Use this quick self-check to ensure the grip you’re using is right for your body

The grip is one of the game’s most important fundamentals, but it’s very easy to get it wrong, resulting in a whole host of unintended consequences in your swing.

The good news? It’s just as easy to get things right.

At GOLF’s recent Top 100 Teacher Summit at Pinehurst, I had the chance to spend time with GOLF Top 100 Teacher Krista Dunton, who explained an easy way to make sure your grip is correct for your specific body type.

Instruction

How to self-check your grip

“The first thing to do: Let your arms hang naturally from your sides. Shake them out a little to make sure you’re completely relaxed,” Dunton said. “Next, note how your lead arm (that’s your left arm for a righty golfer, and the right arm for a lefty) naturally hangs down from your shoulder. How many knuckles to you see on that hand? Some people will only show one or two while others will see three or four. That’s all just based on, anatomically, how we’re built.”

From there, Dunton says, take your grip with your fingers first, with your arms still in that neutral side position, as opposed to reaching in front of you. This is an important step, Dunton says, because forcing a grip that is contrary to your natural arm hang will cause problems.

“At impact, all those joints seek alignment: the shoulder, elbow and wrist,” she said. “So if your grip on the club is at odds with your arm’s natural hang, you’re going to inadvertently open and close the face, or even cause injury.”

If you count the same number of knuckles in your grip as you did in your neutral arm-hang position, bravo! You are using the best grip for you. If not, give the new position a try, and enjoy the benefits of more solid contact.

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As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

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