Today we are sharing a golf tip from Peter Parks, PGA Advanced Professional at Hever Castle Golf Club. This first tip concentrates on a key fundamental of the golf set up – your golf grip.
The way you place your hands on the club will impact hugely on how effectively you can control the ball.
The two most common grip faults I see in my pupils are:
1) Holding the club too much in the palm of their hands
2) Holding the club too tightly.
When the club is too much in the palm (see picture 1) the player loses some of the feel of the club head, making it harder to make a well timed swing.
Picture 1
The correct position for the club (for right-handed golfers) is to have the grip running on a slight diagonal starting at the middle of the index finger on your left hand and passing just below the base of the little finger (see picture 2).
Picture 2
Once the left hand is in place correctly, the right hand can then fit into place. The left thumb should be covered by the right hand and the club should fit comfortably into the last three fingers of the right hand.
Grip pressure also has a large impact on how well the club can be swung. Using a scale of one to ten (ten being very tight), your grip pressure should be around four.
Seeing golfers holding onto the club too tightly always reminds me of a learner driver squeezing the steering wheel of a car tightly. They think that they will have more control of the car if they do so!
In the same way that the learner driver doesn’t have more control of the car by holding the steering wheel tightly, remember that you won’t gain control of the golf club by gripping it in this manner.
Make sure that the grips on your clubs are in good condition. When grips get old and shiny they can become slippery. When this happens, you will find that you have to grip tighter to stop the club from slipping in your hand. Newer grips are tackier and allow you to have a relaxed grip without fear of the club slipping out of your hand.
Find out more about coaching and lessons at Hever Castle Golf Club.
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Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
