How to find the perfect golf grip for you — and what you need to know first

The grip is the only connection to the club, which means it’s a critical element in controlling the clubface, so you should probably get it right.

People like to call it a fundamental, but there’s no one perfect way to grip the golf club. The golf grip is more of a tool, or preference, that golfers can adjust based on their hand size and shape, their strength, finger length, flexibility and overall comfort level.

There are a wide range of grips on the PGA Tour. Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson, Fred Couples and David Duval have ultra strong golf grips. Matthew Wolff, Jordan Spieth, Corey Pavin and Johnny Miller are on the opposite end of the spectrum with ultra weak golf grips.

Different grips for different swings

Regardless of the type of grip you have, the key to making it work is having a complimentary golf swing and setup that matches your grip.

For example: Strong grips tend to close the clubface, but Fred Couples’ grip works because he rotates his body quickly and has a cupping action in his wrist at the top of his backswing. The combination of all those things help him hit the ball straight.

Weaker grips, like Johnny Miller’s will generally lead to a more open cluface coming into the ball, which means the hands, wrists and forearms need to be to manually release the clubface. Two different grips that require different types of releases to produce square contact. It’s not the grip, but the combination of those things that help golfers hit the ball straight.

Finding the right combination for you all depends on your body, and your unique strengths and weaknesses. A good teacher can help you explore the grip is best for your swing, but if there’s one thing you’re going to take away after reading this, remember that everybody is different.