In this first lesson I’m going to help you Get a Grip.
There are two major areas where I notice grip problems among amateurs.
They are (1) “position” and (2) “pressure”.
By “position”, I’m referring to having too strong a left hand. That is, it’s rolled over to the right. This’ll cause bad pulls and hooks if you release the club through impact.
After a few of these bad shots to the left, your brain says “No more!” to this shot, and (deciding the problem was the fact that you released your grip) forces you instead to maintain that grip through impact. And what happens is, the clubface comes through in an open position and you whack the ball off to the right.
Plus, just to mess with you even more… every now and then, the Powers of the Universe allow you to hit it right down the fairway, leaving you wondering why you can only do it once in a while and not every time, consistently.
Hello?!
It’s your grip.
Straighten it out!
Now the big problem I see with “pressure” is due to too light a grip — no pressure at all.
Amateurs are always told use a light grip.
“Hold it like a baby bird”, they’re told. Or, “like a tube of toothpaste and you don’t want to squeeze any out.”
I’ve asked many players to grip their club and lift it toward me and I grab the clubhead and pull it right out of their hands or twist it with no resistance.
This is crazy!
How can you expect to lift the club up in the backswing… and swing it down and through impact… if you’re not even holding it firmly!
Heck, I bet most of them hold a pencil more firmly than that!
You have to grip that club with a relatively firm pressure –- just like a solid, confident handshake. The big problem with a too-loose grip at the start of your swing is that it causes you to grip too tightly –- suddenly! –- at the end of your swing.
This happens because, in the downswing — when the club is speeding up and gravity is helping pull the club down, and centrifugal force is pulling it away — your brain senses the club is sliding or slipping and it tells you to grab it.
So, grip that club firmly with a medium pressure in the first place — with equal pressure and firmness in both hands. And then maintain that pressure throughout the entire swing.
Okay, that’s it for today.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short lesson and put it to good use.
Just doing this one change has helped many of my students drop a few more strokes.
And it might just help you do the same, too.
Stay tuned for lesson number two tomorrow where I will reveal the master mistake having to do with cocking your wrist in your back swing.
In the meantime, if you want more information on how my PGA Pro students maintain a longer, straighter and more consistent swing, check out my Peak Performance Golf Swing DVD Series at:
You can try everything completely at MY risk.
In fact, if you don’t IMMEDIATELY drop at least 5 strokes from your game the first time you put the videos to use, I’ll give you your money back PLUS you can keep the videos just for your trouble.
| See you tomorrow! |
 |
| Don Trahan "The Swing Surgeon" |
Tell me what you're thinking... and what part of the golf swing, or this great game... you'd like to know more about. If you want your pic to show with your comment, go get a 
Question: I haven't received the product(s) I ordered.
Question: I received 1 or more of the 10 free videos, but I'm missing 1 or more. How do I get the free videos that I'm missing?
Question: I emailed customer service and I never got a response back. How do I get support?
I'm going to the driving range today and practised on my grip and position, and ensure tha I hold the club tight and inline with my shoulder.
I'll let you know how it works out. All of my iron shots take an immediate turn to the right but my wood shots arn't too bad.
Thanks
Garnet Rankin
I have always had problems with consistency and I hit very high and short shots. I have read, and been told to strengthen my grip in order to hit it lower. So now I struggle with pulls. I think this video may help with the consistency.
JD
To lower your ball flight don't let the clubhead pass your hands at impact. Strengthening you grip will lower ball flight but will cause pulls and hooks. The main thing I have to watch to keep my hands from flipping the clubhead past my hands at impact is getting my weight transfered to my front foot. Hanging back makes it easy to flip at the ball (which adds loft to the club).
Thanks Don.. when I hit a bad shot its usually a pull or pull hook, i'll try your grip tip and let you know.
less tight = better this guy doesnt know anything he is talking about probably cant even break 100.
always open minded to change …. I also know a bad day on the course can't be cured by anything but tomorrow … nice tip and very nicely presented … thanks
hard to watch video as it kept “stuttering”
im keeping an open mind …looking forward to next video
The vidio kept stuttering and therefore not understandable
That is a network issue on your end. Let it play through and then replay it … that will usually bring it up from your system's cache and eliminate the need to stream the video.
I used to pull the ball until I was told my grip was too tight. Once I stopped gripping it so tight my drives went straight and long. Don't grip the club too tight. You will pull the ball. Relax right before you start your swing.
Don doesn't say to hold the grip too tight …. or too loose. A firm handshake level, maintained at a consistent level throughout the swing.
The voice keeps breaking up, so not able to here all th instructions
thanx for the tip, try it out later, let you no how it goes.
Had no problem with the video, I like the instruction, will give it the true test tommorrow on the Practice Range! Kudos from Central FL!
Cant wait to play and use instructions from first video.I can see that my grip and position are wrong.
ken d
Let the video play almost to finish, then start it over by clicking the beginning of the track. The breaking up is caused by, crap, I cant think of the work.
“Buffering” was the word I couldnt remember. Again, let the video play and then replay. It wont buffer.
Idiot in every bunch!!! So your the scratch golfer, and where is your video???
Liked the advise as I was doing exactly what he said I shouldn't be doing except on my drives where I grip both hands equally and the club face exactly square to the ball. I keep my right hand turned on top of the left (recent change) and hit the ball long and straight.
seems hard for me to believe a golf trainer whose video for improving putting incorrectly spells strokes, ie.” The fastest way to cut 'stokes' is with your putter ” he also seemed to really get mad when talking about grip pressure, golf is to be a gentlemen's game so maybe he should try football coaching!!
Don is so right. Hand Pressure is critcal. I hit 3 or 4 bad drives a round because I'm tired, so I relax the grip on the way down and the club slips. I turn a 280 straight drive into 240 slice in a hurry when I loosen the grip. Good Advice Don Trahan.
Try hitting the pause button and waiting a few minutes for the download to get ahead of you.
“It’s your grip. Straighten it out!” You call that a lesson?
I've been fighting a pull for the last 5 years. I've been working on my swing but the quick tip on the grip helped alot. Thanks
Thank You;I'll try it tomorrow.I've been holding the club tight enough but tend to have right hand at ten o'clock instead of twelve o'clock John
Thanks, good points and easy to understand..
I think he meant grip it tight enough to control it but don't strangle it to the point of your forearms twitching and your knuckles are white.
Hi, Dose this mean that the V on the left hand should to your chin , the V on the right hand points towards the right shoulder . Always told both V should point over right shoulder
I really liked this first presentation…no nonsense, good visual. Thank you for the freebie tips on the side as well!
One tiny complaint: “Matt” doesn't seem to be the most articulate of students. Could you add someone who can express his/her responses to your questions?
Thanks, again.
Creekgirl
To Dennisphnx4 who sent his message yesterday, You wrote ” call that a lesson ” well those of us who are more interested in improving our game then being a smart ?, ( figure it out for yourself ) can understand the meaning in his words, of course if that is too difficult then of course no lesson will be enough, but please leave out the negative's. I find it hard to correct my bad game but with your addvice Mr Trahan, I think I may have a chance as you don't waste time you just cut to the point, no ego trip for you just a lesson for us, thanks,
Ray N.
I think it was good advise
i was always told to grip it lightly, excellent advice. thanks chip
Please remember … the key here is moderate pressure. A handshake, not strangulation.
Absolutely right,I always felt with too light of a grip I wasnt in control of my golf swing.
I just watched vidio 1. Loved it! Haven't been able to lower my 19 index. My wrist was already cocked on my grip………how WRONG! And no one had ever told me the logic of holding it correctly. I will let you know what your grip does to me.
Thank you Golfergirl 1
i am a left handed but i like to play right handed i have a problem of starting the ball left then turn it right i sometimes hit it straight or straight left depending on my feet alignment how to correct that to just hit down the middle ?
I thought that I might not be gripping hard enough. This may be some confirmation; to the range!
frustrated by the continuous stutter in the commentary
The stutter is caused by your connection speed. You can either let the video play completely through then replay it which takes it from your system's cache and not a live stream, use a plugin to download and save it to watch later, or figure out why your connection speed is slow and causing buffering. The first two are easier.
Thank you for the lesson on grip.The video played well on its second run.
My favorite foursome plays again in two weeks.
I can hardly wait. Come on.
My position has been ok, but you're right-my grip has been too loose. I'll firm it up tomorrow.
I tried earlier today to order your special, all inclusive offer for $50+, but your company rejected my email address(the same one I've used here) as “invalid”. I think the problem is that they're bothered by the two “com”s at the end. The first is an integral part of “netcom” which is the domain part of my address.
i never understood a light grip everything Don says makes sense
I tried to order your $57 special package but a messageon the screen said that this package was not for sales outside the U.S. Any special reason
Although i already do the things Don suggested, I think this is excellent advice and a great place to start most golfers on the road to a better swing and game. I really like the fact that Don comes across as a real person, not some paid spokesperson or a huckster trying to sell a system. He seems very real and believable. His passion for the game really comes through. Looking forward to the next lessons.
I think the whole “grip it like a baby bird,toothpaste, etc” philosophy has to do with how you hold your putter, not the other clubs. Obviously we don't have the same centrifigal force at work there.
I tried to buy your discounted package but unfortuately my computer bailed out as I was signing up. What do I do now to get the discounted package?
1st Cav 1963 to 64. Thank you for your service and advise
John
I have that problem with the Driver. Pull Hooh.
Thanks, Gary
I have that problem with the Driver. Pull Hooh.rnrnThanks, Gary
You have re-inforced what I am currently working on. Thanks…
Grip pressure is hard to think about. Mainly cuz anything in golf is hard to think about. What helped me was to think about starting my grip with my bigger muscles in my upper arms. Working my way down to my hands relaxing as I go. This keeps tempo but feels more stable.
I am 84 but can no longer play to 28 though I was 19 20 years ago. I can keep it down the middle most times but can only drive 130 yards. I am told I should try a diver with more flex. Is this correct ?rnrnJohnL
Players with a slower swing speed can benefit from a driver (all clubs really) with a shaft that flexes more, a softer golf ball, and often more loft. The best way to find out what shaft and head you need on your driver is to see a club fitter. n
Grip pressure is important and I have found that a tighter left hand grip for right hand players does help. Especially with the small, next and middle finger. On the right hand only a couple of fingers, the middle two. More grip pressure than one thinks. Being 74 years old I only can get out there 200 yards, but in the middle. I can not make a full back swing anymore only about 3/4 or less. I still have fun and wish to continue to improve regardless of age. Bill
After watching the grip video which was very helpful, my question is does it matter whether I use an interlock, overlap or baseball grip?
How do you save the videos to your iPhone?
The purchased full videos or the ten free videos?
You go to the iPhone download page on the left menu, in the DVD Series section (inside the members area). Youll right click the link at the bottom of the page and save the zip file to your computer. Next youll unzip the files in a folder on your computer where youll access (import) those files into your iTunes. From there you just use your normal setting to sync up your iTunes files (videos in this case) with your iPhone.
You go to the iPhone download page on the left menu, in the DVD Series section (inside the members area). Youll right click the link at the bottom of the page and save the zip file to your computer. Next youll unzip the files in a folder on your computer where youll access (import) those files into your iTunes. From there you just use your normal setting to sync up your iTunes files (videos in this case) with your iPhone.
Good answer, but useless if they are trying to save the ten free videos to a device so they can watch them while at the practice tee.
@BPPerk: true. The information that was posted does not pertain to the 10 Free Videos.
@BPPerk: true. The information that was posted does not pertain to the 10 Free Videos.
@ Barrymac3: are you referring to the Ten Free Videos (they are not downloadable). If you are referring to the purchased videos we posted a little bit earlier in the blog instructions for downloading this morning. Please scroll to find. If you have any further problems you can contact us at 800-128-1897.
Don , I am a South African, we tend to listen to nobody and I am going to check it out before I beleive you . Thats why we are so dam good and stuburn. Looking forward to listen to your next videornrnnico
Don: In lesson above, you recommend gripping the club firmly. Doesn’t this minimizes club head speed? Fred Couples claims his very loose grip is the secret to his success)
This guy can’t even speak English! Even if you could understand him, how can you do so at the rate of speed he is speaking? Hopefully, he doesn’t swing his club as fast as he talks. What a piece of crap!
Sounds like good advice.
I am 83 years old and my balls tend to hang high…is this because i am picking up my head on the back swing?
I’m sorry you’re not intelligent enough to follow Trahan’s English. I’m sure you’ve never won professional tournaments like Trahan has. I learned a lot from this first video!
Power and pressure are based on the perspective of the golfer. If you measured the actual grip pressure and speed of Fred Couples and Trahan I’m betting they would be speaking the same grip.
Thanks, that was very, very helpful and honest too…John
your grip makes sense,I go from not breaking the egg to sweezing the rubber off thr grips
your grip makes sense,I go from not breaking the egg to sweezing the rubber off thr grips
your grip makes sense,I go from not breaking the egg to sweezing the rubber off thr grips
your grip makes sense,I go from not breaking the egg to sweezing the rubber off thr grips
An interlock swing keeps the two hands together and in one motion, as opposed to a baseball or overlap grip where you have two different rhythms to synchronize.