| Gripping the golf club to make a successful golf swing | | | | the pressure easily. The club will not be flying out of |
| seems very basic to the casual observer. After all, | | | | your hand unless you release it on purpose, sustain |
| how hard can it be to hit a small white ball that is not | | | | an injury, or its raining typhoon style. In the case of |
| moving at 95 mph like a baseball, or at 120 mph like a | | | | typhoon like rain, a fanatic golfer would probably just |
| tennis ball? The ball is sitting there on top of a piece | | | | slap on a hand full of pine tar like the baseball player |
| of wood in the perfect position to be smashed a | | | | and finish his round of golf. |
| great distance like a rifle shot. Ah, but here's the | | | | The overlap grip is the last of the most commonly |
| problem the non golfer has never experienced. It's | | | | used grips. The pinky and index finger placements are |
| that oddly shaped, crooked looking tool the golfer | | | | different in the overlap grip. The left thumb leads the |
| has in his hand. It has to be held in a specific way to | | | | way pointing down the top of the shaft. The other |
| even have the slightest hope of making solid contact | | | | fingers of both hands then wrap around the club |
| with the golf ball. That potential success begins with | | | | much like you would hold a baseball bat. Some golfers |
| how you grip the club. | | | | feel this grip is more comfortable than the overlap |
| Like most parts of golf swing mechanics gripping the | | | | grip. The bottom line is to try them all to find your |
| club, is a personal preference and comfort issue. | | | | personal comfort zone. Remember that all golf grips |
| There are some technical reasons that a baseball grip | | | | start the in the first joint of the fingers, not in the |
| is not as stable and won't give you as much club | | | | palms. |
| stability in your hands. As an example consider this: | | | | The golf club grip is the physical part of the golf club |
| Have you ever seen the bat come flying out of | | | | which is held when gripping the club with the hands. |
| baseball player's hands as he finishes a hard swing? | | | | Grips are made from many types of materials. You |
| That happens even after the batter has buttered up | | | | will find them made of space age synthetics all the |
| the bat handle with ultra sticky pine tar to get a solid | | | | way to genuine leather. There are composites that |
| grip. Get the point? I have played with excellent | | | | combine the properties of several technologies in |
| athletes who are the exception and use the baseball | | | | order to enhance the feel of specific shots. |
| grip, but you'll find they quickly reach a plateau in | | | | Depending on the club, the grips will have varying |
| their golf game. | | | | degrees of cushioning from none to very thick on |
| The interlock grip has a strange feel when you first | | | | putters. Again, it is personal feel and preference that |
| learn it. The simple act of hooking your right hand | | | | you find gives you the best results that matters. The |
| pinky finger under and around the index finger of | | | | primary purpose of grips is to provide a comfortable, |
| your left hand is magic. You quickly realize that as | | | | non-slip surface so you can hit the ball without the |
| your remaining fingers encircle the club shaft you | | | | club twisting or rotating in your hands. Critical note: |
| have a python's grip on the club. You will find that | | | | when your grips become worn -- change them! If |
| even though you have slip proof grip, you can adjust | | | | you don't you will loose strokes and wonder why. |