Tom Watson’s advice over how to grip a golf club and the error most amateurs make

Tom Watson once warned that many amateur golfers use a grip that is too weak, which can prevent them from reaching their full potential. The grip's importance cannot be overstated, as it is the only connection between the golfer and the club during high-speed swings. Players often begin their golfing journey with a grip that feels natural to them, whether it's the baseball grip, overlapping grip, or interlocking grip.

However, it can be challenging to change the grip one has become accustomed to once they feel comfortable with it.

In a 2012 article for Golf Digest, eight-time major champion Tom Watson stressed the significance of using the correct grip. He wrote that a good swing begins with a good grip, while a poor swing starts with a bad grip. Watson believed that most amateurs fail to hold the club properly, thus never being able to play as well as they should.

He advocated for the Vardon overlapping grip, where the left hand goes on first, and the left thumb rests just right of center on the shaft. Watson also suggested using molded practice grips to help learn the correct hand positioning, even though it might make the clubhead feel too light.

Watson's primary concern was the grip that's too weak, as it often results in an open clubface at impact, leading to shots that peel off to the right. Conversely, a grip that's too strong, with too many knuckles showing, can cause the clubface to be closed at impact, leading to a power grip and potentially causing a slice. However, Watson preferred a grip that was too strong over one that was too weak.

Scottie Scheffler, the current world number one and arguably the best player of his era, echoes Watson's advice. Despite his numerous major championships, Scheffler begins every range session with a training aid that forces him to grip the club correctly as if he has never held one before. This dedication to mastering the fundamentals has undoubtedly contributed to his success on the course. Thus, there is truly no excuse for the rest of us who assume the correct grip is something we already understand.