Golf Grip's Effect on Swing Plane

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Having a proper grip is crucial for club face control and lag in the golf swing. In this video I talk about the proper grip's effect on club position and plane. If you want to know more about the grip in depth, pick up a copy of RST Level 1 Certification Manual.

  • Bow and rotate the left wrist as you start the downswing. For the most part, this will happen naturally and that's a good thing as this gradual rotation encourages a full release.
  • A slightly stronger grip will leave you with a clubface that is slightly shut at the top. This is ok, having this slightly shut club face at the top makes it significantly easier for the average golfer to square the club face at impact.
  • Having a slightly stronger grip can and will steepen the swing plane slightly. Having a swing plane that is very slightly steeper than, say, a parallel swing plane is perfectly ok and even preferential.

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Rich
I have noticed that recently I have been on a slightly steep downswing plane with a cupped lead wrist = sliceville. I'm ok flattening out the plane, but my wrist is still cupped in the downswing. Should I be practice consciously bowing the wrist? My grip is neutral to slightly strong and ever so slightly cupped at the top of the backswing. I have watched the "Avoid Cupped Wrist in Backswing video". Thanks,
January 9, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Rich. If you are slightly stronger than neutral and your wrist is cupped at the top. You need to work on that component first like with the video you mentioned. An overly strong grip will be cupped, but if you are standard position for rotary grip it should equate to flat at the top. it needs to be correct first.
January 9, 2020
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Aaron
Hey Craig I’ve been working on my downswing and translation. Is there ever a point in which you can do too many reps? I’m hovering somewhere around 3,900 at the moment and was wondering if there was a point that it could be hurtful.
February 20, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Aaron. The only time over repping would be bad is if the motion is incorrect.
February 21, 2019
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Aaron
Okay awesome! Thanks Craig.
February 21, 2019
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Ron A. Sr.
Okay, which grips, neutral or slightly strong?
October 5, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ronald. We prefer a grip slightly stronger than neutral.
October 5, 2017
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tyler
I've noticed that I take my club back perfectly on plane in backswing until I get to the very top where my hands and arms seem to be in a good position but my club is laid off (pointing right of my target). Would this be related to the grip or what would cause this? I've never been able to figure it out.
May 9, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Tyler. Left Handed Swinger? Typically, laid off would be pointed left for a Right Handed Swinger. Could be the grip. I will wait until I know which side of the ball you are on. I don't want to lead you astray.
May 9, 2017
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tyler
sorry, I misspoke. I am a right handed swinger and the club points left of the target at the top (sorry - I dont know why I said it points right)
May 9, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Tyler. It could be related to grip, but also wrist positioning. Try some lead arm only swings and with a mirror/camera from the Winter Golf Training Program - Backswing Video. Make sure the lead wrist position is correct.
May 9, 2017
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Virgil
With a slightly stronger lead hand grip are we keeping everything the same on the downswing? Such as bowing the wrist slightly, lag, and impact? We a slightly stronger grip I tend to have the club face open at impact, what do I need to do to get is square? Should there be a different plane coming down and through?
August 21, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Virgil. Having a slightly stronger grip can and will steepen the swing plane slightly. Having a swing plane that is very slightly steeper than, say, a parallel swing plane is perfectly ok. Bow and rotate the left wrist as you start the downswing just the same as a normal swing. It should actually make it easier to square up at impact since the face will tend to be a little shut at the top.
August 22, 2016
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Loran
Is this why I am flipping at the last second near impact? I pull to the left...terrible aiming! The lack of control in regards to the club face on top and coming down? Is it the timing element issue like Chuck mentioned?
March 21, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Loan. The grip could play a big role in the last second flip. You need to have good face awareness throughout the swing.
March 21, 2016
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Loran
Then, the ideal plane depends on the slightly bowed wrists on the top swing? The golf plane is not perfect like the rotary circle suggests? My guess is that a bowed wrist prepares for a better impact position coming down from top, to parallel, to impact?
January 24, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Loan. You don't want the lead wrist bowed at the top. RST is a parallel shift plane. One plane swing with elevation. Not a perfect circle from setup, but still a single plane. Bowing the wrist in the downswing will prepare you for a good impact position and square face with proper rotation.
January 25, 2016
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Chris
Hi guys i have abit of a problem that has crept into my game , I,m a new member and I,v started to pull or hook the ball what do you suggest that I do. Chris
November 24, 2014
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Chris -- First off, welcome to the site. We can certainly help get your pull or hook straightened out. Have you submitted your swing for review recently? If you have not, I would suggest you do so and leave in the notes what you are struggling with at the moment and we can take a close look at what exactly is going on. Without seeing the swing, it sounds as though you have a bit of trail side dominance in your swing which can cause the path to work out to in and you could possibly be running into problems with the release as well. Take a look at the 9 to 3 drill and work that for a bit and then work on 5 minutes to a perfect release. Once you have those nailed down, we then can take a look at what you are doing with the trail shoulder and arm from the top of the swing down. Let us know if you need any further guidance at all and we will gladly assist you.
November 25, 2014
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Alistair
Hi Guys Can I start by congratulating you all on your scientific approach to the golf swing which I have found extremely informative and has helped me greatly in improving my golf swing with the help of my local PGA professional. I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon and my observation would be that a stronger grip at address sets the wrist in some dorsiflexion. As a result due to coupling between distal radioulnar and radio-carpal movements it is my impression that in this position it is more difficult to fully rotate the forearm during release after impact. I noticed this when doing the left hand release drills. Secondly the slight dorsiflexion of the wrist (cupping) leads to a greater tendency to manipulate the wrist from the top to produce a flat wrist at impact which in turn increases the chances of me personally flipping the club head through impact. Would you have any comments.
September 27, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Alistair. Thanks for compliments of our website and approach. With a stronger grip, the tendency will be to manipulate the club face too much leading to flipping through impact. We promote a slightly stronger grip than neutral for the reason. A little blend to help wrist set, speed, and the ability to flatten it out into impact.
September 27, 2014
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Jim
Hi Craig, don't you mean "with a neutral grip"above ??
August 10, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jim. Not necessarily. Better players with stronger grips know how to steer it. But, majority of amateurs with a stronger grip end up flipping at impact with lack of face awareness. Cupping the lead wrist and pushing through with the trail hand.
August 10, 2015
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claudio
I have a moderate strong grip and naturally my left wrist is cupped at the top. In my last swing review I was advised to have a flat left wrist at the top. I tried to flatten my left wrist at the top. I found two possible options: a) to manipulate my wrist at the top, going from cupped to flat, b) to flatten my wrist on my way to the top, however, I found very difficult to hinge my wrists at the top when they are flat. Any advice on how to go from cupped to neutral wrist at the top?
June 7, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hey Claudio, thats a tough one. If the wrist is already to strong at setup. It will require manipulation to the top in an effort to flatten out. We want to make sure the body transports the club and make it fairly easy to square up the face at impact. I would suggest work on the grip to get it slightly stronger than neutral. We don't want to force the wrist set at the top and a tad more neutral grip for you will make setting the club much easier.
June 7, 2014

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