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Golf Instruction:
How is Your Direction?
By Kelly Kleckner,
Staff Writer
The first item of importance for me as an instructor is to check
the set-up and the grip of my students. Many times their faulty
ball direction can lead directly back to the initial grip. I have
to emphasize that we do not all fit the same mold for a grip! I
begin by having my students hang their arms naturally down at their
sides. Then, we look to see how many knuckles we see in view.
For me, for instance, I am double jointed; therefore, I see three knuckles
on each hand. Most people will see two and maybe three on one hand.
Now, I have them grab their club keeping in mind the knuckles that
they just saw hanging from their sides must be visible as well when
positioning their hands on the grip. This will be your natural grip!
You do not want to place your hands on the club so that it feels
awkward for you! Yes, there is a "strong" and "weak"
grip, however unless they are overdone, most of the time with your
"natural" grip you will not have that come into play.
The correct grip for you is the one that delivers your clubface
square to your direction of swing during impact. You may need to
experiment slightly with the above, and it may feel very uncomfortable.
However, if you stick with it you will see results. After you have
placed your hands on the grip, you can check to see where the "v's"
between your index and thumb point to in your shoulder area.
Make sure you are gripping with the last three fingers of each hand-Not
the palm itself. Your hands have to be able to work through the ball
and will be unable to do so by overgripping with the palms of your
hands. The "v's" are made by squeezing the index and thumb
together down the shaft-I tell my students to stick a tee in-between
those fingers, and if it stays they did it correctly.
Start with your "v's" pointing to "normal"
or midway between your nose and your right shoulder (opposite for
left-handers). If the flight of your shots tells you that you are
delivering the clubface to the ball looking to the right of your
swing line, move both your hands gradually towards the "strong"
position-"v's" pointing to your shoulder.
If your shots tell you that the clubface is arriving at the ball
looking left of your swing path, move both "v's" gradually
towards the "weak" position-pointing toward your neck
area. The grip is right for you when your shots fly straight, although
you may be pulling the ball right or pushing it left of target.
No curve on your shots shows that your clubface alignment and swing
direction are matched!
Tip of the month
To encourage a Draw, fan your right foot away from the target and
turn your left foot so it's perpendicular to the ball-to-target
line. Hold the club a bit less firmly than usual to encourage a
full release. The Fade-to hit a fade, turn your left foot out toward
the target and your right foot a bit more toward the ball. Hold
the club a little tighter to prevent your hands from releasing.
KELLY KLECKNER-LPGA CLASS A
Kelly Kleckner is an LPGA Class A Teaching Professional at Cherokee
Ridge in Colorado Springs. She is the Director of the LPGA Girls
Golf Club and has been nominated for LPGA Teacher of the Year two
times. She teaches all year. If you have questions please call her
at 719-576-9176. |
