, you’ll develop a consistent and effective way to hold your golf club, leading to better control, accuracy, and potentially lowering your scores. If you’re just starting out or adjusting your grip, it might feel a bit unnatural at first, but with practice, it will become second nature.