Golf Instruction
Don't Change Your Grip
Match it to your release. Which one of these World No. 1s is your model?
December 2010
Let's face it, changing your grip isn't an easy thing to do. So don't try it. Whether your hands are in a strong, weak or neutral position, you can hold the club almost any way you like and hit good shots--provided your release matches your grip. David Duval, Nick Price and Tiger Woods have proved that. All three were No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking when these photos were taken, and all three held and, necessarily, swung the club differently. If you want to stick with your grip but improve your ball-striking, all you have to do is determine which player's technique (grip and downswing) resembles yours the most. I'll show you how and then give you a drill to help you release the club just like one of the world's best. I'm confident it will help you hit better shots.
3 STEPS TO SWING LIKE ...
David Duval plays with a strong grip and a closed clubface. To square the face at impact, he turns his hips, then his shoulders, hard toward the target in the downswing and has a lot of forward lean in the shaft. Are you like Duval? First, check your GRIP. The creases between your thumbs and forefingers will point right of your right shoulder. Now check your DOWNSWING. When the shaft is parallel to the ground, the clubface will be facing slightly down (closed). Finally, if your ball-flight misses are typically hooks or thin shots, try this DRILL to release it correctly. Swing slow, and simulate impact by pressing your clubhead against a block of wood. Continue to swing through to your finish. The resistance of the block prompts you to open your shoulders and hips and keep the shaft leaning forward--the lag you need to square the face.
Nick Price has a slightly weak grip, and because his downswing is shallow, the clubface is open. He squares the face by turning his hips and shoulders together through impact. Think that's you? Look at your GRIP. The creases between your thumbs and forefingers will point at your head. Now check your DOWNSWING halfway to the ball. Even though you've come from inside the target line, the clubface will be slightly skyward (open). Finally, if your misses are push-slices or toe hits, you need Nick's release pattern. DRILL: Hit shots with your right foot back four to six inches. This helps prevent the hips from turning without the shoulders. They need to move together to square the face at impact.
In 2000 Tiger's grip was fairly neutral. He made a powerful hip turn through impact, but his shoulders stayed square to the target line so he rotated his forearms to square the club. Do you have Tiger's GRIP? The creases between your thumbs and forefingers will point at your right ear. Also, when the shaft is parallel to the ground in the DOWNSWING, the club's toe will be pointing straight up (square). If your misses fly straight but right of your target, or if you tend to overcook a draw, you need Tiger's release. DRILL: Make left-arm swings. The club's toe should be straight up at full extension in the through-swing.
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