By JC Campbell – Holding a golf club is as easy as falling off a log and if you have ever fallen off a log, you will know how easy that really is. Gripping a golf club correctly however seems to be more of a challenge, even for some who have been playing for many years. Why does this prove to be such a problem? Does it really matter how you grip the club?

How you put your hands on the golf club is a crucial factor in making good contact with the ball. Bearing in mind it is one of the fundamentals that even top professionals give constant attention, should be enough to convince us of its importance. Get a proper grip on the golf club and you're well on the way to getting a grip on your game.

There are two basic aspects to taking the proper grip on the golf club. One is the kind of grip that feels most comfortable and the other is where the club rests in your palms. Consider first, the type of grip that feels most comfortable for you. There are three options, two of which are used extensively in the professional game. Take your pick!

Interlocking Grip
The interlocking grip is favored by most golfers and is so called because the pinky finger of the right hand interlocks with the index finger of the left hand (reverse for the left-handed golfer). This grip gives tends to give your hands a real feeling of togetherness with less risk of the hands separating on the back swing.

Vardon Grip
Another popular kind of grip is the Vardon Grip, named after Harry Vardon,  the famed English golfer in the early twentieth century. The key difference between this and the interlocking grip is that the pinky finger rests between the index and middle finger. It doesn't feel quite as secure as the interlocking grip but is used by a number of top golfers. Experiment with both on the practice range and see what feels best for you.

Baseball Grip
The baseball grip, also known as the ten-fingered grip is often adopted by players new to the game, who don't know any better! With this grip, none of the fingers lock or overlap. The pinky finger will rest against the index finger of the other hand with all ten fingers touching the club. If you do use this grip, make sure to keep your hands together because separating your hands when you grip the club is a recipe for poorly struck shots. Better still; try to master one of the other types of grip described above.

Having settled on the type of grip that feels most comfortable for you, it is also important to place the club in your palms correctly. A common fault among high-handicap golfers is to hold the club too much in the palms of the hands. Although the palms obviously come into play, ensure that the butt of the club runs close to the fingers. You will have more control over your club and strike the ball with more power when you grip the club with your fingers and allow them to influence the shot.

Consult with any golf teacher or professional and he or she will be certain to start your tuition session with a lesson on how to grip the golf club. Yes, it is that important. A proper grip is the first step on the road to better golf!

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One thing that certainly can affect your golf game is your golf swing. The most common technique for the pre-swing will require you to have the non-dominant side of your body facing where you want the ball to go. If you’re right handed the left part of your body would be facing where you would like to hit the ball.

You want to be sure that your body is aligned parallel to where you want to hit the ball. Your stance is going to be dictated by what type of club you are using. If you are using irons or a putter then you’re going to want to stand with your feet shoulder width apart.

When you’re using long irons or wooden clubs then you want to open up your stance a little more. Generally, you would want to be about 2 inches wider than shoulder width apart when using the heavy irons and wood. On the other hand, if you are using short irons then you want to shorten your stance a little. Generally, you’re going to want to be two inches narrower than shoulder width apart when you use short irons.

Ball placement will also dictate what type of club you are using. When putting or using short irons you want to put the ball in the middle of your stance. For middle and long irons and also woods you want to place the ball approximately 1 inch in front of the center of your stance.

Weight distribution will vary depending on what club you are using. If using a short iron then you want to have the majority of the weight on your front foot. If you are putting or using middle irons then you want to have equal distribution of weight on both feet. When using long irons or wood, then you will want to be sure the majority of your weight is on your back foot.

Next up is what grip you want to use. There are 3 common types of grips that most golfers use. You can use an overlapping grip, an interlocking grip, or a ten finger grip.

An overlapping grip is when the pinky finger on the dominant hand, if you’re right handed it would be your right hand pinky, is put between the index and middle finger of the non-dominant hand, if you’re right handed that would be your left hand. Your lead hand thumb, if you’re right handed that would be your right thumb, then would be placed on the lifeline on your non-dominant hand, if you’re right handed it would be your right hand on the lifeline of your left hand.

An interlocking grip is where the pinky finger of your dominant hand is intertwined with the index finger of your non-dominant hand. If you’re right handed it would be that your right pinky finger intertwines with your left hand index finger. Then your non-dominant thumb would be placed on the lifeline of your dominant hand. If you’re right handed your left thumb would be put on your lifeline of your right hand.

The 10 finger grip is a grip where you put the pinky finger of your dominant hand near the index finger of your non-dominant hand. If you’re right handed you would put your right pinky finger next to your left index finger. You then put the thumb of your dominant hand under the lifeline of your non-dominant hand. If you’re right handed you would put your left hand lifeline over your right hand.

Those are the basic mechanics of your pre-swing. You may already have known them, but it’s always good to check to make sure you are doing everything proper every time. Sometimes bad habits can work their way in without you even realizing it.