The are many ways to hold or grip a golf club. A typical player will use two, three or more different grip methods per round. Different clubs and different shots require different set ups, which in turn requires different gripping methods. The grip is so important that an entire chapter could be written on the subject. Here a brief summary of the main topics. Because there is multitude of styles and methods of gripping a wedge and a putter, we will cover these in another newsletter.

For a full swing with any wood and iron you should use the same grip method. Many teaching pros teach a slightly different grip when hitting a fade or a draw. However, the gripping of the club is actually the same. It's the position on the club that changes. By changing the grip position on the club you alter the club face position, which in turn affects the shot you make. By changing your grip position you may also be able to straighten a slice or a hook.

The three most common grips are the ten finger grip, the overlapping grip or the interlocking grip. Only you can determine which is best for you. The USGA puts no restrictions on how a player holds a club. So experiment, don't be afraid to try different grips. The USGA does have limits as to the type, size and shape of grips mounted to your clubs. Complete details can be found in The Rules of Golf published by the USGA. If you are more than a casual golfers, I strongly recommend you join the USGA and help support this great sport.

It should be noted that the only difference between these grips methods is in the position of the right hand, for right handed players and left hand for lefties. The left hand cradles the club in the fingers. The club should lay down in your fingers as if you were lifting a thin piece of plywood. Without closing or wrapping your wrist lay your thumb on the top of the club. The position of the thumb on the left hand on the club will determine whether you have a weak or strong grip. A position away from the face is a strong grip and will produce a low left to right shot. A position towards the face is a weak position and will produce a high right to left shot. The fingers in the left hand cradle the club similar to the right hand.

The ten finger grip is thought to be the easiest and therefore used mostly by beginning players. Many senior players or players with large hands and fingers feel most comfortable with the ten finger grip. Even some professionals on the PGA Tour still use the ten finger grip. This is the oldest method of holding a club, which originally looked more like a baseball grip. The right-hand forefinger and the left-hand pinky butt up to each other on the club.

The overlapping or Vardon grip is the most common way to hold a club today. Harry Vardon popularized this grip in the early 1900's. Similar to the ten finger grip, except the little finger of the right hand overlaps the forefinger of the left hand. With this method the left-hand pinky covers or wraps the right-hand forefinger.

The interlocking is the least common of grips. Some teaching professionals will discourage use of this method. However many great players including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Kite, Tiger Woods and myself use the interlocking grip. Here the left-hand pinky slips between forefinger and middle finger on the right hand. The left pinky and the right forefinger interlock.

Grip pressure is the most important aspect of gripping. To loose and the club will move or spin when you strike the ball, tall grass and sand. Most amateur golfers grip their clubs too tight. This creates all sorts of different problems. Too much tension will not allow the hands, wrist and arms too move freely. I have seen too many players, including myself, chase after swing faults only to find their grip pressure was to tight. The amount of grip pressure you should have is very difficult to put on paper. Again only you can really determine the correct grip pressure. Also, when hitting into tall grass and wet sand you will need more pressure. You want to have a firm grip on all swings. If you can feel any tension in your forearms, you are probably gripping too tight. Keep the pressure light enough that your wrist are free to move or hinge. As with all adjustments in your golf swing, make very small changes.