Thanks a lot. With the new camera it just made sense to do it. I now people don’t do the grip right so hopefully this clarifies it and allows people to master it. Glad you are doing well.
Thank you Paul,
WOW….I’ve been a member since 2015 but I think…with this tip..I’ve finally swung my club correctly. The clue was that my club finished parallel to my ears, touching my head….without effort!!!! every time I swung the club. This has been a very important tip for me. Please keep up the great work you are doing. Regards from Australia. Ray
Glad you have finally felt it. Funny how this is one of the first positions I teach yet the first one everyone forgets. I have to constantly remind people to do it. In my mind the swing is not over until it is touching. Just keep thinking this way. After a while it goes there on its own. Good job.
Hi Paul. Regarding the top Hand placement I have a bit of a confusion. I’ve been holding the club so that if I open my middle, ring and pinky fingers I can balance the club between my index and under the pad on my palm. If I hold the club according to your technique then the club will run across the palm pad and I shouldn’t be able to balance it by opening the 3 fingers. Is my understanding correct? Also is your grip more like Moe Norman’s?
You should be able to balance the club like that with my grip. If not, you are doing it wrong. I show people this all of the time. So no this is not a Moe Norman grip. This is neutral as Hogan would have done. Close the gap. Move the thumb slightly right of center down the grip. Wrap the fingers around. IF so the club would be running across the palm. Try it again.
This may sound like and odd question. I had trouble with my left thumb on the golf club (right handed golfer) so I took it completely off and wrapped it around the grip but the right hand placement was the same as you suggest. This instantly improved my contact with the ball (all clubs) and I wasn’t losing any distance.
I couldn’t find anything on the internet about the lett thumb off grip. I think Alex Morriaon used to teach this grip but not sure. Can you please elaborate or explain why this would be? Putting the left thumb on always keeps me from releasing the club.
Thanks
This might be allowing your wrists to hinge better at the top. Not sure why you wouldn’t be able to do this with the real grip. In 25 years I have never had a problem getting someone to do the grip. I would be doing the real grip with the left hand and focusing on hinging better at the top.
Paul – good evening and love the body swing. swinging without lower back pain for the first time in a long, long time. Above you mention on the top hand grip the club is across the palm pad, the gentleman above mentions it under the palm pad. My grip has the club under the palm pad. Is across the palm pad more correct?
Glad you are playing pain free. In no way should The Body Swing hurt your body.
There would be some of the pad being squeezed after it runs across your palm. Just remember to have the thumb against the side of your hand. This will allow it to run perfectly across the palm. He may have just been describing it differently. You can send us a picture if you are in doubt and we will check it.
Paul,
Thanks for this video, it really helped to clarify the hand placement. I went out to the range the other day to try my new swing and was still pushing or had a push fade. I tried the rollover drill but I really had to concentrate on turning over early and then it would go straight but not hook. I finally determined that my grip was a little too neutral. I used to have a very strong grip so going more neutral was a big change. I had my thumb about 1:00, however, since I didn’t press my thumb to my first finger (as you demonstrate here) my setup ended up completely neutral and caused my errant shot shapes. So, I finally tried rotating the rest of my hand over to my thumb. It is surprising how big of a difference rotating the hand from the 12:00 to 1:00 position can make. After that very slight modification most of my shots were right where I aimed.
Thanks again,
Brad
Very good. Sounds like it was too weak. You need precise and perfect grip placement. Having a strong grip in the past will make it harder for you to learn but the payoff is well worth it because you will be able to have loose wrists without hitting huge hooks. There is a big difference between hooking it without trying to hook it and purposely doing the roll over drill and having it hook. See the drill as fixing the spin. Once you get it hooking use your body rotation to straighten it out. I think you get it and see how important the grip is I just don’t want it going back to strong again in the future.
Paul,
I was trying to do the duck hook drill today and just couldn’t get my hands turning over.
I realized that I had the club coming across my top hand from the first knuckle across the middle of my thumb pad. I moved the handle down just below the thumb, where you have it in this video, and it seemed to automatically make my wrists unhinge and turn. Things went much better after that adjustment. I hope this is the feeling I’m supposed to get.
Hi Paul…like many commenting here, I’m struggling with changing from a strong to a neutral grip. On my left hand, at the bottom of the palm, I’ve got a callus that’s developed over the years, and in looking at your grip and trying to place the left hand like you demonstrate, the grip goes right over the callus which seems like the high point of that part of the palm. It doesn’t feel secure on this high point (like a ridge) so I’ve been experimenting with just above and just below the top of the callus. There are 2 lines on either side of the callus, and when the club rests on one of those lines I feel I can exert some pressure to allow it feel more secure, especially at the top of the back swing. But I don’t want to get into a habit that I will need to change again. Please advise, would you recommend that I have the club rest:
1 On the callus
2. Just Under the callus
3. Just above the callus.
You need to squeeze some of the pad on this hand. You saying it doesn’t feel secure would lead me to believe you are not enough on the pad. The callous is the tell tale sign you are way too much in the fingers. I did this too and had a huge blood blister on this pad for years.
To get it you need to be able to hold the club in just your left hand with only the pad and index finger on the club. Just do a google image search Hogan left hand grip and you will see what I mean.
So this is most likely on top your callous. This is not an insecure position where it is slipping in any way. So if you can hold the club as I suggest you are doing it.
If you are still in doubt email me a picture of it.
I find that if I have not played for awhile and I come back to the game, my grip tends to be too strong, I start hitting everything left, try to compensate with my swing, and everything gets screwed up. Then I finally remember to weaken my grip and things fall into place. I have very fast hands, and I find that my grip has to be neutral. What I try to do is put the left hand on the club so that the palm is perpendicular to the line of sight. Any advice on this would be helpful.
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17 Responses to “Grip – Top Hand Placement”
September 9, 2017
McGooI really like this crazy detail. I enjoy the way you explain things and your tips have really helped my game over the years. Keep it up coach.
Thanks
Shawn (Ontario,Canada)
September 10, 2017
Paul WilsonShawn,
Thanks a lot. With the new camera it just made sense to do it. I now people don’t do the grip right so hopefully this clarifies it and allows people to master it. Glad you are doing well.
September 9, 2017
RayCroweThank you Paul,
WOW….I’ve been a member since 2015 but I think…with this tip..I’ve finally swung my club correctly. The clue was that my club finished parallel to my ears, touching my head….without effort!!!! every time I swung the club. This has been a very important tip for me. Please keep up the great work you are doing. Regards from Australia. Ray
September 10, 2017
Paul WilsonRay,
Glad you are a long time member. I appreciate it.
Glad you have finally felt it. Funny how this is one of the first positions I teach yet the first one everyone forgets. I have to constantly remind people to do it. In my mind the swing is not over until it is touching. Just keep thinking this way. After a while it goes there on its own. Good job.
November 6, 2017
HamzaAlmakkyHi Paul. Regarding the top Hand placement I have a bit of a confusion. I’ve been holding the club so that if I open my middle, ring and pinky fingers I can balance the club between my index and under the pad on my palm. If I hold the club according to your technique then the club will run across the palm pad and I shouldn’t be able to balance it by opening the 3 fingers. Is my understanding correct? Also is your grip more like Moe Norman’s?
November 6, 2017
Paul WilsonHamza,
You should be able to balance the club like that with my grip. If not, you are doing it wrong. I show people this all of the time. So no this is not a Moe Norman grip. This is neutral as Hogan would have done. Close the gap. Move the thumb slightly right of center down the grip. Wrap the fingers around. IF so the club would be running across the palm. Try it again.
November 19, 2017
HamzaAlmakkyHi Paul,
This may sound like and odd question. I had trouble with my left thumb on the golf club (right handed golfer) so I took it completely off and wrapped it around the grip but the right hand placement was the same as you suggest. This instantly improved my contact with the ball (all clubs) and I wasn’t losing any distance.
I couldn’t find anything on the internet about the lett thumb off grip. I think Alex Morriaon used to teach this grip but not sure. Can you please elaborate or explain why this would be? Putting the left thumb on always keeps me from releasing the club.
Thanks
November 20, 2017
Paul WilsonHamza,
This might be allowing your wrists to hinge better at the top. Not sure why you wouldn’t be able to do this with the real grip. In 25 years I have never had a problem getting someone to do the grip. I would be doing the real grip with the left hand and focusing on hinging better at the top.
3 Ways to Set The Top of the Backswing: https://ignitiongolf.com/backswing-top-3-ways/
March 4, 2018
KenCamutPaul – good evening and love the body swing. swinging without lower back pain for the first time in a long, long time. Above you mention on the top hand grip the club is across the palm pad, the gentleman above mentions it under the palm pad. My grip has the club under the palm pad. Is across the palm pad more correct?
March 5, 2018
Paul WilsonKen,
Glad you are playing pain free. In no way should The Body Swing hurt your body.
There would be some of the pad being squeezed after it runs across your palm. Just remember to have the thumb against the side of your hand. This will allow it to run perfectly across the palm. He may have just been describing it differently. You can send us a picture if you are in doubt and we will check it.
March 20, 2018
BradEricksenPaul,
Thanks for this video, it really helped to clarify the hand placement. I went out to the range the other day to try my new swing and was still pushing or had a push fade. I tried the rollover drill but I really had to concentrate on turning over early and then it would go straight but not hook. I finally determined that my grip was a little too neutral. I used to have a very strong grip so going more neutral was a big change. I had my thumb about 1:00, however, since I didn’t press my thumb to my first finger (as you demonstrate here) my setup ended up completely neutral and caused my errant shot shapes. So, I finally tried rotating the rest of my hand over to my thumb. It is surprising how big of a difference rotating the hand from the 12:00 to 1:00 position can make. After that very slight modification most of my shots were right where I aimed.
Thanks again,
Brad
March 21, 2018
Paul WilsonBrad,
Very good. Sounds like it was too weak. You need precise and perfect grip placement. Having a strong grip in the past will make it harder for you to learn but the payoff is well worth it because you will be able to have loose wrists without hitting huge hooks. There is a big difference between hooking it without trying to hook it and purposely doing the roll over drill and having it hook. See the drill as fixing the spin. Once you get it hooking use your body rotation to straighten it out. I think you get it and see how important the grip is I just don’t want it going back to strong again in the future.
March 21, 2018
NormanKlinePaul,
I was trying to do the duck hook drill today and just couldn’t get my hands turning over.
I realized that I had the club coming across my top hand from the first knuckle across the middle of my thumb pad. I moved the handle down just below the thumb, where you have it in this video, and it seemed to automatically make my wrists unhinge and turn. Things went much better after that adjustment. I hope this is the feeling I’m supposed to get.
Thanks Norm
March 22, 2018
Paul WilsonNorm,
Very good. Now you see how important the grip is. Please keep doing it.
August 21, 2018
wkalaidjianHi Paul…like many commenting here, I’m struggling with changing from a strong to a neutral grip. On my left hand, at the bottom of the palm, I’ve got a callus that’s developed over the years, and in looking at your grip and trying to place the left hand like you demonstrate, the grip goes right over the callus which seems like the high point of that part of the palm. It doesn’t feel secure on this high point (like a ridge) so I’ve been experimenting with just above and just below the top of the callus. There are 2 lines on either side of the callus, and when the club rests on one of those lines I feel I can exert some pressure to allow it feel more secure, especially at the top of the back swing. But I don’t want to get into a habit that I will need to change again. Please advise, would you recommend that I have the club rest:
1 On the callus
2. Just Under the callus
3. Just above the callus.
Thanks Paul. W Kalaidjian
August 21, 2018
Paul WilsonPaul,
You need to squeeze some of the pad on this hand. You saying it doesn’t feel secure would lead me to believe you are not enough on the pad. The callous is the tell tale sign you are way too much in the fingers. I did this too and had a huge blood blister on this pad for years.
To get it you need to be able to hold the club in just your left hand with only the pad and index finger on the club. Just do a google image search Hogan left hand grip and you will see what I mean.
So this is most likely on top your callous. This is not an insecure position where it is slipping in any way. So if you can hold the club as I suggest you are doing it.
If you are still in doubt email me a picture of it.
May 16, 2020
mikeschickI find that if I have not played for awhile and I come back to the game, my grip tends to be too strong, I start hitting everything left, try to compensate with my swing, and everything gets screwed up. Then I finally remember to weaken my grip and things fall into place. I have very fast hands, and I find that my grip has to be neutral. What I try to do is put the left hand on the club so that the palm is perpendicular to the line of sight. Any advice on this would be helpful.