Grip All clubs Beginner ⏱ 22 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

How to Hold a Golf Club: Tips for Beginners

Name: How to Hold a Golf Club: Tips for Beginners
Uploaded: 2020-11-12T12:00:00+00:00
Duration: 22 min 16 s
Channel: Florent Alès
Description: Your grip is your only connection to the club, and it affects both the clubface and your swing speed. Flo and Chris from We Need Golf walk you through some simple anatomical cues for positioning your left hand and then your right hand, and explain how a thumb that’s too far forward or a hand that’s too low can affect your swing.

Your grip is your only connection to the club, and it affects both the clubface and your swing speed. Flo and Chris from We Need Golf walk you through some simple anatomical cues for positioning your left hand and then your right hand, and explain how a thumb that’s too far forward or a hand that’s too low can affect your swing.

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Florent Alès · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

Schedule · Step 1 of 7A Consistent Swing in 7 StepsValid when: You take your grip without looking, and the V shapes formed by your hands point toward your right shoulder.

Step 2 →

To be continued

8 minSame problemThe club's sole is flat at address: should you force it?Simon Camirand · Beginner 2 minSame problemHank Haney's Loop Exercise to Correct a SliceHank Haney · Beginner / Intermediate 4 minSame problemNelly Korda's Left-Hand-Low Putting: Interlocked GripNelly Korda · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

There is no such thing as a perfect grip, but there is a grip neutral leaves the face just as open on one side as on the other. First tip: grab the grip club raised halfway, just like the pros do in their pre-shot routine—not with the club resting on the ground—to establish the correct wrist angle right from the start. The left hand holds the club: it passes in the fingers, diagonally, from the base of the little finger to the middle phalanx of the index finger. Viewed from above, two phalanx heads are visible, and the V between the thumb and index finger points between the chin and the right shoulder.

The right hand controls the speed. Extend your thumb so the nail is vertical, cover your left thumb, then close your index finger by trigger, aligned with the thumb, in front of the other fingers. A thumb that’s too long—one that extends past the trigger—causes the club to be released too early: a fat shot, a thin shot, and a loss of power. Whether you use an overlap or interlock grip depends mainly on the size of your fingers. A strong grip closes the clubface and is only suitable if you rotate your body significantly.

The Exercise, Step by Step

Let your arms hang down to observe the natural position of your hands.
Raise the club in front of you to waist height.
Place the grip of your left hand from the base of your little finger to the middle joint of your index finger, then close your fingers.
Check: Hold the club with your index finger and the fleshy part of your hand, with two knuckles visible, pointing V-shaped toward your chin and right shoulder.
Extend your right thumb so that the nail is vertical, and slide your right hand over your left thumb.
Fold your right index finger into a trigger grip, aligned with your thumb, then place the other fingers in an overlap or interlock grip.
Check the right hand: two visible knuckles, with the V pointing toward the chin.

Key Takeaways

Hold your club grip at waist height, not resting on the ground.

Left hand: Hold the club between your fingers, at an angle—never in the palm of your hand.

Two visible phalanx heads and a V-shape between the chin and the right shoulder.

Right hand: thumb extended, index finger curled like a trigger, in front of the other fingers.

If your thumb is too long, it causes you to release the club too early at the top of the backswing.

Check the size of your grips: standard grips are often too thin for men.

Mistakes to Avoid

Pick up the club grip lying on the ground, with your wrist already extended.
Hold the club in the palm of your left hand.
Place your right hand under the grip, as if you were about to lift the ball.
Start with the little finger on your right hand.
If the thumb is too long or the V is too wide, the club will release too early or slip.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

At home: holding the grip halfway up, in front of a mirror
Test of the index finger and thumb of the left hand
Check the visible phalanges and the V
Trigger aligned with the right thumb before closing

Your Questions

Why use the grip with the club raised rather than resting on the ground?

With the club raised halfway, the hand rests naturally at the desired wrist angle. When placed on the ground, the wrist often lies flat or is extended, with no room to reach the ground.

How many finger joints should I see on my left hand?

Two—the index and middle fingers—for a grip that’s close to neutral. None: the grip is too weak. All: the grip is very strong.

What is the right index finger trigger used for?

It keeps the club at the top of the backswing. If the thumb extends too far past the trigger, the club's entire weight rests on it, and the body releases the clubhead too early.

Overlap or interlock?

It's a matter of preference. The video generally recommends the interlock grip for those with small hands and the overlap grip for those with large hands, even though Tiger Woods uses the interlock grip.

Learn More

All “Grip” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you The club's sole is flat at address: should you force it?It's normal for the club to rest on the heel: forcing the sole to lie flat raises the wrist, stiffens the arm, and shifts the grip to the palm. Florent AlèsAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Florent Alès). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.