Golf is the sport of the gentlemen indeed. There aren’t many sports throughout the globe that can claim such a title. But golf can, and no, it is not just a game where you have to rotate a stick with all your might to hit a ball and land it in a hole.
Golf is so much more than that.
Is there pro vs. beginner discrimination in Golf?
Just like every other international sport played, golf also has pro vs. beginners class discrimination. But how does that work? Well, you can tell a lot about a player's experience and playing class by simply looking at how they grip the golf stick.
Especially in the case of the interlocking golf grip. Now, if you follow a certain pattern of gripping or aren't confident in the way you are handling the golf stick, there are very prominent chances that you are a beginner. The pro players have a whole aura of confidence in their game.
Impact of gripping techniques on the game
Does the way you grip the golf stick influence your game in the end? Well, in the case of golf, it does. But why is that? The grip of the golf stick influences two things. First, it can make more impact space for you, eventually generating more impact power and will also help you stabilize back to a neutral position as soon as possible.
Second, it can reduce the whole impact space, reducing your impact power and making it super difficult to get back into a neutral position.
Multiple Golf stick-gripping tactics
This can be quite surprising, but the gripping tactics for a golf stick are only three. No matter if we consider either pro players or beginner players in this regard, only three golf stick-gripping positions will usually be followed.
First, we have the overlapping technique commonly used by beginners, as it offers additional control and grip for the stick. Second, The ten fingers were all ten fingers, i.e., both hands grip the golf stick for better impact strength. Third, the interlocking golf grip provides balance and impact strength when the stick is gripped correctly.
Interlocking Golf Grip mistakes that you should avoid
The High Palm
Time to focus on the interlocking grip and the potential problems you may face as a golfer. The high palm is the most common of the interlocking grip mistakes, so it is often referred to as the 'rookie mistake.'
When gripping the golf stick, the placement of the palm is super important as that determines two things. The power that will be generated for the impact and the time you will get to regain a neutral position. So, any error in the placement of the palm can impact these two factors.
The high palm is when the palm is kept unnecessarily higher than the required height and position. The easiest way to notice a high palm is to check whether the golf stick is running through the palm and right into the arm.
But what happens in the case of a high palm? Well, the high palm restricts the movement of your wrists. Because of this, you won't be able to use your wrists effectively. This will impact both the power generated and position maintenance, your ability to target the pole effectively, and the right range management.
Weak Trail Hand
What is the best way to differentiate between a 'good golfer' and an 'average golfer'? Well, here is the trick. It is very unlikely that a good golfer may have a weak trail hand. You can check the strength of the trail hand by looking at the golfer's trail hand.
When gripping the golf stick, there will come the point where you can check the 'V' shape created between the thumb and the rest of the fingers. Now the position of the V is important as it determines if the trial hand is strong or weak.
If the V is too much tilted towards the left shoulder, it is a clear indicator that the trail hand is weak, and there is no way you will be able to generate an impactful force to push the ball to the required distance.
But why is that? Experts believe that when the trial hand is weak, it opens the face of the club at the point of impact. Now, if you are well aware of how golf club works, you can tell that this will damage the generated power, greatly practically disrupting the whole swing.
The Deep Interlock
In the end, the only interlocking grip mistake you may want to avoid is the deep interlock. Again, this mistake has everything to do with the whole wrist placement and how you will use your fingers to generate force. As a golfer, you must have heard about this. 'Interlock your fingers in order to grip the club perfectly.'
Here's the surprise, doing this is unnecessary and is not backed up by any expert or analysis agent. Instead, interlocking your fingers can cause major problems with how you play and your efficiency as a golfer.
So what most golfers do is that they interlock their fingers by using the interlock between their little and forefingers as a base support. What happens because of this is that the golf grip palm starts to face outwards which makes sure that you don't get the chance to produce enough power to make a solid and on-target hit.
That's why it is better to leave your fingers to leave as they are instead of interlocking them and causing problems with the club's face and generation of power. That's what most pro golfers do.
Final Note
The interlocking grip is surely a technique of greats when it comes to balance and power generation. But just like any other golf stick gripping technique, the interlocking grip also has its cons. Just make sure to have solid control over these cons, and you will be able to get recognized in the ranking of greats eventually.
Enrique Martínez Luque
Enrique Martínez Luque is the Argentina-based golf expert and professional writer. He built his career in the world of golf taking a number of positions. Enrique was the manager of a golf club, director at a federation level, an agent for professional golfers and director institutional relations on the Argentinian Tour. Assissted the professional golfers on major tours for almost 20 years. Worked as the press officer of national and international golf tournaments.
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