Have you ever been told to “strengthen your grip?” Maybe someone has told you that “your grip is too strong” and no, they aren’t asking you to grip the club tighter or more loosely. What they are referring to is the direction in which your hands are placed on the club. This can have an immediate effect on the direction of your shots, the height of your shots, and plenty more.

There are three kinds of grips: strong, neutral and weak. All of these types of grips have been utilized by golfing greats – it’s simply a matter of determining which will work best for you. Here is what each one looks like and how it might help you fix a problem you’re having with your swing.

What is a ‘strong’ grip?

A strong grip means that the ‘V’ shapes made with your thumbs and your hands are pointing somewhere to the right side of your head. This is generally how I direct my students to grip the club. A strong grip can cure someone who swings over the top and/or struggles with slicing the ball. This particular grip promotes a more in-to-out swing as well as a club face that closes more through impact. This grip makes hitting shots that spin right to left much easier. If you are someone who struggles with slices and weak fades, consider strengthening your grip a bit!

What is a ‘neutral’ grip?

A neutral grip means that those ‘V’ shapes are pointed up toward your nose. As the name states, this grip would be ideal for someone who hits the ball fairly straight or even likes to play both shot shapes on the course. This grip is ideal for the player who has sound swing mechanics and does not struggle with losing shots dramatically in one direction or the other.

What is a ‘weak’ grip?

A weak grip means the ‘V’ shapes are pointed to the left of your head. This type of grip would promote a less closed club face through impact as well as a more out-to-in swing. A weaker grip can help players who struggle with hooked shots by promoting a club face that closes less rapidly through impact. This grip can also help to neutralize a swing that is too much from the inside. If you are currently fighting a hook, try weakening your grip a bit and see how that changes things.

The important thing to understand is how each grip can change what you are doing. It is very normal for someone’s grip to get too far in one direction or the other and cause erratic shots. The grip is the first place I look when I teach, so consider this quick fix for yourself if you are currently struggling with shots that are uncontrollable.

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This is an unprecedented time in the world and we have an unexpectedly large amount of time on our hands. I incorporate reading into my daily morning routine because reading and constant learning are important to me. While you are stuck at home, why not strike up a new habit of reading? 10 pages a day would be 3,650 pages per year. The average book published is about 300 pages long. If you read 10 pages a day, you could read about 12 books per year! How much better would you be at your job, as a family member, as a friend, as a golfer if you read 12 (or more) books a year?!

Check out some of my favorite books that will help you on and off the course:

1. Mindset, Carol Dweck

Whether you want to be more successful on the course, in business, or simply in your daily life, this book is for you. One of my all-time favorites to help you understand what is holding you back and how to get better faster in all aspects of life.

2. The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod

The absolute best book to learn about how important morning routines are. You will see what some of the most successful people in the world do each morning and how you can implement a daily morning routine in order to boost your mood and success.

3. Golf my way, Jack Nicklaus

I love this book chronicling Jack’s game over time and his thoughts on golf. Hearing his thoughts on shot shape, competitive golf and more is fascinating. His perspective is interesting and entertaining. You will not be disappointed with this one.

4. The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson

What allows some people to be successful while others fail? This book will give you incredible insight into small things that you can do on a daily basis to gain drastic traction over time. I love this book and the tips it offers all people. This can easily be related to golf, business or life in general.

5. The Practice Manual, Adam Young

Ever wondered what the most effective ways to practice are and why? This book is for the ultimate golf nerd, the range rat and the golf instructor. You will learn everything from how the ball flight laws work to learning theories. This is a fascinating read.

6. Be A Player, Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott

Pia and Lynn are some of the best in the business when it comes to the mental side of the game. I could recommend every book they have ever written. This is their latest book and it is a fast, easy read. You will read stories of athletes they have worked with and how they overcame mental obstacles in order to become better players. This is a practical, easy-to-apply book for your mental game on the course.

7. Talent Is Overrated, Geoff Colvin

Is talent inherent or learned? This book takes a deep dive into this argument and is fascinating for any athlete – especially competitive.

8. Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

My obsession with Jocko Willink runs deep. His extreme consistency, daily workouts, inspirational attitude, and never-ending grit are inspiring to say the least. As former Navy SEALs, Jocko and Leif pair an operational failure from their time as SEALs with a real-life business scenario. They teach us how to deal with real-life relationship and business situations based on their experience.

9. Grit, Angela Duckworth

Ever wondered what ultimately makes someone reach success or achieve their goals? Through her research, Angela Duckworth shows us that grit is the answer.

10. Everything is Figureoutable, Marie Forleo

I love this idea that “everything IS figureoutable” as proposed by Marie’s mother. Marie does an incredible job of using her own life as the best example of this. There are so many situations in golf, and in life, where we feel that things are doomed or unable to be fixed. Marie will teach you otherwise in this lighthearted, fun read.

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Island greens are fairly rare on golf courses, which is why they are that much more intimidating when you come across one. Unlike most flaws in golf, the same intimidation is felt by players of all skill levels. Take the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass for example. That island green strikes fear into the eyes of golf’s best.

Hitting the green is one thing but getting the ball to stop on the green is another. Here are four things you can do to make sure your ball gets (and stays) on those tricky island greens.

Step 1: Grip Pressure

Focus on your grip pressure. This is the kind of shot where golfers tend to tense up. Focus on keeping your grip pressure *consistent* throughout your swing. This will stop you from speeding up and getting out of sync in your downswing. A great drill to work on this is to hit shots with your mouth open throughout your swing. That might sound crazy but trust me, it works.

Step 2: Take an extra club

Pick the club that will be on the green 100% of the time. Find the approximate distance to the front and back edges of the green. Select the club that matches with the number of the center of the green. This isn’t any time to get cute with that *might* make it if you max it out or should be fine if you take your swing down a few notches. Trust the number, trust the club.

Step 3: Pick a small target

Pick a small, specific target. Instead of just generally hoping the ball gets on the green, pick a branch on a tree in the distance or a specific area of the green to hit. The smaller your target, the smaller your miss!

Step 4: Pick a swing thought

If you are someone who tends to hit the ball lower or thin, you will need to swing more up and down. You want to swing more like a Ferris wheel than a carousel. People who hit thin or lower shots tend to be swinging too much around their body causing the club to hit the equator of the ball – like a carousel. If you can swing slightly more up and down on this type of a shot, you will see higher, spinnier shots that will hold the green more effectively.

Keep your grip consistent, trust the club, narrow-in on a specific target and swing with a Ferris Wheel-like motion. These same principles will help you stick any tough to hit green. If you watch the action closely at The Players Championship, you’ll notice the field taking these same approaches.

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Most amateurs probably think that putting is the easiest part of the game. Closer to the hole, so it’s easier, right? Wrong. While it may be closer to the hole, that makes the margins for error even slimmer.

Luckily, there are simple drills that can help you nail down the fundamentals and make the basics feel easy. Instructor Nathalie Filler joined us to show off a drill to help with that.

“One thing I see a lot of people struggle with when they’re putting is accelerating through the ball too quickly,” Filler says.

Having this quick move in your stroke can make you stroke choppy and make it difficult to gain any consistency.

To work on this, take a handful of golf balls and line them up in the same spot. Then, hit each one of them and see if you can get them to all go the same distance. This will help you control your pace and promote acceleration through contact.

“If you can get really good at this, you’re going to see your distance control improve on the golf course,” Filler says. “You’re going to see less three and four putts, and hopefully you’ll see lower scores.”

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Arnold Palmer used his lower body to power his golf swing and propel him onto a legendary career. So, during the week of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, I wanted to look back on the King’s swing to see what we can learn from his powerful move.

1. Lift The Left Heel

The ever-controversial picking up of the left foot is something Arnie had mastered. Typically, when I see amateurs lifting the left heel in their backswing it causes the head/chest to move laterally too far, making it challenging to make consistent contact with the ball. Ultimately, there is no issue with picking up your left heel if it helps you rotate your hips and chest more effectively in your backswing. However, your head needs to stay relatively steady over the ball or you will see an array of inconsistent shots.

2. Press The Left Heel

To initiate the downswing, Arnie would press his left heel back down into the ground. The key takeaway from the left heel in Arnie’s swing is that you should feel a stomping down of the left heel or a pushing into the ground of the left heel to start your downswing. The best players in the world actually do this slightly before they finish their backswing.

3. The Power Squat

The initial downswing movement with his legs creates MORE space between his legs, not less. It is similar look to squatting. You may have seen drills where someone swings back with a ball between their legs, then drops the ball as they start their downswing. This is a high power move that allows the body to stay synced up and hit solid shots consistently.

4. Straighten The Lead Leg

His left leg then straights through the ball as it pushes off the ground for an extra burst of power and clubhead speed. Another key here is that his right foot doesn’t come up and through until after the ball is gone. This allows for the arms to swing powerfully through the ball without getting stuck behind him.

If you can get your lower body working effectively in your swing, you will see longer, more consistent shots. Arnie used his lower body to create incredible power and hit consistently strong shots.

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There is no “perfect” grip in golf. So much of how you should grip the golf club depends on what you are trying to accomplish in your golf swing. If you look at the top 30 golfers on the PGA and LPGA tours, each of their grips are slightly different. Even though there are many ways to grip the club, there are a few fundamentals that I want new golfers to look for in your grip in order to set you up for success on the course.

1. Grip in the fingers, not the palm

Make sure that the grip is in the fingers of your left hand, not running too much through the palm of your hand. If the grip gets into the palm too much it will make it nearly impossible to use your wrists properly in your swing. Holding the grip in the palms works great for putting (to disable excessive wrist motion) but in the full swing it can be deadly.

2. Spot the warning signs

If you are seeing dramatically shaped shots (right or left) make sure that your grip isn’t too weak or too strong. When the hands get too far one way or the other on the grip it can cause loss of distance and consistency on the course.

10 ways you’re losing power in your golf swing

3. Align the “Vs”

Make sure your hands are working together. Check that the “V” shape made by your thumb and your hand are pointing in the same direction. If your hands are working in opposite directions. Ideally, the V shapes should be pointing at the right ear (for a right-handed player) for a somewhat neutral grip. You can shift to those pointing at your right shoulder for a stronger grip. Most amateur golfers tend to have too weak of a grip or just a weak right hand.

4. Build a routine

Make it a part of your routine to place your grip on the same way each time on the golf course. Some people step in with their right hand first, some their left. It is important to do it the same way each time in order to be more consistent on the course.

You can get closer to the perfect golf grip for only a penny

The grip is the only thing we have attached to the golf club, so it is essential that we place our hands correctly. A weaker or a lighter grip will depend on your swing characteristics, so please reach out if you have questions on what that might look like for you and your game.

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A common fault that amateur players have in their swing is a so-called “chicken wing” finish, when the lead elbow flares out through impact. This is actually a notable element of Jordan Spieth’s swing (and has also been picked up by Bryson DeChambeau), but just because pros incorporate it does not make it right for you.

The chicken wing move comes into play when players are trying to guide the ball and keep it from bounding to the left. Instructor Nathalie Filler explains that the fault is caused by not rotating through the ball enough at impact. Players often get stuck at the bottom of the swing and don’t finish their move after making contact.

A good drill to fix this fault involves setting up normally with the ball in the middle of your stance and placing the clubhead on the ground several inches behind the ball in line with your back foot.

“What I want you to do from here is just start turning your hips and your chest and dragging that club through all the way up after the ball until the club is parallel again,” Filler says.

You should get the feeling of extension as there is a lot of space between your chest and your hands. It should also feel as if you have made a nice, full turn through the ball at the conclusion of the swing.

“What you’ll typically see with the chicken wing is the hands kind of pull up and in because there’s a lack of rotation,” Filler says. “This simple drill will help you fix that.”

Next time your playing partners mistake your swing for domesticated fowl, remember to finish your rotation and those chickens will soon turn into birdies.

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