You’ve probably seen the clip of Colton Gress, the Drive, Chip and Putt competitor, swinging cross-handed during Sunday’s competition. At first glance, his grip looks unconventional — but after speaking with two of GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers, it’s clear his swing works remarkably well because his mechanics are so solid.
How His Cross-Handed Grip Works
In a traditional grip, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Rick Silva explains, the lead and trail hands oppose each other — creating a stable “tug of war” that controls the clubface. A cross-handed grip can achieve the same effect. The player simply rotates their hands differently around the club so the wrists and forearms still work in opposition. It looks unusual, but biomechanically, the goal is the same.
“So for that to occur, the underhand or the right hand … he rolls his right hand underneath the grip so you can like see the undersides of his like fingernails,” Silva says.
How He Hits It So Far
Once the swing begins, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joey Wuertemberger explains, Gress moves into the same positions as other elite ball strikers. He makes a big backswing with a full hip turn and massive shoulder rotation, which helps him build speed efficiently.
That rotation is key to his power. His hip turn going back is deep, and his shoulder turn is even bigger, creating a lot of stored energy. Then, in transition, he unwinds his body expertly. His lower body leads — using the legs to shift and rotate — while his upper body stays slightly behind. This sequence — big turn back, powerful rotation through — is a major reason he generates so much power.
“As he comes down into the ball he’s got good upper body tilt, so his head is behind the ball and his arms are right in front of him,” Wuertemberger says. “So he delivers the club in a good, powerful position.”
The results speak for themselves. In Sunday’s competition, Gress hit his first drive 275.3 yards and his second drive 264.8 yards, showcasing the distance he can generate with his unconventional cross-handed swing.
