# will a strong grip stop pulls



## Richie13 (Apr 2, 2012)

my grip is neutral, and my bad shot is an awful pull left sometimes a hook, is this because i am flipping my wrists over to soon?   

i have however started to notice im drawing the ball some times, with my current grip, but will a stronger grip keep my wrists locked through the ball and lead to straiter shots?


----------



## Mattyboy (Apr 3, 2012)

I wouldnt suggest messing with your grip assuming it is neutral and therefore ok. Bob recommends  headcovers by the ball - one just beyond it and inside and one just before it and outside of the ball. What this does is encourage a clubhead path from the inside, as if the club approaches from the outside, the headcovers get struck.
I prefer to work on getting my right elbow into my right side as the first priority on my downswing. I also work on having the shaft pointing slightly right of target when horizontal on the downswing.
If you have had your grip checked out by a pro - I wouldnt mess with it - and strengthening it would encourage shots to go further left.


----------



## CrapHacker (Apr 3, 2012)

will a strong grip stop pulls 

Answer: No.

A pull is an out to in swingpath with a closed clubface. A strong grip is more likely to lead to a closed clubface at impact, therefore, if anything, it's going to lead to more pulls than you make already.

To stop pulling it, you need to work on stopping the out to in swing first.


----------



## Dave B (Apr 3, 2012)

I used to have a strong grip and I drew the ball naturally until I changed to a neutral grip which straightened my shots out. If you a neutral grip look at your swing path and set up ensuring that you are not trying to compensate for  being out of alignment. Also make sure that your ball is correctly positioned for the club you are using.


----------



## One Planer (Apr 3, 2012)

I used to suffer with a horrnedous pull. 

I used to have a very strong grip too (as Bob will attest). Swinging out to in with a closed club face at impact and you're more than likey going to hit a pull or a hook.

If you think about it, a strong grip is going to return the clubface to the ball closed, this is the main probelm I suffered with having a strong grip

If it helps, I've recently I've been working on a more neutral grip and better swing path/plane as well as a few other bits (Ball position being one) and now hitting my driver straight(ish), and getting the occasional 5 yard draw.


----------



## SocketRocket (Apr 3, 2012)

Some people don't turn their wrists over much in the downswing so if they strengthen their grip it will tend to leave the clubface open, often such people have a tight grip on the club.  Sounds like you may be this type of person so weakening your grip will lead more to a closed face.  Try strengthening your grip so you can see one more knuckle on your left hand at address and check the results.


----------



## bobmac (Apr 3, 2012)

my grip is neutral, and my bad shot is an awful pull left sometimes a hook
		
Click to expand...





SocketRocket said:



			so weakening your grip will lead more to a closed face.  Try strengthening your grip so you can see one more knuckle on your left hand at address and check the results.
		
Click to expand...

Sorry, don't see how this would work 


I'd say if the grip is good, don't fix it.
It's screaming swingpath to me.


----------



## Mattyboy (Apr 3, 2012)

bobmac said:



			Sorry, don't see how this would work 


I'd say if the grip is good, don't fix it.
It's screaming swingpath to me.
		
Click to expand...

I am with Bob on this one - when standing up naturally, your palms face each other (and the right palm faces the target). By streghtnning the grip your right palm goes under the shaft, facing the sky a bit more. However the tendancy is to return the right palm back to face the target, hence the club face will shut.

There may be other issues but initially, get the swing path right IMO.

Also, look at a few recent posts - Bob went into the headcover drill in more detail recently with another sole who had the pulls.


----------



## SocketRocket (Apr 3, 2012)

Mattyboy said:



			I am with Bob on this one - when standing up naturally, your palms face each other (and the right palm faces the target). By streghtnning the grip your right palm goes under the shaft, facing the sky a bit more. However the tendancy is to return the right palm back to face the target, hence the club face will shut.

There may be other issues but initially, get the swing path right IMO.

Also, look at a few recent posts - Bob went into the headcover drill in more detail recently with another sole who had the pulls.
		
Click to expand...

Yes that's what happens normally.  But, this is not always the case as I suggested earlier, some people have very little wrist rotation in their golf swings and do not return their wrists square to target, they return them much the same as they were set at address.   These people either grip the club very tightly, hold the grip down the palm or keep the clubface square to the swingpath.    He may be one of these.


----------



## SocketRocket (Apr 3, 2012)

bobmac said:



			Sorry, don't see how this would work 


I'd say if the grip is good, don't fix it.
It's screaming swingpath to me.
		
Click to expand...

Bob,

He says that when his grip was stronger he was hitting a draw, now he has weakened it he is hitting a pull. 

 This suggests to me that his swingpath may be slightly out to in and when his grip is weak it points the face square to the path, giving the pull.

When he strengthens his grip the face now points a little more right of swingpath straightening up the shot.   This is on the assumption I suggested that he does not rotate his wrists much in the downswing.

I think you will find that fits.


----------



## sawtooth (Apr 3, 2012)

Richie13 said:



			my grip is neutral, and my bad shot is an awful pull left sometimes a hook, is this because i am flipping my wrists over to soon? 

i have however started to notice im drawing the ball some times, with my current grip, but will a stronger grip keep my wrists locked through the ball and lead to straiter shots?
		
Click to expand...

I would leave the grip alone and work on swing path. Experiment with swinging more upright, perhaps you are swinging too flat - its just a thought, it could be quite a few things.


----------



## DaveM (Apr 3, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			Bob,

He says that when his grip was stronger he was hitting a draw, now he has weakened it he is hitting a pull. 

This suggests to me that his swing path may be slightly out to in and when his grip is weak it points the face square to the path, giving the pull.

When he strengthens his grip the face now points a little more right of swing path straightening up the shot. This is on the assumption I suggested that he does not rotate his wrists much in the downswing.

I think you will find that fits.
		
Click to expand...

Think you may have misread what he wrote. He only says he has a neutral grip. Not that he has changed from a stronger/weaker grip. That he use to hook but now pulls.
He only asks if a stronger grip will cure the fault. To which the answer must be no, its a swing path problem.
But hard to tell for sure without seeing his swing.


----------

