The grip is the quietest fundamental in golf coaching. At GOLFZON Leadbetter Education, it is the first thing we look at in the Level 1 Certification course - before the other fundamentals and the movement of the arms and club. While not flashy on the surface, having a proper grip will set players up for all other areas of the game. Discover the most common causes behind improper grip and how to correctly teach this foundation, rooted in David Leadbetter’s 40+ years of teaching experience.

The Grip Connects the Whole Swing

Stating that the hands are the only part of the body touching the club seems straightforward, like saying the sky is blue. But it goes much deeper than this, as each piece of information your body sends the clubhead passes through the hands - every correction, every adjustment, every ounce of power. If the hold is wrong, the body will spend the whole swing fighting to compensate and square the face.

Nine-time Major winner Ben Hogan said it best: “Good golf begins with a good grip.” Decades later, this simple advice still applies to all golfers. This is also the reason why many players plateau in their progression and improvement. They are diagnosing the symptom in other areas of their game when the real problem lies in their hands.

David Leadbetter discussing grip principles at GOLFZON Leadbetter Academy World Headquarters - part of our Level 1 Certification video instruction.

The Most Common Fault

What is the grip error most (right-handed) golfers fall into? Gripping the club in the palm of their left hand. Coaches can spot it from across the range: the grip sits high in the palm instead of in the fingers. Often you can see visible wear on the heel pad of the glove.

This one fault alone creates a ripple effect. More tension is created in the arms, and the hands, as compensate attempt to square the face because the arm cannot work correctly. These actions attempt to square the face because the arm cannot work correctly. Is the slice a swing issue, or instead, is it a grip problem affecting the swing?

The GOLFZON Leadbetter Fix

At GOLFZON Leadbetter, our recommendation is a neutral, mirrored grip. Hold your hands in front of you as if you were praying, and notice the symmetry. That is the feeling to replicate with the club. The left hand (for a right-handed player) sits “strong” with two or three knuckles showing and the forefinger pointing to the right eye. The right hand sits “weak” on the other side with the forefinger pointing to the left eye, and symmetrical cups at the wrists.

The prayer grip - hands mirrored, symmetrical wrist cups. Our reference point, as seen in GLE's Level 1 Certification course.

Don't let this language create confusion: strong and weak have nothing to do with pressure. These terms describe position, not force. With this neutral hold matched on both sides, the wrists can set and release without fighting each other.

Principles We Believe In to Help Players

Coaches are not infallible, and many teach that there is only one correct grip. This is a common misconception, however, that can lead many players astray. Leadbetter-certified coaches teach a neutral grip as a principle because it is the most repeatable starting point for most golfers. 

The best coaches know these principles, but also when to bend them. Factors such as arthritis, small hands, or unusual flexibility create an assortment of grips, but do not mean a player can’t hit the ball well. Instead, we work with the player in front of us. The neutral grip is our reference point, not a cage to restrict a student.  Just look at the hands of today’s top Tour players and you will see strong grips, weak grips, interlocked, overlapped, and ten-fingered holds winning majors.

That is a distinction in GLE certifications that you won’t see in other courses. The foundations of golf instruction matter, from grip all the way to posture, but coaching is a craft of applying them to the individual, not imposing them.

For Coaches Building a Career

A secret about golf coaching for players looking to begin their teaching journey: the best coaches start with the hands, not the swing. The hands are where you earn trust with a student. When you adjust a grip and the ball starts going straighter in ten minutes, the student stops second-guessing your advice. The lesson and student-teacher relationship becomes closer and easier to maintain.

This is why our Level 1 Certification begins with teaching the grip. We want observing the hands to become a coach’s first instinct, building up the best habits lesson by lesson.

For Golfers Reading This

Before your next round, check your own grip with three simple questions:

1. Can you see two or three knuckles on your left hand as you look down at the club? 

2. Does the V of your right hand point towards your nose?

3. Is your pressure closer to a three than an eight?

You don’t need to overhaul your swing, you simply need a better grip.

Interested in learning about teaching golf fundamentals beyond grip? Explore the full selection of GLE course offerings that cover everything from mental game tactics to golf fitness.

Plus, learn golf tips daily and interact with a global network of golfers in the GOLFZON Leadbetter Connect community - join for free today and start learning!