Left Hand Grip - More Palm or Fingers

Just read Hank Haney's new book - Essentials of the Swing: A 7-Point Plan for Building a Better Swing and Shaping Your Shots. He advocates a less fingers and more palm grip which runs contrary to most other instruction books. Having said that, and having tried it, I like the new grip. Be interested to know what other WRX members think of this grip.

http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/Hogan-LeftHandGrip.jpg

I have always liked that illustration you used, from Hogan's 5 lessons book. It has more detail than what is contained in most other books. Although personally, I place the grip of the club slightly closer to the left pinkie finger joint, than what Hogan shows in this illustration. Feels less restrictive to me and helps my lag / distance. Another key point made by Hogan in that chapter is to be sure to close the 4 fingers of the left hand around the golf grip, BEFORE placing the thumb on the shaft. A minor but important idea. He also has some really great points about the right hand, in particular, the warning against over-use of the right thumb and forefinger. More and more, I am finding that the fine points of my grip, and grip pressure points, have more impact on my ball flight, than any type of swing changes. If the grip is truly correct, the swing almost takes care of itself. imho.

I'm experimenting with more of a palm grip for my left hand.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvA8tcuH2o"]My link[/url]

Interestingly, in re-reading Manuel De La Torre's "Understanding the Golf Swing", I noticed that he also recommends a palm grip for the left hand because he believes that when you grip the club in the fingers, when your pressure increases it closes the clubface. I tried it today on the range. It seemed to help me. When I hit a low hook as I often do, I notice that the club is more closed than it was at address. Hopefully this will help. Supposedly he adjusted Tiger's grip this way. Not that I would compare myself to him!

I'd love to know if anyone else has had success with this. It runs counter to Leadbetter's grip dvice.

YES.... I used to grip with more fingers especially left pinky and ring fingers and it was indeed causing me to close club face too early during down swing (harder I swing more it closed club face). I tried this "Haney" grip and it's been working like magic. Although it does feel little more restrictive, but I can sustaing my lag little longer although lag angle might have decreased very slightly. It also seems to stablize my backswing as well. I'm not fan of Haney swing style much, but I think he has legitimate idea about palm style grip that runs parellel (below life line) to life line which advocates little weaker grip (1.5 knuckles oppose to 3). The thing is I no longer hit occational snap hooks and I actually hit farther now and easier to control distance. I though I always had solid grip until I tried this new grip which is quite different from what others teach...

[quote name='atlanta golfer' date='21 May 2009 - 06:04 AM' timestamp='1242903850' post='1710258']
[quote name='fufu' post='1710192' date='May 21 2009, 03:33 AM'][url="http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/Hogan-LeftHandGrip.jpg"]http://perfectgolfsw...eftHandGrip.jpg[/url][/quote]

I have always liked that illustration you used, from Hogan's 5 lessons book. It has more detail than what is contained in most other books. Although personally, I place the grip of the club slightly closer to the left pinkie finger joint, than what Hogan shows in this illustration. Feels less restrictive to me and helps my lag / distance. Another key point made by Hogan in that chapter is to be sure to close the 4 fingers of the left hand around the golf grip, BEFORE placing the thumb on the shaft. A minor but important idea. He also has some really great points about the right hand, in particular, the warning against over-use of the right thumb and forefinger. More and more, I am finding that the fine points of my grip, and grip pressure points, have more impact on my ball flight, than any type of swing changes. If the grip is truly correct, the swing almost takes care of itself. imho.
[/quote]

+1000

A good grip makes the golf swing feel automatic, at least it does for me. I've made some significant grip changes (i.e. went from strong to more neutral, with the left thumb more on top of the shaft) this year and find that I really don't have to think about lag, or what the clubface is doing at impact, because a better grip takes care of all that FOR YOU. No more snap hooks or thinking about my hands.