Lee Westwood Video Tips: The Grip

In thie first of our Lee Westwood Video Tips series, the Englishman talks about the grip, how to set it and how to check that it's right

If you are looking to work on your basics this winter, your first port of call should be your grip. Your hands are the only thing in contact with the club and that’s why it doesn’t matter if you’re a professional or a beginner, working on and checking your grip regularly is essential. As the driving force behind the club, your hands are also where you get your feel from and they dictate where the clubface is pointing. There are some personal preferences here but I’d suggest that you try to secure as neutral a grip as possible. This is the best way to find power and consistency in the golf swing.

Watch Lee's Stance & Ball Position Video

Watch Lee's Alignment Video

Watch Lee's Posture Video

Watch Lee's Weight Transfer Video

Left hand checkpoint

Starting with the left hand, place it on the grip so the shaft runs through the fleshy part of your hand at the base of your fingers. This means the club isn’t sitting too much in your palms or your fingers. As you wrap your left hand onto the club, you are looking for your left thumb to run down the right side of the grip. A great checkpoint to have at address is to check how many knuckles you can see at address. I like to be able to see two in my left hand. This is a neutral position

Joining your hands

Your hands need to work together to control the clubhead and that’s why the way you join your hands on the grip is important. I have a slightly strange mix of an interlocking and overlapping grip but it means my hands can work together. Interlocking the hands is a good way to do it for those with smaller hands (that gives you more control). For kids starting the game or lady golfers with really small hands, a 10-finger grip (baseball style) is a good option. This part is personal preference and boils down to what feels comfortable to you.

Watch more golf swing tips videos

Right hand

As you place your right hand into position, your left thumb should fit into the v between the fleshy part of your thumb and forefinger of your right hand. The right thumb should point down the left side of the shaft. Your last check point is to look at the v between your right forefinger and thumb – this should point towards your right shoulder.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he went on to become a feature writer interviewing many of the biggest names in the game including Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer.

A 5-handicap golfer, Neil is a club member who takes a keen interest in the health of the game at grassroots level. You’ll often now find him writing about club-related issues such as WHS, membership retention and how best to bridge the gap between the range and the course.