One of the things that I find to be so helpful about a 6 iron is the fact that you can use it for a variety of shots on the golf course. In addition, sometimes the 5 iron starts to feel a little uncomfortable because of its length and lower loft. With the 6 iron, that won’t be a concern.

To start incorporating your 6 iron into your golf game a bit more, you must know how far you can hit it with a 6 iron in your hands. The better contact you can make, the easier it is to get distance, but there are other factors that come into play here.

So if you are curious about how far you should be hitting a 6 iron based on skill, here is the information you need.

How Far You Should Be Hitting a 6 Iron

The major reasons you will hit a golf ball further are the squareness of the strike and the speed at which you swing the golf club. If you can strike the center of the golf club with lots of speed, expect quite a bit more distance.

The easiest way to break this down is to sort golfers by what their handicap is. Let’s look at how far you should be hitting a 6 iron based on your current handicap.

Beginner

A beginner male golfer often hits a 6 iron around 140 yards. Once they get the hang of this club and how it works, the distance can increase to 150-155 yards. Beginner golfers will have trouble getting a high ball flight, so you have to watch out for the line drive shot.

Most beginners should look for a 6 iron with a wide sole that helps improve and increase total launch in the shots they are hitting. As a beginner, if your set only comes with a 7 iron and lower, don’t worry about it; for now, you can add a 6 iron in later.

If you notice your 6 iron and 7 iron are going the same distance, this is common. As your clubhead speed increases, you should see total distance.

High Handicap

High handicap golfers often struggle with hitting the center of the clubface consistently. With the clubface being difficult to make contact with, many high handicappers struggle to get maximum distance from their shots.

With high handicappers, the 6 iron will probably travel about 145-150 yards on average. The issue with distance in this club has more to do with accuracy than with swing speed.

Many higher handicappers have high swing speed, but when it is not applied correctly, the results are unfavorable. If you find that you have more success with hybrid type clubs, don’t be afraid to take the 6 iron out of the bag and switch to something a bit more forgiving.

Mid Handicap

Mid-handicapped golfers tend to have average swing speeds and often hit their 6 iron in the 150-160 yard range. With a modern game improvement 6 iron, you can expect about 155 yards of distance on average.

One thing that can have a significant impact on the mid handicapper’s total distance is the loft of their irons. If your iron loft is a bit on the low side, you may see a longer carry distance.

With changes in the center of gravity positioning over the last few years, mid handicappers have seen more distance in their mid to long irons and a higher ball flight.

Low Handicap

One of the reasons golfers make it to the low handicap range is because they are able to hit the ball far. When you have excellent distance, it makes it easier to cover a long hole in a shorter number of strokes.

Low handicap golfers tend to have fast swing speeds that allow for yardages in the 170-180 yard range for a 6 iron. Low handicappers with slower swing speeds may be in the 160-169 range.

Most low-handicap players use a 6 iron, some mid to high handicappers look for alternatives, but most lower handicappers will go to at least a 4 iron in their set.

Professional

The PGA Tour average for a 6 iron is 180 yards. Some golfers can get it to go 190 and others closer to 178, but this is the general range for a 6 iron. For LPGA Professionals, the averages are slightly lower in the 160 to 170 range. Again this is related to swing speed.

Professional golfers also play with golf clubs that are more traditionally lofted; this means that they are hitting these longer distances with a club with even higher lofts than the one you are using.

If they switched to something like a game improvement iron, the distances they could hit the ball would be even higher!

When to Use Your 6 Iron

The 6 iron is a versatile club; in fact, it is one of my favorites when it comes to controlling ball flight. I don’t like the 6 iron for my short game, although I have seen some golfers learn how to do a bump-and-run shot with the 6. Here are the best ways to use your 6 iron and have better results on the golf course.

Approach Shot To The Green

The 6 iron is best used for a full swing approach shot to the green. You will find out the total yardage that you can hit the 6 and swing away to the center of the green. With the 6 iron being responsive, you can also fade or draw the ball.

When a 6 iron approach shot is struck correctly, expect a high ball flight, plenty of spin, and a generally controlled path or line.

Knock Down Shot

The knockdown shot keeps the ball flight lower so players can get the ball to fly under the wind. With a knockdown shot, you can expect a bit more roll when the ball does hit the green, but you can also get the distance in some of the most challenging conditions.

The loft of the 6-iron is perfect for a knockdown shot. It gives you just the right mix of forgiveness and control that is necessary to hit a shot like this.

Play around with a knockdown shot on the driving range, and you will be surprised at how much you can do with it on the golf course.

Controlled Shot From Tee Box

When standing on the tee box, it’s essential to learn how to control a golf shot. A par 3 is difficult in that you only get one shot to make it perfect. Some golfers can perfect a ¾ type swing with their 6 iron which results in some impressive overall accuracy and control.

I would highly recommend learning how to take a little off of your 6 iron (i.e., not a full swing) and keeping it as accurate as possible; it’s a shot you will continually use on the course.

Other Clubs That Could Replace a 6 Iron

If the 6 iron is not a good fit for your game, you are not alone. There are plenty of golfers that struggle with a 6 iron and the ability it has to get you from point A to point B. Some golfers don’t like the lower loft and the overall look of the club head, while others just don’t feel comfortable.

Here are a few alternatives if you need those exact yardages but don’t want to keep the 6 iron in the golf bag.

6 Hybrid

The 6 hybrid is a perfect option for golfers who are slightly leery of a 6 iron. The 6 hybrid is much easier to launch, has a deeper and lower center of gravity, and can help golfers get a more consistent distance.

What I like about the 6 hybrid is that it is much easier to hit out of the rough than the 6 iron. If you find that you are continually hitting your approach shots into the green from the rough, invest in the 6 hybrid.

Hitting a 6 hybrid and a 6 iron is not all that much different, but the 6 hybrid makes it a bit simpler for the higher handicap player.

13 Wood

Golfers that don’t like the iron or hybrid look can also consider adding in an additional fairway wood. From a loft perspective, the 13 wood will match the 6 iron, but it certainly has some different playability.

With the 13 wood, you will take more of a sweeping type golf swing and get a slightly more penetrating ball flight, as opposed to the high loft you may get with the hybrid.

The 13 wood is a bit longer than a 6 iron, so some golfers also notice a bit more distance.

Utility Club

There are a few   that may get you close in loft and yardage to a 6 iron. However, most companies will stop their utility club production at the 5 iron loft. When utility irons are used, you will sometimes notice a more precise turf interaction.

They tend to have a slightly wider sole and promote a higher launch than the 6 iron itself.

Tips for Hitting Your 6 Iron Further

If you want to get your 6 iron to fly further, you must make a clean strike. I have found that these are some of the best ways to ensure you get the most distance and the best overall results from your 6 iron.

• Always ensure the ball is in the center of your stance; a half-inch forward of the center works as well, but don’t play this off your front or back foot.
• The 6 iron requires plenty of acceleration through impact, don’t slow the swing down to try and increase accuracy; go after the ball.
• Make sure that you finish high, amateur golfers forget to transfer their weight through the ball, and it can cost you a few yards.
• Practice stability and balance off the course so that you can go after the ball a bit more when you are on the course.
• Remember that total distance only matters if you hit the ball straight, make sure your hands and body are working together to get high ball flight, accurate shots, and increased total distance.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

Source link

If you followed professional golf in 2021 and 2022, you saw that more and more golfers were taking the hybrid out and putting the 7 wood in. This was a rare change, but some of the best 7 woods came out on the market, and golfers wanted to have this technology in their game.

The 7 wood is a really helpful golf club; it’s meant to replace a long iron, but to make sure it’s a good fit for your golf game, the distances have to be right.

Let’s take a look at how far you should be hitting a 7 wood.

How Far You Should Be Hitting a 7 Wood

One of the best ways to determine how far you should be hitting a 7 wood is to look at your skill level. Of course, players can have varying clubhead speeds within each of these skill levels. When clubhead speeds increase, the overall distances will undoubtedly increase.

Beginner

Beginner golfers usually hit the 7 wood between 170 and 180 yards. However, for a slower swinging beginner golfer, the total distance may only be 160 or 150 yards.

Beginner golfers don’t always have the slowest swing speeds. In fact, some beginner golfers make great contact with the ball and get the tremendous distance. The key for beginners is to use a 7 wood that is highly forgiving.

High Handicap

The higher handicap golfers can hit a 7 wood around 180 yards on average. The problem that many high handicappers will encounter is that the distances are very inconsistent. There are times that 200 yards is possible, and others times that you may only hit the ball 160 yards.

For high handicap golfers, it’s smart to be careful where you take the 7 wood out. Don’t pull it out when hitting over a water hazard if you feel you are not entirely confident with it just yet.

Mid Handicap

Mid-handicap golfers usually hit a 7 wood around 190 yards. The faster swinging mid handicappers can push closer to that 200 mark, and slower swing speeds may be around 180. Technology for 7 woods is continually changing, and golfers are getting more and more distance with the shots they hit.

If you are a mid handicapper, the thing you will likely love most about the 7 wood is the amount of forgiveness it offers.

Low Handicap

Low-handicap players sometimes have swing speeds and accuracy almost as good as the professionals. Many lower handicap golfers can hit a 7 wood about 210 to 220 yards.

Of course, if you have a 7 wood that is 15 years old, the chances of seeing this kind of distance are really slim. However, for golfers that have high swing speeds, you may still get over 200 with an older 7 wood.

New golf clubs are designed with materials that help to increase total launch, and therefore players see quite a bit more distance.

Professional

Professional golfers hit their 7 wood around 225 yards. Some players may get 230 yards depending on the club head speed, how close to the center of the clubface they contact the ball, and whether or not they have a lower or higher lofted 7 wood.

When a professional golfer puts a 7 wood in their bag, it is usually to help increase accuracy on longer approaches to the green.

Workability and control tend to be more important than total distance for professional golfers.

When to Use Your 7 Wood

Now that you have a general idea as to how far the 7 wood goes, you have to also know when it makes sense to hit it. The club has a slightly longer shaft than the hybrid in your bag, so you have to be smart about when and where to hit the 7 wood.

From The Tee

The 7 wood is a great club to try hitting from the tee box if you struggle with your driver. In addition, you may like the performance of the 7 wood if you are on a par 3 or a shorter par 4 and just need something to end up in the fairway.

From the tee box tee, the ball is quite low, essentially just high enough that it is not touching the ground.

Many amateur golfers make the mistake of teeing the ball too high. Doing this can cause issues with getting too much ball flight, and you will lose the power you may need.

From The Fairway

I like my 7 wood from the fairway. When there is a par 5 or a long par 4, and I have a nice lie in the fairway, the 7 wood is a great club to take.

With the extra loft in the 7 wood, it is one of the most forgiving fairway woods to hit, and the chance of getting a straight shot down the center is considerably higher. From the fairway, I would recommend hitting the 7 wood just forward or center in your stance and trying to be conscious about a smooth tempo.

With 22 degrees of loft, you should get enough of a high ball flight that the ball can stop on the green.

From The Rough

Surprisingly the 7 wood is also quite good out of the rough. I can’t tell you that it has as much forgiveness as a hybrid club, but it certainly does well enough to get you out.

I like to first take a look at the lie that I have in the rough and make sure that it makes sense to hit the 7 wood. For instance, if the ball is buried and I’m only looking at the top portion, I’m not going to take out the 7 wood.

If, however, it’s sitting up nicely and I have a chance of making solid and clean contact, the 7 wood is a great option to consider.

Other Clubs That Could Replace a 7 Wood

If you find that the 7 wood distances we mentioned are just not attainable for you, there may be a reason behind this. Chances are the 7 wood is not the best golf club for you.

As more and more alternatives to long irons are being created, we see players with a wide variety of clubs in their bags.

Some players will use a 4 iron or 4 hybrids instead of a 7 wood. There are also utility clubs with 22 degrees of loft that will have similar performance to the 7 wood.

Most players find that the 7 wood is the longest option as the club length is longer and has a bit more of a lightweight feel to help promote extra distance. The 7 wood is still an accurate club, but it’s just a little easier to increase clubhead speed when you swing with this in your hands.

Tips for Hitting Your 7 Wood Further

If you want to hit your 7 wood further, you must be smart about setup, swing length, and weight transfer. Here are some of our favorite tips for learning to hit your 7 wood further.

Check Ball Position

Even though the 7 wood is a fairway wood, it does not need to be pushed to the front of your stance quite like a 3 or 5 wood does. The 7 wood is not as long, and it has a higher loft. Keep it just forward of middle, and you will have more luck getting the total distance you need.

Even when you are hitting the 7 wood off the tee, you won’t want it too far forward as it could end up costing you some distance.

Remember The Importance of Tempo

Even though the tempo can certainly go a long way when hit correctly, you must have a good tempo in place. Take some practice swings where you feel like you are letting the club do the work.

Don’t force something to happen with the 7 wood; this club can do a lot on its own.

A Sweeping Motion is Best

With the 7 wood being a fairway wood, you won’t want to take a big divot or try to compress this ball too much. Instead, it’s best to try and sweep the ball and hit a high lofted shot that lands softly on the green.

Sometimes the setup can lead to a better sweeping motion, but I encourage golfers to have this as part of their mindset.

Look for Something with Newer Technology

Although it may seem like cheating, the newest 7 woods go considerably further than a 7 wood from five years ago. If you want ultimate distance, you may have to pay for it.

Look for something that has a large sweet spot, a low center of gravity, and is known for being aerodynamic. Extra distance from your golf fairway woods can also come about as a result of low spin in the club head.

Lower spin increases total roll and gets the ball to continue moving even when it hits the ground.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

Source link

As a shorter golfer, I’m pretty accustomed to having to order golf clubs that are the proper length for my height. However, many amateur players have no idea they are playing with a putter that is not the correct length.

When you use a putter that is not the proper length, you can have issues with alignment, consistency, and overall effectiveness of your putting stroke.

We are going to take a more in-depth look into how to choose the right putter length based on your height.

Why Putter Length Matters

Two main reasons putter length matters are alignment and setup. With the proper putter length, you can get your body into the right position. Once your eyes are over the golf ball, you can get your hands and arms into the proper position.

Having the hands and arms in place will then help golfers who are struggling with alignment. With your eyes over the ball, you can now see down the line and make your golf ball travel towards the target.

For golfers with a straight back and straight-through putting stroke, getting the eyes over the ball can help keep the stroke more consistent.

Breakdown of Correct Putter Length by Height

The easiest way for golfers to determine if they are playing with the right putter length is to consider their height. We will tell you that this is not the only way to decide on the length of a putter. Considerations like arm length and even your putting stance will also come into play.

When purchased off the shelf, putters will come in 33, 34, or 35 inch lengths. You will notice on our chart of the putter lengths by height that the lengths are a bit more broken down, with half inch sizes included.

This is because putters can also be custom fitted to meet the needs of any player. When custom fitting a putter, you must be sure that you are also taking into consideration the weighting of the club and how this change in length will impact the putter length.

Many golfers also ask about holding the putter further down on the grip and whether or not this will work for keeping their putter length a bit shorter. It can work to get your eyes over the ball, but it is not always as convenient and can make the stroke more restricted.

Take a look at this general guide that gives you the correct putter length in inches by the player height.

Other Factors That Might Affect The Putter Length You Choose

As we mentioned, finding the correct putter length is not just about your height; other factors come into play during a putter fitting. In addition, golfers need to consider that outside of technology and technological factors, they must also find a putter they like and play well with.

A few of the things that impact putter length are your arm length, posture, and your putter style.

Arm Length

Golfers with longer arms may need a shorter putter. If your hands fall too far below your waist while you are bent over to make a putt, you may need a club that is a little shorter. A 34 inch putter is the average putter length, but golfers with longer arms may want to consider going to something that is 33 inches.

With a long arm’s length, you will want to ensure that you have the room to make a pendulum-style stroke, and a shorter putter will likely help that happen. Golfers with longer arms need to be careful about a belly putter and ensure their grip is also the proper length to accommodate their arms.

Posture

The posture from one golfer to another changes considerably. One of the great things about putting is choosing a posture and a style that works for you. As long as you are consistent in your game, then there is no need to follow a textbook putting posture.

However, if you have a posture that keeps you a bit further or closer to the ball, your putter length needs to be adjusted. When a putter has a more upright design and the toe is raised, you may miss some putts to the left.

For golfers that feel too close to the ball because of their setup, it becomes hard to make a follow through, and directional control is an issue. These golfers often see putts that end up too far to the right.

The good news is that you can adjust your putter length so you don’t have to adjust your swing. This is the case with all golf equipment. These small tweaks make it much easier to keep your natural ability and then change the gear.

Putter Style

The putter style that you use could impact the length that you need. Some of these larger mallet-size putter heads are a bit larger, and a tall golfer or short golfer may feel as though they need to change their setup a bit to get close enough to the ball without the putter getting in the way.

Smaller profile blade putters don’t present as much of an issue, but this is undoubtedly a factor when you go for a putter fitting. Some of these height adjustments to accommodate the style of the putter will only be a quarter or half an inch, but they are still essential to consider.

Don’t choose a putter style based on your height. Instead, have the putter fitted to work for your game.

Putter Length FAQs

Without going for a putter fitting with a professional, finding the right putter length may take a bit more time and attention to detail. You will likely want to have a tape measure and your current putter.

Always compare what you are currently playing with to the putter you intend to use so that you can see what changes are essential.

What is The Standard Putter Length?

The standard putter length is 34 inches. However, most golf manufacturers offer a 34 and 35 inch models of the putters that they have in their lineup. The 33 inch can be a bit more difficult to find, but they do exist. Changing the length of the putter after you purchase it is possible, but it could need the help of a professional.

Are There Putters with Adjustable Lengths?

Ping made a series of putters that had adjustable lengths. Although this was a nice feature, once you know the length of the putter you need, you don’t need to adjust it all that often. Having an adjustable driver so that you can change the loft on your club is one thing, but putter length adjustability is not always necessary.

Can I Adjust My Own Putter Length?

Many golfers adjust their own golf clubs by cutting them down and regripping them. There are also extensions you can add to the end of a putter to make it a bit longer. These inserts are not hard to install and can be an excellent solution for a tall golfer.

Are Putter Fittings Worth It?

Putter fittings are becoming increasingly popular. These fittings help golfers to understand more about their putting stroke and why it’s vital to get the correct putter length. Putter fittings will show you how often you hit the center of the putter head and what needs to be done to have it happen more often.

Does Putter Length Impact Weight?

The length of the putter can impact the weight of the putter, and it’s one of the most important considerations that golfers must make when they decide to change their putter length. You should always have a lie loft machine and a scale anytime you are changing your golf clubs. Check the putter weight to ensure you don’t struggle with distance control.

Is a Custom Putter Necessary?

For golfers that are taller or shorter than average, a custom putter length may be necessary. Custom putters will ensure that there are no issues with the putter face being square at impact. In addition, a custom putter will also give you the best chance on those short putts that can so quickly change your score in a round of golf.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

Source link

The idea of a good golf score will be entirely different from one player to another.

A scratch golfer may say that a good score is 73, whereas a high handicapper may call 93 a great score. Let’s look at the different golf scores and how they compare based on skill level.

Good is a relative term in golf, and you must consider skill level before you can say whether a score is good or bad.

Good Golf Score for a Beginner

A good golf score for a beginner is anything around 110. If you can shoot 110 as a new beginner, you will have a long future in the game of golf. To shoot 110, you probably got close to fitting a few greens in regulation, made some two putts, and even had a bogey or two on the course.

However, I have always found that beginners trying to get started in the game are much better off focusing on hitting great shots as opposed to their score. The number of strokes it takes to get the ball in the hole will be a lot for a beginner.

Take your time and learn to make great shots.

Start trying to two putt or take just one shot out of the sand, get your golf ball in the fairway from the tee and avoid water hazards. These are all much more important than trying to shoot low scores.

Good Golf Score for an Average Golfer

A good golf score for an average golfer is around 90. Average golfers tend to call it a good day when they can break 100; breaking 90 happens a little less frequently.

As an average golfer, you likely make some nice pars and an occasional birdie. However, the problem for average golfers often becomes the number of strokes it takes to get out of trouble. In addition, there is that occasional slice that pops up or a three-putt, and it just adds up over the course of the round.

Breaking 90 is going to take a good short game, some practice, and a bit of dedication to the sport.

When you can start breaking 90 consistently, you will move out of the category of the average golfer.

Good Golf Score for a Pro

Professional golfers try to shoot below par every time they go out to play. For professional golfers, good scores a really dependent on the course difficulty, course rating, and conditions of play.

If you shoot a 71 on a really tough golf course in the rain and wind, it’s likely a great score. However, shooting 70 on an easy course with perfect conditions may not be quite as good of a score.

Most professionals will determine if their score was good based on how the rest of the field does. If a pro shoots 67 and everyone else is in the low 70s, it was a great round. However, some professionals are so good that they can shoot scores in the low 60s.

Professionals need to make a lot of birdies and even eagles to be able to keep the number of strokes as low as they do.

When a professional shoots higher 70s or into the 80s, it’s considered a bad day on the golf course.

Where Your Score Ranks You in Terms of Handicap

Golf uses a handicap system to help players be able to compete against one another in a fair golf match. The handicap system will take into account the course difficulty, and course raging and give you an average handicap or average score that you will typically shoot at that course.

Depending on what your golf handicap is, you will fall into three different ranges, low handicap golfers, mid handicap golfers, and high handicap golfers.

Low Handicap Golfer

The low handicap golfer shoots in the 70-79 range. These amateur golfers tend to make a lot of one putts, know how to birdie a hole, and can keep the ball in bounds for the majority of their round.

Most low handicap players have a fair amount of club head speed and can get some good distance off the tee. As great as low handicap golfers are, they are not quite to the level of a professional and still have work to do to get to that point.

Mid Handicap Golfer

Mid handicap golfers make up the most significant portion of golfers in the game. These players range from a 10 to 20 handicap and will shoot between 80 and 94. Mid handicap golfers tend to have a few great holes and a few bad holes when they are on the course.

With a mid handicap golfer, you can expect that the scoring will be a bit inconsistent, but most of the time, it ends up in this 80-94 range.

As mid handicappers transition into low handicappers, their scores will become really consistent in the low 80s. At this point, many mid handicappers can figure out what has been keeping them from the low handicap range, and they can make the necessary adjustments to their golf game.

High Handicap Golfer

High handicap golfers and beginners tend to fall into the same category. However, most high handicap golfers have played the game for quite some time.

With high handicappers, you can expect a handicap to be higher than 21 and the scores to be higher than 95. Some high handicappers are not able to break 100 and will continually work on trying to get these scores down.

One thing that hurts high handicappers is turning a simple bogey into a triple bogey. If you miss a green, it’s really not a big deal to chip back on the green and make a putt. However, if you keep chipping back and forth over the green, it will hurt your score.

Some golfers are happy staying in the high handicap range and having fun on the golf course. Not all players are on a mission to be low handicappers.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

Source link

Talk to any golf coach, and they will tell you that the root of your issue stems from your grip, posture, and ball position. In this post, I take you through the intricacies of the different types of grip and explain why you should employ the duplicate driver grip vs an iron grip.

I intend to help you better understand the different grips and strengths and how they impact your swing path, club plane, power, and accuracy. After reading this article, you’ll notice that consistency is gold and that leaving your grip unchanged ensures a smooth transition between woods and irons.

I suggest bookmarking our guide to proper golf grips to improve your control, accuracy, and power during your golf swing.

Quick Overview of The Different Types of Grips

Before I dive into the best grip for driver and iron shots, let me introduce you to the predominant setups and strengths. Besides explaining how to operate each hold, I will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each setup.

Grip Setups

Overlap grip

The overlap or Vardon grip is the grip that I see most players employing as coaches promote it. It offers a controlled hold of the golf club. Let me explain how you would prepare for a shot with this grip if you are right-handed.

Steps:

1. Grab the base of the grip with your left hand, and leave your index finger off the grip as if you were pointing a firearm.
2. Wrap your left index finger around the grip
3. Place your right hand underneath the left
4. Rest your right pinky finger on your left index knuckle

Interlocking

An interlocking grip is the least common setup among amateurs, but Jack Nicklaus always used it, and clearly, it works. This setup is said to work best for golfers with smaller hands, who struggle to gain a solid handle on the club using Vardon’s approach.

Steps:

1. Grab the base of the grip with your left hand, and use the firearm approach I suggested with the overlap.
2. Wrap your left index finger around the club’s grip
3. Guide the pinky finger on your lower hand through the webbing between your left index and middle fingers.

Baseball

The baseball or ten-finger grip allows for comfortable hand placement when you are just starting out. Or, in my case, 28 years later. It is a grip that most coaches dismiss because the incorrect pressure can prompt your hands to operate independently and send the clubface off the path during swings.

Steps:

1. Grab the base of the grip with your left hand, and ensure that all five fingers touch the rubber.
2. Grip the lower portion of the handle with your right hand
3. Ensure your knuckles on both hands align with one another

Grip Strength

Neutral

The golden standard of strength and a golf coach’s best friend is the neutral grip, designed to help golfers deliver improved accuracy. When your hands are positioned neutrally, you’ll notice that the V-shape created from the webbing between your thumb and index finger align on both hands.

Weak

A weak or closed grip occurs when the back of your right hand is visible at the address. Essentially it removes most of your left hand from the line of sight. Now, a weak grip is not to be confused with the level of tension in your hands. You should always have a lighter grip pressure.

You’ll see that a weak grip means that your right-hand covers your left hand. In other words, you rotate your right hand clockwise from the neutral position.

When you leave your right hand closed, you reduce the wrist hinge making it impossible to turn your hands over through impact. You’ll find it causes you to clubface open at impact and slice or push your golf ball into trouble.

An open clubface, coupled with an outside-in swing path, causes you to cut across the ball at impact and send your ball flying right of the target.

Cutting across the golf ball with an open clubface will cause your ball to travel right of the target. In addition, you may struggle to square your face up and leave it closed, prompting a nasty hook.

Strong

You create a strong grip by rotating your right hand anti-clockwise from the neutral position until your palm faces away from you. This is also described by coaches as an open grip because the palm of your hand is open, and faces your chest.

Many golfers feel that this grip helps them boost power for optimal clubhead and ball speed. However, it is a common reason amateur golfers slice their golf balls all over the course.

A strong grip is not all bad and clearly works for Dustin Johnson, but it caused me to play with a fade for most of my junior years. Instead of fixing it, I compensated by aiming further to the right and allowing the ball to fade back toward my target.

Should You Use a Different Grip Between Your Driver and Irons?

No, you best not use different golf club grips for your driver and irons to ensure consistency and a smooth transition between your stronger and mid-loft golf clubs. When you employ a different iron grip to a driver grip, it may lead to varying swing paths and ball flight, making it a challenge to produce consistency.

The only golf clubs where I would permit a change in your grip setup is with a putter. Feel, feedback, and bullseye accuracy is the order of the day. You achieve this by restricting wrist movement on putts.

Besides the conventional left-hand high and right-hand low, the claw, saw, left-hand low, and wrist-lock grip is used on the dancefloor.

Which Grip is Best for a Driver?

A neutral setup is the best golf grip for a driver, as it sets you up to produce a controlled swing path and straighter golf shots. It is irrelevant whether you use an interlocking, overlapping, or baseball grip as long as your strength is neutral.

You may feel like your neutral approach costs you clubhead speed, coefficient of restitution, and ball velocity. In this case, I recommend that you try a stronger grip. Remember, although it may help your swing speed, it can cause you to leave your clubface open at impact and slice or push your shots.

Now, for those experienced players who have found success using alternative methods, you are proof that there is no one size fits all approach. This article is to help beginners get ahead and limit the number of bad habits the rest of us have picked up over the years.

Which Grip is Best for Irons?

Like your driver, I advise using a neutral grip for irons to encourage direct ball flight and lower the risk of producing a hook or slice. If you set up for a draw, you may consider tightening your grip by rotating it anti-clockwise slightly to help you close the clubface faster.

Conversely, when you wish to play a fade with your irons, you can weaken your grip by moving it clockwise to slightly conceal your left hand. Remember, this is a game of inches, and rotating it too much can lead to a savage slice.

Which Grip is The Best For Putting?

As a traditionalist, I support utilizing the conventional reverse overlap setup, which requires the opposite placement to a full-swing Vardon grip. With this grip, your left index finger sits on the knuckle of your lower right hand, switching roles. You’ll find that this setup restricts wrist movement for straighter putts.

Another option is the low left-hand approach or right-hand low for lefties. Instead of your setup for full shots, you place your left hand at the bottom of the grip while the right hand anchors at the base. You’ll find that this grip promotes less tension and wrist action to keep your putter face square at contact.

Finally, golfers also use the saw or claw variants, which Mark O’Meara popularized in the nineties. You literally hold the putter as if you were holding a saw or have a claw, which restricts moving your wrists to keep your club online during your stroke.

Which Grip is Best to Hit a Draw?

Our guide has highlighted that a stronger grip is your best bet to hit a draw because it helps you close the clubface faster at impact.

However, be careful not to over-strengthen your grip because this can rapidly turn your draw into a snap hook and lead you down the path of trouble. In addition, ensure that you are aiming to the right of your target to compensate for the proposed right curve.

Which Grip is Best to Hit a Fade?

Contrary to a draw, a fade requires a slightly weaker grip setup, which will help you propel the club on an out-to-in swing path. You’ll notice that this leads to your clubface slicing across the ball while remaining open to the line and sending your ball on a left-to-right trajectory.

Finally, ensure that you are set up left of your proposed target to prepare for the fade, or you will end up right of the mark.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

Source link