Bobby Jones Grip

[EdZ]

Just curious what people on this board think of how Jones suggested the club be gripped... "so that it can be easily cocked up over the right shoulder"

In Jone's view, take your grip with the shaft resting on your right shoulder, keep the thumbs and forefingers of both hands pressed lightly against each other. Lead thumb 'under' the shaft (when gripped with it on the shoulder). You should really 'feel' the pocket of your right hand, and how the left thumb fits in it.

This grip will give you slightly more of a finger grip in the right hand, while really giving the feel of the heel pad being on 'top' for the left. It will tend to give you a slight cup at the top. It will also allow you to focus your attention on 'swinging' to your target, rather than manipulating your hands during the swing to square up the face. Your hands 'go along for the ride' that your body provides.

Just curious for the TGM folks out there what you think of Jone's grip theory.

 

[Burner]

Sounds a little "Leslie King" with the slightly cupped effect and the lack of manipulation needed to square up the club face.

 

[EdZ]

Yes... although one of the big benefits of the 'on the shoulder' approach is that it is very easy to get 'right'. I took a look at Leslie's grip description, and the end result is the same positions of the hands, but it is easy to get wrong following his detail.

Try taking the grip on the shoulder, or really, just with your wrists already at 90 degrees to the shaft (bent back to the forearms a bit). If you keep your thumb/index fingers of both hands pressed against each other (this is KEY), and you make sure the lead hand thumb is 'under' the shaft, and the thumb 'fit's well in the pocket, you will end up with a very solid grip time after time that in all respects looks quite like King's description.

This allows you to get full lag in the wrists ala Hogan. Take a look at Chad Campbell's pics that Redgoat posted too.

I disagree with King's assesment of the hands/arms leading the swing (which is somewhat debate worthy on the backswing, but for downswing, it must begin from the ground up), but his grip description is pretty solid.