I have seen too many golfers with strong grips rely on that strong position to release the club for them, which usually results in a weak left to right shot. Or if they decide to release the club, it results in a fast moving snap hook. A proper release allows so much more power to transfer to the ball.
So, lets construct a neutral grip:
Step 1: Place your left hand on the grip. The most important part of the grip is actually holding on to the club. Some of you might laugh at that, but you would be surprised at how many people let go of the club while they swing.
Make sure that there is about 1/4 in. to 1/3 in. spacing between the butt of the club and where the palm of your left hand is placed. Always keep your left palm on the grip, "NOT" hanging off the edge. Hanging your hand off the end of the grip cause your gloves to tare quicker and you don't have all of your hand on the club which can cause re-gripping during the back swing.
Step 2: Place the thumb on top of the grip. Imagine if there was a line drawn down the middle of the grip. Your thumb would be placed ever so slightly to the left. This is the key to starting a neutral grip. Most amateurs roll their left hand over to far to the left creating an overly strong grip which reduces wrist mobility.
Step 3: place your right hand on top of your left hand. A very easy way to know if your hand is in the correct spot is to notice the path of your "life line" on your right hand, and place it directly over your left thumb. You will notice that your left thumb fits very snug with the inside of your right hand. You should be able to see at least two full knuckles on your right hand when you look down. Most amateurs roll this hand too far under the grip. A right hand too far under can cause a very hard hook if it becomes active during the impact zone. Take notice of the "V" formed by the top hand. It bi-sects the grip right down the middle. This is a sure sign of a neutral grip.
Step 4: Interlock, overlap or ten finger are all great methods. To each their own. I happen to have the hands of an ape, so I prefer overlap. If you have smaller hands, interlock might feel more secure. Be sure to grip the club lightly. if you ever see white knuckles, that is a sure sign of gripping it too hard. My favorite saying is, "it is like holding a tube of tooth paste, firm enough to hold it but soft enough to not squeeze any paste out." If you put a good jerk on my club while it was in my hands, it would come right out.
If you try this grip, and you are more accustomed to a stronger grip, this grip will feel very weak. It will feel very uncomfortable too. It will give you the sense that you couldn't hit the ball and that you couldn't give a good lash at the ball. This feeling will go away after time.
If you naturally hit the ball left, this grip will straighten you out very quickly. This is because you already have an active release during the swing. If you slice the ball, this grip will still slice the ball. If this is the case, you will need to start practicing on releasing the club through the impact zone because you have probably ingrained a "holding off" motion through impact and a you have relied on a strong grip to straighten the face out during impact. If this is the case, call me, and I'll get you figured out.
