The Grip

Ben Hogan wrote extensively about the grip. This video makes it simple and helps you understand its true purpose in the golf swing.

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Jack
Chuck: Great videos. I have been really struggling pulling everything to the left. As I examined this video, I think my mistake is that my trail hand was trying to stay flat like my lead hand. Should the trail hand be in an extended postion (opposite of bowed) so that on the downswing my lead hand is straight to bowed and my trail hand remains in a slightly extended position to impact? Thanks Jack
April 2, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Yes for sure Jack, the trail wrist is still in extension at impact but quickly releasing into flexion. Another quick check is make sure your lead wrist isn't bowed at the top, that will quickly lead to pulls if you're trying to release the club.
April 3, 2024
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Scott
Chuck, At the 14 sec mark in this video you say you will explain why you should have the thumb and index finger together. Unless I missed it you don't go back and explain. Thanks
March 23, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
It keeps the club from falling into your palm at the top
March 23, 2024
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MIGUEL
Hi Chuck, When throwing from the top and being my trail thumb in a very strong position I think i am using it too much because i feel it a bit sore. I understood I need to use both hands to help with the throwing motion. Is it ok to use the tumb? If not what part ( trail hand ) / finger etc should I use to throw it? Thanks!
April 9, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Definitely not your thumb, the first knuckle of the first finger and the middle two fingers as shown in the video
April 10, 2024
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Matt
Hi Chuck- One clarification I have on this is from the new video you posted on youtube of the individual you gave a video feedback lesson. In that video you mentioned he is bowing the wrist a little too much and that you should keep a slight cupping in that left wrist at the top. But in this video around 1 min 20 seconds in you talk to have it be flight and match your grip up so that when it's flat the leading edge is in line with your lead arm at the top. So my question is should that individual weaken up his grip slightly (i've noticed to get this flat by the suggestion you had, my grip needed to weaken considerably from what i had) so that he is flat at the top and when it's flat the clubhead would match parallel to the lead arm or if he wants to keep his grip normal he needs to keep that slight cupping at the top?
March 5, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Both are viable options and really comes down to ball flight preference and feel. The cupping I'm talking about is truly a slight amount, only a few degrees, but this cupping is also important for bringing the club down. I'm doing a video on this this week where I can explain it better than I can in words here.
March 5, 2024
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Mike
What if you are left hand dominant swinging right handed? I eat and write left handed and I’m left eye dominant. Is there any feel difference in the downswing when your left hand is your primary feel hand and not your right? Whenever I try to feel this down swing with the right hand the swing falls apart. Thanks !
March 3, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
No the grip is the way it is for mechanical reasons that dont matter which eye or hand dominance you may have. Takes several days to get used to at a minimum and there are likely other things that are the issue with the swing that will need to change once you make a grip change unless your swing was dialed in before hand
March 3, 2024
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Stefan
I just want to make sure I’m seeing this right. There is a throw at the top of the back swing and at impact there is a release like if you were throwing a ball or skipping a rock?
February 11, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
It would be difficult to think about separating them like that because the whole thing happens in less than a quarter of a second. What you’re really going to feel is the initial cast at the top to get the club head moving and then it’s all going to happen too fast from there for you to think it through.
February 12, 2024
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Stefan
So I was originally doing it wrong by just trying to feel the release at the bottom and yet I still hit my fastest swing speed with a 7 iron. I then started doing what you are talking about and at first it wasn’t working but i remember something about tiger feeling like his club is going straight back and I realized I wasn’t getting deep enough in my back swing, I was staying close to my body. I changed that and I hit a new fastest swing speed of 93.2 with a 7 iron and multiple times in a row over 91 which I’ve.l never recorded that before. Already sent this to 6 people I believe
February 12, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Yes, you want to keep width with your arms and keep your hands far away from your head so that you have more time and room to accelerate the club and that’s where you get that effortless speed. Congrats on the speed bump. That’s going to be a smoking seven iron!
February 12, 2024
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Stefan
Thank you for the help! Only bad thing is I’ll have to learn my new distances. I’m not gonna complain about that though haha
February 12, 2024
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Matt
Hi Chuck- From years of playing basketball and jamming my left thumb, i don't have much flexibility in that joint so for me feel lag the 'old' i had to have my thumb not pinched together with index finger. I attempted to do the left arm only to feel the 'casting' of the left hand but putting my left thumb on the top of the grip i want to push with that thumb and it's really b/c at the top my thumb just isn't very flexible to allow some give there. You made it a point that pushing with the thumb to help with the cast is no bueno so if the thumb and index finger must be pinched together can it lay to the side a little? Matt
February 6, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Sure, as long as you hold it with the last 3 fingers securely enough the thumb can sit wherever
February 6, 2024
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David
Great stuff, Chuck (as usual). Quick question: what are you referring to as the first knuckle? The lower third of the index finger, or the actual crease?
February 4, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Hi David, I feel it at the top resting on the crease at the base of the index finger as that's where the club naturally wants to sit.
February 5, 2024
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Earl
Will a strong grip work with your method?
February 3, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Sure, you're just going to have a more shut face at the top unless you cup the wrist.
February 4, 2024
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Roy
Chuck, so you're not pulling at all in the downswing, right? The force/speed of the throwing motion from the top is where the real speed is generated and all the lead arm is doing is just guiding it. No pull, just guide. Is that correct? I do want to compliment you are your tenacity of providing us with constant improvements and the research that goes into that. A considerable amount of instructors stick to one way of doing things and that's it. Not you and, for that, I thank you.
February 3, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Thank you Roy! I don't feel much of any active pulling in the lead side. Doesn't mean it's not doing something, I'm certain it is, but it's not much of a power source and my left arm is wrecked so I couldn't add much force anyway. Once the club is cast into orbit, it feels pretty light so no need to pull hard.
February 3, 2024
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Roy
Chuck, I worked on this for the first time this past week and, I was surprised. But surprised in the wrong direction. I find that this is harder that I thought. My shots had less distance than my usual swing. Now, granted, it was my first attempt at something that is completely the opposite of what I've been doing for over 40 yrs, so I am going to continue to experiment with the GOAT code. I did have a few strikes that were really crisp but, again, they didn't go as far. I believe that I may be pulling more that I think instead of just letting it fall and guiding it and adding some speed with me left hand (I'm left handed). I'll review the videos again in case I'm missing something. I'm sure you want to hear from those of us who aren't quite getting it instead of hearing from those who seemed to connect with it right off the bat. I'll let you know how it goes.
February 5, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Thanks Roy, yes I appreciate the feedback. There are a million things we can do to "mess up" the golf swing and it only takes one little thing out of place that we don't realize to cause major issues that are easy to fix once you realize what you're doing vs. what you think you may be doing.
February 5, 2024
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Roy
Chuck, I continue to work on this and, for some reason, the section of the swing that just feels so foreign to me is the casting down to impact. This one little section of the process just feels like I have no power whatsoever which, I believe, is why I am likely pulling the arm down instead of just letting it drop and then reacting to that "drop". Does that make sense?
February 9, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
It's not just a passive drop, that's just to get the feel. Once you have a sense for it, you begin to throw it with speed with the trail hand and this allows the hands to move faster.
February 9, 2024
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Roy
I'm in total agreement with that, for sure. I think that my body feels like there's no power when I let the club drop as I start to cast it and, by feeling that, I may be, well, forcing the issue. I'll keep at it. Things that we think are simple, often are not quite to simple. Thanks Chuck.
February 6, 2024
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Stefan
Keep at it! I also felt like I had less power but as I’ve been working it I’m seeing improvement in swing speed. It just wasn’t right away. I’ve actually recorded my fastest swing speed with my 7 iron after a couple days of working at it
February 11, 2024
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Roy
Stephan, are you casting the club as the initial move of the downswing or are you casting it slightly after the downswing starts (i.e. when the club starts its downward fall?
February 15, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
I would rephrase that to things really are simple, we just tend to overcomplicate them!
February 9, 2024
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Roy
Ain't that the truth!!! I'll keep at it and report back. Thanks.
February 10, 2024
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Priyan
Hi Chuck, this is great. I can feel the power in my shot. Quick question, will this work for the driver as well?
January 30, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Absolutely. You only want one swing for every club.
January 30, 2024
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David
More GOLD! This is phenomenal information! Way to simplify the entire understanding of the swing!!!! Can't wait to use this approach! Thanks Chuck!
January 29, 2024
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Chuck (Certified RST Instructor)
Truly honored. Thank you.
January 29, 2024

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