Changing Grip - Really struggling with it

[bobmac]

The problem sometimes arises when someone says "strengthen your left hand" but there's no-one there to say "that's enough".
Judging by your pics, you have gone a bit too far.
Edge it back a bit and get your pro to check it and while he's at it, check the right hand too

 

[mteam]

"Apparently pros find it easier to correct a hook than a slice" I've never heard this before

Some of the grips mentioned I'd be going left of left

 

[Lump]

Left hand is slightly too strong, right hand is far too strong.
Just a quick tip for anyone changing grip.
Leave a club in the house by a door, when ever you walk past it, take your grip a few times.

 

[Orikoru]

Count yourself lucky. I've always played with a very strong grip and I still slice the ball at times. It's not like I can make it even stronger! At least you had room for manoeuvre.

 

[Sekiro]

Left hand is slightly too strong, right hand is far too strong.
Just a quick tip for anyone changing grip.
Leave a club in the house by a door, when ever you walk past it, take your grip a few times.

I played this morning and weakened the grip slightly to see if it felt more natural/comfortable, still don’t think I’m there with it but it felt better than before. I’ll see how it goes when I next practice, hopefully it’s getting there.

Thats exactly what my 1/2 set of Fazers are currently in use for, I’ve got them scattered throughout the house and try to pick then up when passing to practice the grip a little more.

Count yourself lucky. I've always played with a very strong grip and I still slice the ball at times. It's not like I can make it even stronger! At least you had room for manoeuvre.

I was hoping to get it somewhat neutral so ive got equal room to open/close the club face once I reach a point where I know what I’m doing and can apply it to my game.

As a golf beginner I was very apprehensive to post a photo of my grip, but really appreciate all the support and advice everyone has given, bunch of great guys on here

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I honestly thought that, without reading the text, you had mixed the captions around.
The “old” grip looks much better to my untrained eye.
That said, I’ve been steadily weakening my grip in recent years.

 

[Aussie Swinger]

I can totally relate to your pictures and words in the opening of this thread. I went through this process in 2004 after getting down to 12 without ever having a lesson. I wanted to move my game on to the next level and went to my local pro. I had 6 lessons, with the grip being the main focus of lessons 1 and 2, but checked through all other lessons. Took ages to ‘grain it in’ to it becoming anywhere near not feeling ‘wrong’ or totally alien. Eventually it came, not without many times I had wanted to just say ‘this is not working’. Cut along story short, I got down and and stayed at low single figures. It made my ballstriking more solid That within 6 months I was two clubs less for same distance gained. My enjoyment of the game since cannot be measured.
As a side note, take no notice of what people say is the correct grip. There is probably a 80’ degree difference in the left hand placement on the club between Jordan Speith (Weak) and Fred Couples (stong) snd neither of those two have had bad careers. It what works for you that matters.
Stick with it, it was certainly my ‘Eureka’ moment when it all came together

 

[Diamond]

I too went to see a pro 3 weeks ago.
1) He strengthened by left hand grip (2 knuckles and v pointing to shoulder)
2) He radically changed my ball position from right of centre to left of centre for 7/8 iron
3) Told me to have more weight on front (left) foot than right
4) Introduced the pivot (hips) and the pivot drills
5) Showed me how steep my swing is and now I know I need to shallow it out and keep my left arm straight during back swing
6) At the address of the ball have the club resting on the ground at an angle and nearer my left leg than right leg

My slice went but I found I was hooking pulling left. This was fine as slice was gone but my full pitching and sand wedge suffered. I have been the range very day this week and realised that reverting more to my old grip and ball position for wedges works better and I have been experimenting width of stance and ball position.
If I use my old grip but a wider stance with driver I was hitting it pretty good. My next lesson is Tuesday so fingers crossed.

 

[patricks148]

I don't have an issue with changing myself, if i want to hit a big draw a strengthen and a fade, weaken

 

[Junior]

The EXACT same thing happened to me this week. After my 4th 0.1 on the spin I had a lesson with a pro at Mottram Hall.

He had me grip the club like the OP and by the end of the lesson, despite it feeling completely alien, I was puring the ball. Strike was the best its felt all season and I was holding off a great little fade type shot.

Fast forward 2 days later and I played Didsbury GC in a Maxi Tours event. Thinking I'd found the holy grail, I took my new grip on the course and and shot my worst round in years. I went in 7 greenside bunkers to the right of the green.

I guess the point is, you either practise with the new grip and make it work, or find something inbetween that works for you.

Not sure which path I'll be following yet.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I've been strengthening my grip for about a year now. Strengthen at lessons, backtrack, strengthen again - edging things forward. It's much better now but still not where we want it. Problem is you can't just change grip and swing the same. My "old" swing had evolved to cater for a weak grip and to square up an open face. New grip with old swing habits = big hook. Old grip with new swing = high right.

Persevering though because ball flight and distance when I get it right is on a different level.

Bottom line is... it's not an easy thing to change especially when old habits are ingrained.

So very true. I have strengthened my grip and if I just swing as I did (and it’s vert ingrained) then massive hook. But I know what I need to do to not do that - it’s tough but I will absolutely persevere as the improvement when I get it right is massive.

 

[Diamond]

The EXACT same thing happened to me this week. After my 4th 0.1 on the spin I had a lesson with a pro at Mottram Hall.

He had me grip the club like the OP and by the end of the lesson, despite it feeling completely alien, I was puring the ball. Strike was the best its felt all season and I was holding off a great little fade type shot.

Fast forward 2 days later and I played Didsbury GC in a Maxi Tours event. Thinking I'd found the holy grail, I took my new grip on the course and and shot my worst round in years. I went in 7 greenside bunkers to the right of the green.

I guess the point is, you either practise with the new grip and make it work, or find something inbetween that works for you.

Not sure which path I'll be following yet.

Did you have a video of your lesson taken? If you did watch it as I have been the same and I think you need to practice the drills but play your round as normal but maybe practice the new setup, if that was changed, then hit your normal swing and allow the drills to take over naturally.

 

[TigerTime]

I too went to see a pro 3 weeks ago.
1) He strengthened by left hand grip (2 knuckles and v pointing to shoulder)
2) He radically changed my ball position from right of centre to left of centre for 7/8 iron
3) Told me to have more weight on front (left) foot than right
4) Introduced the pivot (hips) and the pivot drills
5) Showed me how steep my swing is and now I know I need to shallow it out and keep my left arm straight during back swing
6) At the address of the ball have the club resting on the ground at an angle and nearer my left leg than right leg

My slice went but I found I was hooking pulling left. This was fine as slice was gone but my full pitching and sand wedge suffered. I have been the range very day this week and realised that reverting more to my old grip and ball position for wedges works better and I have been experimenting width of stance and ball position.
If I use my old grip but a wider stance with driver I was hitting it pretty good. My next lesson is Tuesday so fingers crossed.

Was literally just reading through this and thought it was my own post. Exactly the same has happened with me. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

 

[bobmac]

Did you have a video of your lesson taken? If you did watch it as I have been the same and I think you need to practice the drills but play your round as normal but maybe practice the new setup, if that was changed, then hit your normal swing and allow the drills to take over naturally.

In my opinion, this does not happen

 

[Diamond]

In my opinion, this does not happen

I am practicing at the range with the new stance/grip but found on the course I was nobbing a few so I have tried to incorporate the old grip and stance with the new grip etc. I have had more success on the course but I am probably going to be told off at my next lesson. ?

 

[Junior]

In my opinion, this does not happen

I am practicing at the range with the new stance/grip but found on the course I was nobbing a few so I have tried to incorporate the old grip and stance with the new grip etc. I have had more success on the course but I am probably going to be told off at my next lesson. ?

I believe that its important to commit to the change the pro gave as it really worked in the lesson , and, otherwise, what was the point in the lesson!!!! But, because its new, im struggling when things go wrong on the course with regards to how to fix it.

I've gone up to 6 again and I shouldn't be missing greens right, then left with a pw or 9i. I'm really going to try and get some rsnge time this week to straighten it all out, but with the new grip.

 

[Diamond]

I believe that its important to commit to the change the pro gave as it really worked in the lesson , and, otherwise, what was the point in the lesson!!!! But, because its new, im struggling when things go wrong on the course with regards to how to fix it.

I've gone up to 6 again and I shouldn't be missing greens right, then left with a pw or 9i. I'm really going to try and get some rsnge time this week to straighten it all out, but with the new grip.

It’s tough isnt it. I was told to swing cackhanded today and my swing on the video looked really good, this is just a drill I can use to get that Correct swing plane. Bad habits are hard to get rid of though as my head still comes up and I sway rather the rotate my hips. That is the most annoying thing but when you have grip, stance, ball position, weight, back swing, hips, etc etc etc to think about And you are giving 100% to it it can seem counterproductive.
I think some casual drills with no balls in the back garden is on the agenda for me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

.

Mirror drills in the patio door windows face on and down the line are a good way to see what you are doing/trying to do especially in slow motion. You could also try hitting some airflow balls (depending on garden size of course) or swing normally and film it. Feel and real are not always the same so get something to refer back to and even to send the video to your teaching pro for critique