Changing My Golf Grip

Date:  Sep 17, 2013

Today, I went to the Fairway Club Golf Range with Jay Jay.  

I was explaining to my coach there about my left thumb pain and the golf elbow pain.

Just two days ago, I was playing under the rain at SICC's Captains Game.  It was very wet and I loose my grips due to wet hands and grips.  So, I must have hurt my thumbs by chopping too many times into the ground.

So, I hit a few shots and my grips is very weak today.  I could not even hit 10% good shots today at the range.  

Jeff (my coach) saw a few shots and then, he told me, it is time for me to change my grip.

I was like "Huh?"

This is how I have been gripping my club ever since I learned to play.  I am using the INTERLOCK GRIP.  This is where your right pinky finger interlock with your left index finger.  Notice that my left hand palm is pressing onto my left thumb.  

So, when I bring up my right palm has a lot of chance to "twist" my left thumb.

And when I swing too fast up and down, most of the time I will have the tendency to chop the club into the ground.  When I do that, that is where my right palm suddenly applied huge pressure onto my left thumb.  Which is bad.  And that is why the aching come from.

This is the Interlock Grip.  I have been using this since day 1.

See how my right hand palm applied the huge pressure onto the left hand thumb?  That is bad.

So, Jeff explained to me and asked me if I am willing to change to another grip as the Interlock grip is suitable for beginners.  That is why they always teach them to use Interlock grip.  Now, since my swing is OK already, he wants me to try using the Vardon Overlap Grip.  (the one on the left pictures below)

This is similar to the Interlock Grip.  This is by putting the right hand pinky ontop between the index the the middle finger.  

I tried hitting some shots but, I always got this huge impact feedback on my left hand after the hit and I am unable to control or stabilise the swing or hitting.

So, there is only one more grip that I could use.  It is the harder one, but let's try it.

See above right picture.  This is called the 10 Finger Grip.

This is how you hold it.  All 10 fingers are gripping the club.

As you can see, since I no longer "interlocking" my right pinky to the left index finger.  So, my right hand palm are not asserting any huge pressure on the left hand thumb.  

By using this grip, you have to have almost a perfect swing, by always making sure the weight is on right foot, left arm is swinging the club up slowly, and then take over by the right arm/hand to swing down motion and do an inside out swinging.  Your hip and weight will be transfer to the left leg too.

I hit almost 100 balls for using this grip, and I notice that I no longer chopping the club to the group that often now.  

And I can hit many sweet spot if I did the following trick.  When I swing back, my club will "sweep" about 3-5 inches horizontally at the ground (Thanks to Johan who taught me that) and then, I bring the club up (with no chicken wing) slowly, and then swing the club down and inside out.  And this trick works!

However, handling Driver is a bit different.  So, I think I still need some time to adjust to this new grip and swing style.

But I feel that this is better for me.  

After hitting the 100 balls, I do not feel a lot of strains or fatigue  in my hands, shoulder or fingers.  

Also I found that the ball always go quite straight.

The only problem is when my right hand and left hand trying to go out of sync, and both trying to control each other.

So, let's try a few shot on my Tik Tak Swing Club.  

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/KpwyZfq_qAE

I have been teaching my son that Golf is a strange ball game, where the ball is always on the ground and you will need to have consisted swing.  So, now I have to work harder to proof my point so to set an example for him.  HaHaHaHa...

So hard yet so fun!