Almost every golf instructional book has information on how to hold a golf club as a right handed player. Lefty golfers are left to try and switch all of the information around and come up with a solution. We wanted to change that!
We put together a guide that can teach all left-handed golfers how to hold the club perfectly. Regardless of your ability level, the right golf grip will help you become a better player.
How to hold a golf club left-handed?
A left handed golf grip will have the right hand on top and the left hand on the bottom. To have a proper grip, you will want to have the club more in the fingers of your hand. The right hand will have the thumb pointing straight down the shaft, while the left hand will have the thumb just right of center.
Left handed golfers can choose a variety of ways to grip their golf clubs. This includes the interlock or overlap style, or even the baseball grip.
In addition to the different styles, some players will have a stronger or weaker grip depending on the location of their hands on the golf clubs. These are the steps to ensure a neutral golf grip where your hands are in the proper position each and every time you play.
Step 1: Set The Clubface Square
Hold the clubface square so that it is sitting flat on the ground. You want to make sure you have a general idea of what a square looks like before you take a swing.
Once you have the clubface square and you know that the club is facing the target, you can lift it up to make it easier to get the grip correct.
Step 2: Place The Right Hand
Left handed golfers have to place their right hand on the club first. Make sure that the hand is gripping the club more with the fingers than the palm. If you’re gripping with the palm, your swing flexibility will be limited.
The thumb and the forefinger on your right hand will create a V shape. This V should be pointing at your right shoulder.
Step 3: Place The Left Hand
Now that your right hand is in place, it’s time to put the left hand on the golf club. You can interlock, overlap, or just place your hands next to each other on the golf club, but there will be some interaction between the two hands.
The thumb from the right hand will fit into the palm of the left hand.
One question that golfers always ask is what to do with the left thumb. YOu can keep it straight down the shaft if you want, but more players like to turn it slightly to the right to have a bit more control.
Step 4: Make Adjustments for Comfort
Once your hands are on the club, you may need to tweak things just a bit to be comfortable. Although a technically sound grip is essential, you have to feel you have control and power in your golf swing.
Choosing the Right Golf Club Grip
Now that you have a better idea of how to hold the club, it’s a good idea to pick the proper golf grip. There are three main styles for left-handed golfers to choose from; which include the interlock, overlap, and ten-finger style grips. Here are some ways that you can determine which is best for your game.
Interlock Grip
The interlock grip is where your index finger on your right hand and your pinky on your left hand will interlock. Left-handed golfers that have high swing speeds and are looking for extra control of the golf club will significantly benefit from the interlocking grip.
Many golfers like to say that the overlap grip provides a better feel for players, but some of the greatest players in the game, like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, used the interlocking grip.
Interlock grips are an excellent option for those that are new to the game; it feels easier to get your hands into the right position with the interlocking grip in place.
Overlap Grip
The overlap grip is where, instead of interlocking the pinky on the left hand, you will rest the pinky between the index and middle fingers of the right hand. Your right thumb should fit inside your left hand.
With an overlap grip, you can get your hands a bit less involved in the swing and really benefit from some extra feel and consistency. Many high-level players feel that the interlock grip allows them to incorporate their bigger muscles into the swing and keep the hands and wrists out of it.
10 Finger or Baseball Grip
The 10 finger or baseball grip has the left and right hand next to each other on the club, but they are not interlocking or overlapping. All of the fingers on your right hand sit below those on the left.
Many junior players start the game with this grip because it is easier to understand and feel from the beginning. In addition, some golfers that have large hands or pain in their hands will like the 10-finger grip because it allows for a bit of an easier grip.
The ten finger or baseball grip also has some problems that it can create for the left-handed golfer. If you are struggling with flipping your wrists or swinging with hands and arms instead of shoulders and core, the ten-finger grip needs to go away.
Some players actually find that their ability to hit a straight shot is considerably reduced until they find the right type of grip. When your grip feels good, you can square the clubface up and hit higher-quality golf shots.
FAQs
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about how to hold the best left-handed golf clubs.
Conclusion
At this point, you should have a good understanding of how to hold a golf club left handed. If you know the perfect grip, the rest of your swing can fall into place considerably easier. Left handed golfers need to be careful when they grip the club that they are properly reversing the advice that they have about the right handed golfer’s grip. When your grip is neutral, and you have the right grip pressure, expect much better results on the golf course.
