Left hand grip "Important" part. (w/Brian Manzella Video!)

[BigBadDonkey]

.. That no one ever talks about, or to a lesser extent anyway.
Ok, the issue regarding where on the hand the grip lays across. In the palm, in the fingers, etc. etc. A tough subject because everyone is built different.
There are three joints on the fingers. Where the fingers join the main hand part, and then the two below on the fingers.
Lets for arguments sake say A = The first joint by the Palm. B = The middlish one, and C = The one at the end closest to the finger nail.
We all know the heel of palm should sit on top of grip, and builds vary, so lets leave that bit.
Now the clincher .... where does the grip sit on the index finger \ the one next to the Thumb if you carefully open the grip up why holding club, not disturbing placement? in relationship to the 3 points (A,B,C).
Leadbetter likes finger grip so he would say in between B and C?
Manzella... I think he likes between A and B?
It is different for every golfer but for me my preference is between A and B, and I tend to hit better.
Come on you brains. this is the heart of the grip, not all this palm facing, or knuckle nonsense.

 

[dbl]

Good question. Like when various people say to have the club more "in the fingers" I suspect they mean out to knuckles B and C, not A.

 

[BigBadDonkey]

Also, it is such a difficult one to explain, particularly if your not actually with the instructor. If you look at book, they all show something different, or, they are saying something different because the grip can lay in a different area depending on how\when you look at it on your hand. For example you can look at it as you take your grip, or after, and then it depends on how you open your hand. hmmm...
Brian's grip instruction is very good, but is too vague in my opinion....
He mentions palm on top and hook finger round grip so it balances, fair enough, but *where* on the finger does it hook on the grip. And that is *the key* .
You can have either a finger or palm grip from this instruction.
You can hook that finger round the grip in, lets say, two different places... near the tip of the finger or near the base of the finger....

 

[EdZ]

"I try to do as many things as possible, as naturally as possible"

Jack Nicklaus, describing the left hand grip in Golf My Way video

 

[BigBadDonkey]

My natural grip would be in the fingers. As in too much in the fingers.

 

[Tom Bartlett]

A good way to do it (grip the club) is to have the Middle knuckles, B, of the last three fingers of the left hand line up on the 'bottom line' of the grip. So, if you took a club and drew a line down the length of the grip directly on the underside, then gripped it with the left hand the middle knuckles of the middle finger, ring finger and pinky would be on top of that line. Also the middle knuckles of the middle two fingers of the right hand would also be on that line. So that after you grip the club, if you were to look at your grip in a mirror those 5 knuckles should line up.

 

[Biffer]

The main guide to position of the left hand is dictated by the position of the left thumb. The fingers will automatically fall into their respective correct positions, naturally, guided by the positioning of the left thumb. So, the left thumb should be your guiding light in regards to the positions of all the other digits.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Can't take it anymore...

So wrong....this thread needs some help.

I will file a little grip segment tomorrow.

Too tired to do it tonight, taught all day.

 

[tongzilla]

A good way to do it (grip the club) is to have the Middle knuckles, B, of the last three fingers of the left hand line up on the 'bottom line' of the grip. So, if you took a club and drew a line down the length of the grip directly on the underside, then gripped it with the left hand the middle knuckles of the middle finger, ring finger and pinky would be on top of that line. Also the middle knuckles of the middle two fingers of the right hand would also be on that line. So that after you grip the club, if you were to look at your grip in a mirror those 5 knuckles should line up.

Nice answer Tom, I never used this procedure but it seems like I'm doing it anyway.

 

[BigBadDonkey]

Tom, I tried your method and I got an extremely 'fingers' grip . When I take my grip those knuckles are to the right (as I look down) of that bottom\middle line on my left hand, and to the left on my right hand, which suggest a more palm grip compared to you maybe?
But I guess palms and finger sizes\orientation differ so much it's not worth mentioning this.
Would be great if you found the time to do a little grip segment, Brian, although with the Open on the box . Your forum grip article is definately the best I've read. The left hand heel \ first finger balance, then close last three fingers round does many good things. It's just knowing where abouts on that finger the grip sits before it triggers round, as it pretty much dictates where the grip sits in relation to this palm\fingers thing.

 

[Brian Manzella]

The Grip...makes it all easier.

[media]http://homepage.mac.com/brianmanzella/filechute/manzellaneutral.flv[/media]

 

[dumazz]

Thank you Brian

Brian, you kick azz. I've been lurking on this site for almost a year and a half and purchased two of your videos which have helped me enormously. Bonuses like the grip video, video answers and articles are just icing on the cake. I'm sure that these freebies will only continue to build your "paying" customer base. I hope to make it to NOLA for some world class instruction before word really gets out and you start charging Leadbetter/Harmon rates . Thanks again and keep up the great work.

 

[BigBadDonkey]

Thanks Brian, great stuff.

 

[thinkin2]

Great explanation/demonstration, Brian. I have always played with pretty much that same grip but now I have arthritis in my right hand. What is your opinion of the ten finger grip and is there a particular way to make it work better? I have been trying it now for about a month with mixed results. Thanks alot.
Jerry

 

[pm4610]

Is is just me or was this video pretty dark, esp in the beginning? Also, it downloads as an .flv file. Not a typical file extension, I think I have to get some freeware to convert it into a wmv, mov, etc. file. Great stuff and as always very helpful.
Thanks,
p

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Yes it's dark, however don't download it. Just play it in the window.

 

[pm4610]

I like to save the videos, plus if I thought maybe I could lighten it up a bit more. Thanks, p

 

[EdZ]

One of your best video clips yet Brian - very nice. The Hogan grip, very well defined, if unfortunately a bit dark.

How many PGA pro's do you think actually use Hogan's grip properly?

Nick Price comes to mind.

"Good golf begins with a good grip" - Ben Hogan

See page 23 -

"Keeping pressure on the shaft with the palm pad does three things: it strengthens the left arm throughout the swing; at the top of the backswing, the pressure from this pad prevents the club from slipping from the player's grasp; and it acts a a firm reinforement at impact"

A key is to understand you are activating the muscle that runs up the underside of the forearm (in line with left forearm flying wedge). Also, important to note grip size is a very key factor.