Grip

golfnut1

I'be been struggling with my game for a while now about 18 months.
So at the start of this year I made a number of changes. Mainly shot selection, course managment, equipment and practice.
Anyway I have just changed my grip to a more neutral one. Looking back as to where it all started to go wrong it ties in with when I went for a lesson and the pro changed my grip to strong. My gir are 35% and fir about 48% which I put down to the strong grip. Played a few holes yesterday with a neutral grip and although if felt strange results were promising. I've looked on YouTube and read a few mags and I can't find anyone recommending a strong grip. All the problems associated with it I have. Face closing missing left and block to the right when my time isn't perfect. I have been aiming very right to avoid the hook and when this goes wrong its way right.
Anyway the point is sometimes a pro can give you a quick fix for a specific problem instead of a long term good solid fundamental approach. Its a good its a good idea to review these fundamentals or basics every now again to make sure everything is sound instead of letting your game go down the tubes for ages.
I suppose the lessons learned the hard way are the best.

Tones69

golfnut1 wrote: »

I'be been struggling with my game for a while now about 18 months.
So at the start of this year I made a number of changes. Mainly shot selection, course managment, equipment and practice.
Anyway I have just changed my grip to a more neutral one. Looking back as to where it all started to go wrong it ties in with when I went for a lesson and the pro changed my grip to strong. My gir are 35% and fir about 48% which I put down to the strong grip. Played a few holes yesterday with a neutral grip and although if felt strange results were promising. I've looked on YouTube and read a few mags and I can't find anyone recommending a strong grip. All the problems associated with it I have. Face closing missing left and block to the right when my time isn't perfect. I have been aiming very right to avoid the hook and when this goes wrong its way right.
Anyway the point is sometimes a pro can give you a quick fix for a specific problem instead of a long term good solid fundamental approach. Its a good its a good idea to review these fundamentals or basics every now again to make sure everything is sound instead of letting your game go down the tubes for ages.
I suppose the lessons learned the hard way are the best.

Dont be so naaive,never as simple as that (unless ur swing is perfect). the first thing and main thing most pro's teach is grip/posture/alignment. 90% of amateurs have weak grips, causing fades/slices and whatnot, it takes a lot of time to adjust to anything new. When i started i had a weak grip and sliced a lot, when i was showed a strong grip it took me ages to get used to, it just felt so wrong, now i couldnt go back to a weaker one

golfnut1

I'm not being naive at all. I strong grip can cause you serious problems in your swing. If you have a sufficient club head speed you don't need a strong grip. From my experience a neutral grip is what works best for me. Much easier to work the ball both ways and a truer flight as your not delofting the club face with a strong grip.

Tones69

golfnut1 wrote: »

I'm not being naive at all. I strong grip can cause you serious problems in your swing. If you have a sufficient club head speed you don't need a strong grip. From my experience a neutral grip is what works best for me. Much easier to work the ball both ways and a truer flight as your not delofting the club face with a strong grip.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg8hSHfi1oI


http://www.andrewricegolf.com/tag/strong-grip/



http://www.golftoday.co.uk/proshop/features/going_strong.html

matt-dublin

it all depends on what you're doing.

if you're leaving the ball to the right all the time i would suggest a stronger right hand grip, if you're flying the ball high all the time i would suggest a stronger left hand grip.

a strong grip in some cases can cause as much trouble as a weak grip!

i've found on occassion that if im struggling with a slice mind you if i weaken my left hand it fixes it, i said it to my pro and he laughed until i showed him.

the only conclusion we could come to is that i have a movement restriction sometimes in my left wrist that made it difficult to release the club with a strong grip.

Whyner

Tones69 wrote: »

90% of amateurs have weak grips, causing fades/slices and whatnot

More like 90% have a strong grip. I rarely see anyone with a weak grip, you can slice it up with a strong grip as well :pac:

Tones69

Whyner wrote: »

More like 90% have a strong grip. I rarely see anyone with a weak grip, you can slice it up with a strong grip as well :pac:

Royyyysh, im stayin outta this thread

irish bloke

golfnut1 wrote: »

Anyway the point is sometimes a pro can give you a quick fix for a specific problem instead of a long term good solid fundamental approach. Its a good idea to review these fundamentals or basics every now again to make sure everything is sound instead of letting your game go down the tubes for ages.

Totally agree. Too much on here about get a lesson, lessons are the only way to improve. Not enough about the quality of the lessons and the standard being thought.

In my own experience alot of teaching pros are not up to scratch at all.
Most of them are Band Aid Pro's who are counterproductive to your development and end up doing more damage than good.

I’ve been to 3 pros's who all recommended different things to me and in the end a good camera, swing analysis software, plenty of good research and practice has improved me.

Anyone advocating a strong grip is not getting to the root of the issue and should be dismissed.

Whyner

irish bloke wrote: »

Anyone advocating a strong grip is not getting to the root of the issue and should be dismissed

Nah.

They need to be adaptable. Zach Johnson and Paul Azinger have really strong grips, but..........along with precision timing

golfnut1

Ok I suppose if you have a problem slicing/hooking or a preference/tendency for one shot a weak or strong grip might work for some. But for me if I want to control the face and hit a fade or a draw a neutral grip works for best for me.

matt-dublin

@ irish bloke:

what software do you use?

Tones69

matt-dublin wrote: »

@ irish bloke:

what software do you use?

Matt if uve got an Iphone go get Swing reader, its very good, can slow yuor swing right down and check out hands at impact, turn, spine tilt etc

irish bloke

Whyner wrote: »

along with precision timing

Therein lies the problem!!

irish bloke

matt-dublin wrote: »

@ irish bloke:

what software do you use?

Matt, use C Swing 2010. There are others out there as good im sure but have no experience with them.

Zardoz

Tones69 wrote: »

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/proshop/features/going_strong.html

A bit off topic but seems Pugh has a finger grip for his left hand in the neutral grip.Interesting.

golfnut1

Just watch this. This is exactly what I'm talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPbmwWh_GdQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

NapoleonInRags

I have found, mostly through trial and error, that I need a neutral to weak grip with my driver to combat a hook and a strong grip with my irons to combat a slice.

My Pro instructor is telling me I should have the same grip with woods and irons. Is he right? Surely if it works, it works.

Keano

I watch that video quiet a bit. I now copy what he does regarding the most pressure being only only 4 fingers. Sometimes I'll waggle the club just my pre-shot routine so I know I've the right amount of pressure applied.

golfnut1

I would have thought you should have the same for both.
Regarding the irons and woods the balk position for both can be different I.e. short iron back in the stance a strong grip will close the face early so no slice. A wood forward in your stance with a weak grip allows you to hold the face open so no hook.
I'd suggest finding a grip your happy works for you and then work on ball position. The modern way is to have all your irons in the middle of your stance and you driver inside your left heel.

k.p.h

golfnut1 wrote: »

I would have thought you should have the same for both.
Regarding the irons and woods the balk position for both can be different I.e. short iron back in the stance a strong grip will close the face early so no slice. A wood forward in your stance with a weak grip allows you to hold the face open so no hook.
I'd suggest finding a grip your happy works for you and then work on ball position. The modern way is to have all your irons in the middle of your stance and you driver inside your left heel.

I recommend having nothing other than a neutral grip as described by Ben Hogan in the Modern Fundamentals or demonstrated by Mark Crossfield on his youtube videos.

Since the golf swing is a chain reactions, and with the understanding that the grip is the main influence of the angles the shaft makes throughout the swing, with the understanding that the body moves so as to manipulate the shaft to hit the ball, the easiest way to move better through your whole swing is to grip it neutral...

No player with a neutral, properly in the fingers with the correct pressure points against the shaft has a terrible swing and is still able to hit the ball. Simple fact is that holding the club properly forces and trains the body the correct moves by simply attempting to hit the ball.

It's all well and good pointing out the occasional golfer that works well with an alternative method, but generally that's an exception to he rule.

Learn how to grip it properly and in turn learn how to swing better.

If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death. ~Sam Snead

Good golf begins with a good grip. ~Ben Hogan

Borisss

*Golf the youtube way.

irish bloke

Borisss wrote: »

*Golf the youtube way.

Can't beat it, crossfield is the man....

golfnut1

Gorfield.
Your thoughts on grip? Strong, neutral, weak?
Thanks