The Grip – lead hand

Jesse Grewal

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If the club face is open at impact it would create a sliced shot and if closed a hook. A neutral grip would bring the club face square at impact. A neutral grip is when 2-3 knuckles of the lead hand are visible at address. To check whether neutral is 2 or 3 knuckles for yourself hang your left hand by your side in a natural way and grip the club without turning the arm or arching the wrist (picture 1). The wrist would be slightly cupped with the left thumb and index finger at the same level. If the wrist arches downwards the thumb goes lower than the index finger. In an ideal grip we should have a ‘short thumb’, which means that the thumb and index finger remain at the same level. The fingers of the left hand would lie oblique to the club with a small gap between the index and middle finger. Do not try to get the fingers at right angle to the club. This brings the club into the palm of the left hand.

Another way is to swing your left arm up in front of you with the palm facing downwards. Extend the fingers and let the thumb stay by the side with no gap between the top of the thumb and the hand (picture 2). Then wrap the fingers around the grip maintaining the position of the hand (picture 3); 2-3 knuckles of the left hand would be visible with the ‘v’ pointing between the right collar bone and the right shoulder. Ben Hogan advocate taking the club and holding it be placing it under the thumb pad and the index finger in a triggered position (picture 4). Once the club is placed like this should you wrap the remaining fingers around the grip.

Get a neutral lead hand grip to improve your accuracy and reduce the curvature of the balls flight.

(Grewal has coached several national champions and professionals apart from being coach of the Indian golf team for the Eisenhower Cup (World Cup) in 2008. He is currently the Director of National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy. If you have any queries get in touch with him at parexcellence@tribunemail.com