How to Grip a Golf Club: Fix your Slice and Hook

Let's start with something every golfer knows deep down: most players struggle to hit the ball exactly how they want to.

Sure that's about as shocking as saying Tiger Woods has won a major, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating when a shot veers widely offline. Especially when you're aiming for a soft push draw and end up watching your ball slice into the trees - again.

The truth is, unintended ball flight is usually rooted in the relationship between the clubface and swing path. And while there are a number of factors that contribute to this, one of the best places to start when troubleshooting your ball flight is your grip.

Brad Skupaka, GOLFTEC's Director of Teaching Quality, breaks down how different hand positions can affect your shots - and shows how a simple grip change can help turn your slice into a draw, or your pull-hook into a straight, powerful launch toward your target.

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First Step: Grab a Marker

Before adjusting your grip, mark your hands for consistent hand placement:

• Draw a dot at the base of your lead thumb
• Draw a second dot on the first joint of your trail index finger

These serve as reference points to make sure your hands are in the correct position on the grip every time.

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Grip Fix: How to Correct a Slice

If you tend to slice the ball, chances are your grip is too weak - meaning your hands are turned too far toward the target. This opens the clubface at impact relative to the swing path, causing the ball to curve away from your intended line.

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Instead of only tweaking your swing path, work on the overall clubface-to-path relationship. A stronger grip can help clsoe the face and straighten out your flight.

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Try These Steps:

1. Grip the club and align the lead thumb dot with the trail edge of the shaft
2. Position the index finger dot underneath the middle of the shaft so it's hidden from view

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Grip Fix: How to Correct a Hook

Hooking the ball? You might be using a strong grip, with your hands rotated too far away from the target. This can shut the clubface too much at impact, often leading to a low, hard duck-hook.

The solution: weaken your grip slightly to help neutralize the face-to-path relationship

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Try These Steps:

1. Grip the club and align the lead thumb dot down the center of the shaft
2. Position the index finger dot flush with the trail edge of the shaft

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Wrap-Up

Making a subtle grip adjustment can have a major impact on your ball flight. These reference points give you a consistent, visual guide to ensure your grip supports the shot you want to hit - whether you're trying to eliminate a slice, tame a hook, or simply find the fairway more often.

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