How to grip a golf club properly

One of the first things golfers are taught when taking up the game is how to grip the golf club correctly.

No wonder. After all, it’s a repeatable action – so there’s no excuse for not getting this straightforward aspect of the game right every time.

Doing this correctly results in the club arriving square to the intended target at impact. It can be achieved in just two simple steps:

Step 1

Grip the club in the palm and fingers of your hands. For the ideal neutral grip, your left thumb should be positioned just to the right of centre.

Step 2

From there, attach your right hand by gripping with the middle two fingers and forefinger. Your right thumb should sit just to the left of centre.

Neutral, weak & strong grips

The steps above were for a neutral grip – but you can actually have a strong and weak grip, too. So what are the benefits of all three grips and how do you know which one to go with? Here’s an idea:

Neutral: Generally used by players who have all aspects of their swing in order. The neutral grip helps a player to ‘shape the ball’ easier, but it takes practice to find the proper technique to make that happen.

Strong: A strong grip loses the clubface on impact, helps players draw the ball and helps players with an inside-out swing. Using a strong grip also reduces the tendency to push or slice the ball.

Weak: A weak grip produces a natural fade and is recommended for players with an out to inside swing plane. It is also recommended that players with slow hips use a weak grip to centre the clubface being closed on impact, reducing the tendency to pull or hook the ball.

How far down the golf club should your hands be?

There should be around an inch from the top of the grip to the end of the club. By holding the club right at the top of the grip, it will result in a loss of control and increases the likelihood of shots to come out of the heel of the club.

How tightly should you grip the golf club?

This is a difficult one to explain as it’s all about feel but if you have tension in your forearms at address, you’re gripping the club too tightly. This will prevent you from completing a full shoulder turn. Focus on soft hands and not gripping the club too tight.