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| Marvin Lerman |
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The more I work on my swing, the more I appreciate the fundamentals that shape it. I probably spend more time fine-tuning the quality of my grip and set-up position than I do checking anything else. It may be the most irritating and tedious thing to learn, but as Ben Hogan once wrote, “the grip is the heartbeat of the action of the golf swing.”
A sound grip makes for a secure coupling between you and the club. With a sense of control must come a sense of freedom. The coupling must be flexible enough for your wrists to hinge without restriction, and yet firm enough to work as a unit, joined together in such a way that they are able to conduct great club-head speed with a driver one minute and a delicate touch with a wedge the next.
Fitting the Left Hand
One of the common mistakes that golfers make when placing the left hand on the club is running the shaft too high in the palm. That causes all sorts of trouble because it effectively leaves you with a grip that won’t hinge properly. An easy trick around this is to let your left arm hang down by your side and, with the club-head sitting on the ground facing the target, lay the shaft in your fingers (which you will notice curl inwards). This encourages the golfer to set the club low in the palm and more in the fingers- a natural healthy balance.
Make sure the leading edge of the club-face and the back of your hand are parallel; the shaft should run diagonally through the first joint of the forefinger to a point just below the base of the little finger. Secure the left-hand grip with the last three fingers, effectively trapping the club against the fleshy pad at the base of your thumb. The little finger, in particular, entwines itself firmly around the shaft, and that seems to bond all three together. You should now be able to hinge your wrists and waggle the club head freely without any loosening of the fingers on your left hand. Remember, for optimum feel and club-head control, you should squeeze firmly, but never tightly.
Fitting the Right Hand
Uppermost in my mind when fitting the right hand is making sure that the palm of my hand is perfectly square to the club face, just as I expect it to be at impact. With fingers spread, the right hand covers and fits against the left like a piece of jigsaw. The club rests in the channel that is created as the second and third fingers curl under the shaft; these are the key pressure pints on your right hand.
The left thumb has a ready-made niche beneath the fleshy pad at the base of the right thumb. To enhance this snug feeling, exert a little downward pressure on top of the left thumb with the lifeline area on the right hand. This seals the grip nicely. I favor the overlapping Vardon grip, whereby the little finger on the right hand rides piggy-back on the left hand, nestling on the ridge that is created between the first and second fingers. This is the PRO’s choice; it makes for a grip that promotes a good feel, and at the same time encourages the hands to work as a cohesive unit.
Completing the Grip
With hands suitably joined, complete the grip by triggering your right forefinger into position, hooking it around the shaft until it lightly brushes the tip of your right thumb. In so doing, immediately you should be struck by the sensitivity in your right hand. Waggle the club head back and forth and you will appreciate this potential for power and control. Remember, your right hand mirrors the club face; it’s your primary source of feel. Try to maintain a fairly light, silky pressure between your right forefinger and thumb; a good hand action demands it.
Work on forming and reforming your grip as often as you can. Even five minutes a day is worthwhile. Repetition is the key to consistency.
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