# Your Grip



## CG8 (Oct 26, 2008)

Growing up playing golf I never took a lesson and I pretty much self taught myself by watching golfers on TV and looking at golfers swings in Golf Digest . I was always playing baseball so when I picked up a golf club I just held the club like a bat (baseball grip) . From the ages of 23 through 26 I did not play any golf or even pick up a golf club . 

When I started playing golf again after not playing for 3 years I started using the interlocking grip . Notice the right thumb position in this photo . It's almost pointed left . Before today I never really paid close attention to my right thumb position but today I lined my right thumb up so that it went straight down the shaft and it generated a little more power and I started hitting straighter drives . I really think that the right thumb position has alot to do with where the ball is going to go . It also feels like a stronger grip . Any thoughts or opinions on this ? Is there a proper way to place the direction of your right thumb ?


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

I use any interlocking grip too. From what I was taught not by a pro but an older golfer was that when you make your grip there are two V's made between your thumb and pointer on both hands these should be pointing up to your right should which from the look of your photo it looks pretty close to what I was show and what I do. The only thing is that I point my thumb straight down in line with the shaft I'm not sure if this is correct through.


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## memorex88 (Apr 8, 2006)

Surtees said:


> two V's made between your thumb and pointer on both hands these should be pointing up to your right should.


Surtees, did you mean "shoulder"?

That's what I was taught by my pro also. It completely got rid of my slice.

My thumb is in the center of the shaft and is so evident that it's the first sigh my grips are wearing out since the thumb makes a groove on that spot!


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

Shoulder, should it's all pretty close to the same thing. Sorry it's getting late here I think thats a sign that I'm due for bed.


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## memorex88 (Apr 8, 2006)

hehe no worries, but when you mentioned it... it brought me back to the lessons I took some years ago and he (the pro) kept telling me to "make the V's point to the right shoulder". What a slice I had before that lol


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

I notice that when I'm geting a bit tried in my swing the V's can disappear and then the slice appears I know exactly what you mean. Such a little thing can have a big impact on your game.

When I was out having a hit today I really payed attention to my thumb postioning and I noticed that when I take up my natural grip my wasn't actully pointing down straight at my club head it was more point at my ball on address. so I tried a few hits this way which weren't to bad but they had a slight slice to them after doing a few that way I focused on make sure my thumb was pointing at the head of the club and just from that little change, my slice disappear(ok on one or two shotts it came back but I'm no tiger) and the balls flight was a little longer to. So I think I'll keep that small change in my game for sure!


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## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

The thumb should be placed so that it supports the shaft when your at the top. Whether it needs to straight down, I don't think it really matters. As long as your Vs are lined up, and your thumb is supportive, the result should be good as long as your other fundamentals are right.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

My V's do line up and I have my thumbs pointing striaght down the club it seems to work for me. This is a funny old game what works for one person might not work for another, but if you don't give it a try you'll never know.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

My hands are so large that the V's don't line up. One of my personal oddities is that I used a 10 finger grip all my life and only switched to an overlap grip around the age of 55. I haven't played for a while and all of a sudden, it just felt more comfortable.


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