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Does the perfect grip exist? If so, I bet it looks nothing like Collin Morikawa’s.
Last night, the young American won the WGC-Workday Championship, becoming only the second player in history – alongside Tiger Woods – to win a major championship and a WGC event before the age of 25.
He did so with a little help from one of the most unconventional grips on tour.
• Patrick Reed – Swing Analysis
When it comes to the grip, I always think both hands should be touching. It gives a sense of connection and allows them to work together. However, Morikawa takes connection to another level.
His left thumb is so far down the shaft of the club, below, that it almost draws level with his right. I would love to tell you that this is the secret to great ball striking, but it’s not. That is home-made and shouldn’t be mimicked unless you naturally grip the club like that.

I think this is a great lesson for amateurs, especially junior golfers who are learning the fundamentals of the game. Start with a basic overlap, interlock or baseball grip and allow your hands to move into a position that feels comfortable. After that, I wouldn’t touch it.
When teaching, I would rarely opt to change a golfer’s grip. If they were too closed or too open at impact, I would work more on where the clubface is pointing at the top of their swing.
If you want to draw the ball, try and get the clubface closed (pointing to the sky) at the top of your swing. Do the opposite for a fade. Both can be achieved without changing your grip.
If we compare Morikawa to Brooks Koepka, below, you can see that they both have a bowed left wrist at the top of their swing. However, Koepka has a far more conventional grip, with his hands positioned slightly further apart and left thumb tucked underneath his right palm.

The bowed left wrist stabilises the clubface and allows you to draw the ball, which is why so many young tour players are swinging the club this way. And yet hardly any of them grip the club the same way.
• Brooks Koepka’s bowed left wrist
• What you can learn from Berger’s swing
Unless there is something fundamentally wrong, try and resist the temptation to tinker with your grip. In my experience, it will only cause more problems than it solves.
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