I hold the club like I hold my Hurley...

Myerz

Right hand on top, left on bottom! I tried to change but it will take too long I feel! Im not a regular player nor a member of a club and I feel very comfortable with my game and I'm shooting in the 80's consistently! It's like the right ore left has more freedom to the swing than the 'proper' way. What do ye think? Should I really take the time out to change my grip or carry on? I can't find any tips etc on the net about this!

Cheers!!

stockdam

If you are happy then what's the problem. If you want to improve then I'd take the time to learn the standard way. It's not essential but you'll probably hit the ball further with a traditional grip.

derra

I tried to change my grip to the proper grip but just cannot get to grips with it, pardon the pun.
Had always thought i had a good grip till a lesson last year.

I hold the club in the palm of my hand interlocking and that is a weak grip but works for me.
Got a lesson and got a moulded grip onto an old 7 iron but i just can't adapt to it.
It is a very hard to change grip and to trust it. I feel i have more control of my shots with my grip.
I have a couple lessons to go to and i'm going to just concentrate on the grip for the half hour in one of them !
Even though i hit a ball good enough with my own grip, i have at times used the proper grip on some shots but revert back too easily if i hit a bad shot.
Sometimes i would try grip it the proper way but look down and the club head is turned in and i immediately go to my own grip !

When using the proper grip it does feel better when swinging and striking the ball and i will give it another bash at changing as handicap gets lower i will need to be sure of hitting a good ball each time. When i try again i will have to stick at it for few rounds and see how it goes.
So it's a bit of a head melt thinking if some shots would of been better with proper grip etc

For what it's worth it seems alot of players think they have the proper grip but are also holding it wrong, too much in the palm and not the fingers.


Video for you to look at and try it...
http://video.about.com/golf/Grip-a-Golf-Club-Correctly.htm

bogmanfan

I changed years ago, and if I had it over again I'd stick with the hurley grip. The first year with the new grip was a total write-off, couldn't get a feel for short shots at all. I think if you're playing golf for enjoyment (not looking to win competitions) and if you've played for any length of time with hurley grip, just stick with it.

Staff Sergeant

I'm just starting to play golf too. I'm right handed but grip the club with the left hand on the bottom. It feels natural for me to play this way. Don't think I'll try change my grip, don't think it would improve my game that much. Tried Google for info on this, not much info or advice out there.

the lawman

Myerz wrote: »

Right hand on top, left on bottom! I tried to change but it will take too long I feel! Im not a regular player nor a member of a club and I feel very comfortable with my game and I'm shooting in the 80's consistently! It's like the right ore left has more freedom to the swing than the 'proper' way. What do ye think? Should I really take the time out to change my grip or carry on? I can't find any tips etc on the net about this!

Cheers!!

I too am a hurley grip and I too tried to change and it was impossible. Too much muscle and nerve memory to overcome I guess. I play well most of the time and I reckon my GUI handicap will be in or around 16 / 17 so that'll do for start!

Someone once told me that it doesn't really matter what way you hold the top of the club its the position of the club head as it strikes the ball is the important thing.

mr.mickels

Myerz wrote: »

Right hand on top, left on bottom! I tried to change but it will take too long I feel! Im not a regular player nor a member of a club and I feel very comfortable with my game and I'm shooting in the 80's consistently! It's like the right ore left has more freedom to the swing than the 'proper' way. What do ye think? Should I really take the time out to change my grip or carry on? I can't find any tips etc on the net about this!

Cheers!!

there is no "proper" way as such, just what works best and the hurley grip rarely works out very well. It shouldn't take you very long to adjust if you made the effort. Try hitting a lot of balls at the range one handed, using each hand but particularly your left hand. It does work out better with the left hand above to get more power into the downswing, if you are shooting in the 80's on a reasonable length golf course I think you could be a fine player if you worked a few weeks in the range on making the change. The only real trick to changing it is knowing and accepting the new grip is temporarily uncomfortable, and when you reach the top of the backswing don't try to make the new grip comfortable, keep it uncomfortable when hitting the ball at the start, won't take long before it is as comfortable as the hurley grip, and I do expect you will improve.

the lawman

mr.mickels wrote: »

there is no "proper" way as such, just what works best and the hurley grip rarely works out very well. It shouldn't take you very long to adjust if you made the effort. Try hitting a lot of balls at the range one handed, using each hand but particularly your left hand. It does work out better with the left hand above to get more power into the downswing, if you are shooting in the 80's on a reasonable length golf course I think you could be a fine player if you worked a few weeks in the range on making the change. The only real trick to changing it is knowing and accepting the new grip is temporarily uncomfortable, and when you reach the top of the backswing don't try to make the new grip comfortable, keep it uncomfortable when hitting the ball at the start, won't take long before it is as comfortable as the hurley grip, and I do expect you will improve.

Can you elaborate on the first line and in particular 'rarley works out well'?

Not having a go just intrigued as I'm a hurler grip and I've been told not to change.

Germag

I too use the kack handed grip. Started at the age of 42, got my handicap down to 8, have played for my club at all levels of interclub comps and am noe 74 yrs of age with a handicap of 12 and still enjoy compition. There are many others that I know that play this way and have low handicaps. The late Harry McQuillin played off scratch and won the Zambian open as an amatuer kack handed. So just enjoy your golf if it suits you to play this way.

Myerz

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I'll stick to this grip for the summer and I'll keep ye all updated on how I get on, i feel like I can't possibly improve my length as I am a bigger hitter but maybe the new grip may help my accuracy. I'm glad I'm not the only one, Im so reluctant to change because it's such a long daunting task, as Harrington would tell you! Ha!

Carpenter

I had the same grip and changed 4 years ago.
I went to the range one Saturday morning and hit everything but the grass
balls hitting the roof ,over the netting on both sides even hit a tractor a few times.
I went through 3 large buckets of balls and called it a day that night I got this pain in my chest and the doc was called he then got an ambulance for me so it
was off to the hospital for me (I even started saying prayers to himself I thought I was on the way out) after many hours there a doctor asked me what I did for the last 24 hours so I told him (He was a golfer as well) man did he laugh he then gave some tablets to take and sent me home just as I was leaving 7.30am my phone rang and it was 1 of the lads wanting to know did I want a lift to the golf game we had organized the week before (you can guess what I told him to do with his golf LOL) anyway was it worth it YES it was I am now playing better than ever but to avoid all the messing stay the way you are unless you are going to play 3 times a week min.

mr.mickels

the lawman wrote: »

Can you elaborate on the first line and in particular 'rarley works out well'?

Not having a go just intrigued as I'm a hurler grip and I've been told not to change.

Have you seen many PGA pros with the hurley grip? The OP says he shoots in the 80's, if he regularly shot in the 70's he wouldn't think an 80 was any kind of success. If he wants to consistently shoot close to par on a course of reasonable distance he would have better results if he persisted with the left over right grip, as would you...and it was not I who told you not to change!!!

KEN.G

I have been playing with the Hurley grip for around 5 years now on and off and the best I ever got down to was 18 Hcap. So after a lot of looking around on the net and asking around I decided to change to the standard interlock grip.

I was told to keep on playing with the Hurley grip if I wanted to but I felt I wasn't progressing very well and I wanted to rule out the grip as the cause of this. At least if I change the grip and I'm still sh!t I can't blame the grip

I tried to changed the grip on my own but I couldn't even hit the ball off the tee. After I got a lesson and was shown how to grip properly with the left hand on top I am starting to feel comfortable with it. I'm two weeks into the grip change now and I have been up the range every night or even just swinging the club in the back garden to get the feel of it. I haven't hit a ball with the Hurley grip so far and I hope I wont again. I see a summer of hard work ahead but hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

Here's an old link that helped my make up my mind..........

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055283282

mr.mickels

KEN.G wrote: »

I wanted to rule out the grip as the cause of this.

The grip is the most important factor in regularly hitting good shots. Even the pros, who grip the club hundreds of times each day always work on the grip, and when they ever play bad shots the grip is the first thing they look at, and keep working on. Nothing is more important than how you hold the club, the grip is your only point of contact with the club. Many improvers overlook the importance of the basics, any good player understands the basics are the most important points to continually work on.

I was wondering would any smartass start a thread inspired by this titled "I hold the club like I hold my mickey"

k.p.h

mr.mickels wrote: »

"I hold the club like I hold my mickey"

Might be a good swing thought in that

If you change and practice it will make you better. So the real question is do you want to be better..?

Ya might have to put the ol ego to the side for a while though. It can be tough at the start. I switched and it only took a few weeks and I have not thought about it since.

By playing cross handed you pretty much eliminate your chances of becoming a really good golfer, its pretty much a bio mechanics thing. Its extreemly hard to control what you are doing in a efficient way cross handed.

Its not impossible to become really good cross handed but a lot more likely that you will just end up being "good".

Maybe you might have a bit a natural talent or are prepared to put a bit of effort in but I would recommend you switch and fulfill your potential as a golfer :pac:

Screaminmidget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g78z9u_4yMg

Martin567

k.p.h wrote: »

By playing cross handed you pretty much eliminate your chances of becoming a really good golfer, its pretty much a bio mechanics thing. Its extreemly hard to control what you are doing in a efficient way cross handed.

Does anyone know enough about both golf and hurling to explain why the completely opposite grips are conventional in both sports? I understand what you mean by "cross-handed" above and I know that any golfer playing like this will look very unusual.

However, the opposite is true in hurling. Henry Shefflin, Eoin Kelly & Joe Canning are probably the three best free takers of the past decade. All are right handed and hold the hurl with the right hand on top. Look at them taking a free and there is nothing remotely awkward about it. On the other hand, does anyone remember Gary Kirby from Limerick? He was one of the best free takers of the 1990's. However, he held the hurl with the left hand on top and his free-taking style looked horrible despite being very effective. I know a man who can barely look at naturally right handed hurlers who play with the left hand on top. He reckons they shouldn't be allowed out on the field due to their style (or lack of it). My point is that of the players mentioned above, Gary Kirby is the one who appears to be "cross-handed" on the hurling field and not the other way around.

Screaminmidget

Martin567 wrote: »

Does anyone know enough about both golf and hurling to explain why the completely opposite grips are conventional in both sports? I understand what you mean by "cross-handed" above and I know that any golfer playing like this will look very unusual.

Its not conventional in hurling as it effects the way you catch the ball. The whole point of having the right hand on top of the hurl is so that if catch the ball with your left, the hurley is longer and protects your hand better...

Martin567

Screaminmidget wrote: »

Its not conventional in hurling as it effects the way you catch the ball. The whole point of having the right hand on top of the hurl is so that if catch the ball with your left, the hurley is longer and protects your hand better...

I'm aware of that but I was talking about in terms of free-taking which would be the part of hurling most comparable to golf. In the examples I gave, I think the hurler taking the free with his left hand on top is the one who looks awkward and actually appears to be "cross-handed".

Miley Byrne

Martin567 wrote: »

I'm aware of that but I was talking about in terms of free-taking which would be the part of hurling most comparable to golf. In the examples I gave, I think the hurler taking the free with his left hand on top is the one who looks awkward and actually appears to be "cross-handed".

You're not comparing like with like though. Shefflin is right handed and takes frees off his right hand side(As do most righthanded players). Kirby is left handed and takes frees off his right hand side also.This is why he looked awkward taking frees.

heavyballs

does anyone else agree that that cack handed pro's swing is similar to Dustin Johnsons swing,the dip at the ball and the follow through in particular

Martin567

denisoc16 wrote: »

You're not comparing like with like though. Shefflin is right handed and takes frees off his right hand side(As do most righthanded players). Kirby is left handed and takes frees off his right hand side also.This is why he looked awkward taking frees.

I knew that as well. My point is in the comparison with golf. If Shefflin & Kirby both went out to play golf exactly as they play hurling, it is Shefflin who would be considered to be playing "cross-handed". Kirby would be seen as orthodox.

Miley Byrne

Martin567 wrote: »

I knew that as well. My point is in the comparison with golf. If Shefflin & Kirby both went out to play golf exactly as they play hurling, it is Shefflin who would be considered to be playing "cross-handed". Kirby would be seen as orthodox.

Sorry, ya, I know what you mean now

k.p.h

Along with the catching the ball aspect , Hurling has only a one handed swing because the other hand is throwing up the ball. To generate more power the good hand usually gos on top of the hurley.

Actually all stick sports with a 2 handed grip are conventionally the same as golf. It works better to hinge the powerful good hand with your weak hand. It allows for more control and accuracy.

If you were asked to swing a golf club one handed which hand would you use..? And where you put it to generate as much power as possible.. ? It would be like hurling good hand on top.