Hold it Right - Without doubt, the golf grip is perhaps the single greatest challenge faced by the casual golfer. Your grip is your only point of contact with the club and unless you get it right you will be sorely challenged to improve your game. Yes! Proper Hand set-up is crucial for your stroke.
Proper Positioning - Firstly, you must ensure the club grip is ahead of the ball with the club grip initially in alignment with your leading hip. If you are a right-handed golfer, the left will be your leading hip. Switch if you are a leftie. This positioning will ensure that the angle of the iron face is optimal for contact with the ball and for transference of the maximum amount of energy on impact. Grip more with Your Fingers - Proper positioning will also allow you to grip more with your fingers than with the palm of your hand. Your result will be less tension, especially at the upper end of your swing arc. If you avoid the common mistake of griping the club too much in the palm of your hand, you will have much more power in your stroke. Power strokes come from relaxed muscles and by gripping more with the fingers you will enjoy more dexterity in controlling the club and more refinement in your feel.
The More Relaxed the Better - Sometimes, when we are anxious about a shot, we can squeeze just that little bit too hard. Tension is insidious and before you know, it can creep up your arms and into your shoulders. Unhappily, this can result in the overuse of certain muscles and the overall action of your swing is not as relaxed or effective. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hardest you can comfortably grip, aim for a normal grip pressure of about 5 or 6. A more relaxed grip will give you a faster club head speed on impact and you can look forward to enjoying those awesome long drives A Yoga Trick for You - You can more easily maintain a state of focused relaxation by taking long slow deep breaths as you set up. Breathe in and out through your nose with the tip of your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth (a yoga trick). This automatically cultivates your body's natural relaxation response and you will be surprised at how much greater ease you enjoy in your swing.
Choose Your Grip Type - In order of popularity, there are 3 common grip types: Overlapping, Interlocking, and Ten Finger (a.k.a. the baseball grip).
** In the overlapping grip, you place the little finger of your trailing hand between the index and second finger of your lead hand. Rest the lead hand thumb in the lifeline of the trailing hand.
** With the interlocking grip, hook the little finger of your the trailing hand under and around the index finger on the lead hand. Tuck the lead hand thumb in the lifeline of the trailing hand.
** The ten finger grip is as it sounds, with 10 fingers in perfect contact with the handle. Grip the club with the lead hand and position your trailing hand so that your little finger is right smack against the index finger of the lead hand. Tuck the lead hand thumb under the lifeline of the trailing hand.
Listen to Your Body - Everyone's different, so you should experiment, to find the most effective grip-type for you. You should always seek optimal comfort and listen to the natural intelligence of your own body when discovering what's best for you. No mater which grip type you prefer, watch that the V.s of both hands (formed by the index finger and the thumb) point between the chin and the right shoulder. If you look down at your grip, the knuckles of the index and middle finger of your lead hand should be clearly visible. Finally, check that your grip is properly aligned with the clubface and rotate the shaft to make any necessary corrections.
Good Wrist Action - is the automatic result of a good grip. Your wrists can move in two directions during the golf swing. Forward/ backward motion in the direction of the swing is known as "breaking". "Hinging" refers to the upwards/downwards motion. Your goal is to eliminate breaking at all costs and to naturally create the proper hinging action as a result of proper grip. It's simple! If you ensure the back of your lead hand remains flat with respect to the back of your leading forearm, the proper hinging action will effortlessly and automatically result.
A Great Foundation - Your grip is your foundation to a great game of golf. So remember to position your club correctly and start with the club grip ahead of the ball. Cultivate a relaxed feel in your grip and enjoy the natural "chill" response from breathing properly. Choose the grip type that's right for you. Watch your Vs and enjoy effortlessly good wrist action. Remember, your game is all about fun and relaxation and with these simple pointers you can look forward to many days of enhanced driving pleasure on the fairway.
Aidan Sugrue is a Golf Enthusiast and creator of http://www.hotgolfsecrets.com/ the Internet's hottest resource for free golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
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