How Your Grip Can Affect Swing Speed And Ball Control 

Henry Fall and Dana Finkelstein discuss how to create a strong grip position and how it can help increase swing speed and lead to better ball control. Below you can see Henry demonstrate the grip and read a quick Q&A about his preferred golf grip.

Steps to help establish a stronger grip:

1. The club is crossing through the fingers of the left hand and not the palm.
2. The closed left hand- notice how the "V" of the thumb is pointing towards the right side of the body and away from the target.
3. Strong Grip - The right hand is positioned more under the club and the "V" of each thumb and hand is pointing in the same direction - toward the right side of the body.
4. Weaker Grip - This might seem subtle at first, but notice how the right hand is more on top of the club and the "V" of the thumb and hand is pointing more to the center or left side of the body.

Golf Grip Q&A with Henry Fall

RS: What’s the difference between a strong and a weak grip?

HF: For a right handed golfer, a grip that has the left hand more on top of the club with the right hand more underneath would be considered "strong". A good example would be Dustin Johnson. Conversely, a grip with the left hand more to the left with the right hand more on top would be considered "weak". A good example would be Jon Rahm. The terms "strong" and "weak" in no means imply the pressure one imparts on the grip, but rather the location of the hands relative to the shaft/grip. It is also worth noting that the hands do not necessarily have to run parallel to each other or with the V's aligned. Many players in fact have a "strong" left hand and a "weak" right hand grip. A good example of this would be Daniel Berger.

HF: I prefer a slightly stronger grip myself, especially in the left hand (for a right handed golfer). This tends to keep the face a bit more closed throughout the swing allowing one to rely more on pivot for squaring the face into the ball.

However, there is no one perfect grip though. This is evident in the best players throughout the history of the game. 

RS: What about grip pressure?

HF: It's been shown that Tour players actually grip it tighter than amateurs. Swing speed possibly accounts for this, but in any case, I don't believe in soft grip pressure. That's not to say I believe in death gripping it, but I believe a little firmness can't help stabilize the club face throughout the swing. Where we don't want pressure or tension is in the shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, and wrists. I like to see these areas more relaxed and free.

HF: To practice a stronger grip, I would focus on the lead hand (left hand for right handed golfers). Get the grip ideally in your fingers, then cover the grip with your hand so you can see 2-3 knuckles with the V between the pointer finger and thumb aimed around your trail shoulder. From there, find a right hand grip that feels comfortable for you or start by matching up the V's.

RS: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience about the golf grip?

HF: As with many things in golf, there truly is no set standard when it comes to the grip. Find a grip that is comfortable for you and match it up with the rest of your swing. And don't be shy to experimenting. Many great players, including Tiger Woods, have said they change their grips for different shots during the course of a round.

RS: Thanks, Henry & Dana!

Henry Fall is a Golf Coach with Milo Lines Golf, LPGA Tour Caddie to Dana Finkelstein, content creator, and Rukket Golf ambassador. You can check out their online academy at milolinesgolf.com or on his instagram, @henryfallgolf. 

Dana Finkelstein has played on the LPGA Tour since 2017 and finished first in Driving Accuracy in 2017 and 3rd in 2019. Her best finish on Tour thus far is a T-11 (2x) and she finished T39 at last year's AIG Women's Open Championship at Royal Troon with Henry on the bag. While at UNLV, Dana was a three-time Mountain West Golfer of the year. You can find Dana on Instagram @danafinkelsteingolf.