Jack Nicklaus, along with many other professionals and coaches, has always stressed the importance of a good grip in golf.
In the clip below Nicklaus discusses the grip in a chat with aspiring golfers and makes it clear what they need to be doing.
Nicklaus notes that the club should not be loose within the grip and you shouldn’t be straining to hold onto it either.
As Nicklaus points out there isn’t a hard and fast, right way to set up to grip the club.
Each golfer possesses a unique “natural motion.” A good grip begins with positioning your lead hand in its most natural position on the handle; a bad grip inhibits it, while a good one highlights it. Stand straight and let your arms hang loosely by your sides to find your ideal grip. No golf ball, no stance yet either. Take hold of a club now. That is all. You may now initiate and complete your swing without requiring any assistance.
Checking that your lead-hand grip and lead-hip mobility are in sync is the next stage. You may anticipate more of the same inconsistent behaviour when they don’t and your swing will be all over the place. With your weight on your front side, your hands front, and your hips as open as possible, assume a “dynamic impact” stance with your trail hand on the handle and the club in your address posture.
With the club held at a 45-degree angle in front of you, use your new leadhand position. Put on your trail hand, taking care to place the grip via the base of your fingers rather than your palm to allow for easy wrapping around the handle.
Motion the club over your trail shoulder (right) with both hands on the handle, then launch it forward like a fishing line. This easy test simulates the elongation of the trailarm that occurs during every downswing.
Your potential will be limited by the smallest mismatch between your trailhand grasp and the way your trail arm extends during your downswing. (If you slice a lot, this imbalance between grip and extension is probably the cause.) Hold the club after you’ve cast it into the exercise and assess where the clubface is to see where you need to adjust.
Once you locate your natural hold, it’s doubtful that both of your hands Vs will point in the direction of your trail shoulder. This is not only acceptable, but it’s also necessary to swing freely and avoid getting slices or hooks. Finally, make sure there are no spaces between your fingers.
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