Welcome To this weeks newsletter.

With the season now well under way we are busier than ever with lessons and with people wishing to improve their golf game. In my experience the most important part of any golfing technique and one which we focus on heavily within our Junior Academy is the way the player holds the Club.

The Importance of having a good grip

Many people overlook the importance of having a good grip and the consequences this can have on the rest of their game. The starting direction of your shots is overwhelmingly influenced by the position of your clubface at impact. Common sense right? So why is it we don't give ourselves the best opportunity of returning that clubface in the correct position?

A neutral grip will give us the best opportunity to allow the hands and arms to work freely through the ball, increasing clubhead speed AND allowing us to square the face through impact. A poor grip can restrict movement through the swing, reducing both distance and accuracy! As Hogan once said, "In a good grip both hands work as ONE unit, allowing the club to work with the body through the ball to create the correct impact position."

Something as simple as changing the grip can have a massive impact on your ball flight and ultimately enjoyment of the game. Maybe it's time you look at your grip and make sure you're really making the most out of your game. Take a look at images below and if you need more help then pop into the shop or click here to get some advice.

If you look at the photo's below you will see three of the most common grips that we see on a day to day basis.

The first picture shows only one knuckle visible on the gloved hand and is what we call a weak grip. This will generally open the face of the Club during the swing and results in the ball going high, to the right and probably not very far. Jose Maria Olazabal used to adopt this grip with his chipping so as to allow the ball to land softly.

The second picture shows all of the knuckles on the gloved hand and results in the bottom hand wanting to turn to the right of the grip too. This is described as a strong grip. This will generally result in strong shots and good distance but sadly could end in a hook or a slice due to the player trying to hold the Clubface square through the impact area. If Bubba Watson were right handed his grip would look like this. Not a bad ambassador for this grip but your timing needs to very good for it to work consistently.

The third of the pictures is what we call a neutral grip with 2 or three knuckles visible on the gloved hand and the bottom hand covering over the thumb of the top hand. You will notice that my thumbs do not go down the middle of the grip but point inwards. You will also notice that I have used the lines on the Grip to help get my hands into the correct position.

If any of you are considering making some small adjustments to your own grip my tip would be to make sure that you feel the Club on your gloved thumb at the top of your backswing and again at your end position or follow through. This will allow the club to move freely at impact and hopefully distract you from the fact that the Grip feels a little strange.

If you have any questions relating to the Grip or would like some further help with you golf please contact us in the shop or click here to send us an email.