Zach’s Grip

By now, you have heard from most commentators about Zach's grip and how he angles the shaft slightly behind the ball at address. I want to thank Ian Baker Finch, Nick Faldo and Jim Nantz from CBS for taking the time to talk to me about it. I appreciate that it is unusual, and I will explain why. This is a picture I took of Zach's grip Wednesday of Colonial. Little did I know that I would be commenting on it again by Sunday! I took it because he made a small adjustment on his off week, where he placed a little sliver of his left heel pad on top of the grip. This gave him a “locked in” feeling, without tension of course, and I wanted to document it for future reference. If you are familiar with my teaching, this is not the grip that I advocate. Below is my grip. My left heel pad is more on top, and my right heel pad covers more of my left hand fingers. I believe you have better leverage with the left hand this way, and the left wrist is less likely to break down through impact. The right hand is less likely to dominate as well. For more, go to earlier posts on the grip or have a look at my DVD . The main similarity between the two is that both of us have our forearms square to our target line. Zach turns his right hand more under to achieve this, and it matches the feeling he has in his strong full swing grip. When we first started working together, in 2001, I let him keep his grip out of comfort and familiarity. I did, however, remember a tip that Payne Stewart told me when he putted his best in 1999. He felt a slight cup in his left wrist at setup, and he maintained that angle throughout the stroke. When I told Zach this, he liked the feeling and it has remained that way ever since. If Zach were to keep his grip and get the shaft and his hands even with the ball, or slightly ahead of the ball, there would be way too much wrist play on the backswing. He would create too much shaft angle, taking loft off of the putter. He would then have to put that loft back on the putter before impact, or get a putter with 6 degrees of loft as a compensation. His left wrist would break down or cup on the way through, giving a scooping sensation. This is exactly why people go to left hand low, or the claw, because they are tired of the sensation of the right hand taking over and the left hand collapsing. So, in essence, we start with that cup and we maintain it. He has 2.5 degrees of loft on his putter. He probably starts with 4 degrees and it is the same at impact. When we put the ball on a camera,it rolls the way we want it to. That is about as technical as I get. I probably get beat up on the technical forums, but I'm ok with that. Putting is an art, not a science. If you told me I could not grip the putter the way I wanted to, I would use Zach's grip. It obviously works for him, and I am proud of his reputation from his peers as one of the best putters on tour. Although his style of grip is not what I teach, everything else he does is textbook. I am smart enough to recognize that he is special, and my thanks to the late, great Payne Stewart for preparing me to teach Zach, in a way. I do not think that any of this is coincidental- the big Man upstairs gets all the credit!

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Zach’s Grip

Grip it and play it: Pure grips

ORLANDO, Fla.–The biggest innovation I’ve seen thus far at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show? You’ll laugh. It’s about golf grips. Yeah, I know. Wake you when I’m done writing this item. I’m serious. Pure Grips has a line of excellent and tacky rubber golf grips, but the true innovation is how you put them on and take them off. There’s no glue or tape, it only takes a few seconds, and you can begin using the clubs immediately. The secret is compressed air. The company’s gun-shaped attachment connects to an air compressor on one side and the grip on the other. ( See the video below. ) A shot of air makes the Pure grip expand enough so you can slip it onto the shaft — even over a layer or three of tape. Once you slide the grip into place (a two-second job once you’ve done a few), turn the air off and the grip contracts around the shaft like a vise. It’s ready for play. Removing the grips with the air-gun is even easier and quicker. Unlike all current grips, which have to be cut off with a knife because they were glued on, Pure grips come off intact and can be reused. It’s going to be a great incentive for club pros to stock Pure grips because they’ll be able to change them so quickly.The process is so easy, I’m considering doing my own grips now. I already scored a Pure grips applicator gun. After that, all I need are the grips (suggested price $8) and a little air compressor that I can pick up cheap at Wal-Mart or any hardware store. Instant regrips, no muss-no fuss, and they’re reusable. A Pure golf spokesman told me about a woman player he knows who changes her different colored grips to match her wardrobe before each round. Now that’s innovation. PURE Grips Tapeless Golf Grip Installation Video from Wes Brasher on Vimeo .

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Grip it and play it: Pure grips

Are we at a golf show or a spa?

When at the PGA Merchandise Show, you expect to see apparel, clubs and training aids. Teeth whitening? Not so much. The following photos were snapped on the floor of the PGA Merchandise Show. (Teeth whitening) (Nail and cuticle protection)

The Grip, Part II

It has taken me awhile, and I apologize to those who have been waiting, to post some different shots of the grip. Attempting to teach someone a new grip through words and pictures alone is very challenging. I hope these additional pictures help. The first picture is taken from above to show you how much the grip in the left hand sits in the fingers. While the heel pad sits on the top of the grip, the thumb pad does not in fact make contact with the club. I couldvery easily run a fingerunderneath the thumb pad. There is absolutely no hand or thumb pressure at all. You can also notice how the heel pad of the right hand sits on the middle, ring and pinkie fingers of the left hand. The finger nails of the middle and ring are covered up. No part of the right hand is in contact with the club. To refresh, if the grip is truly in the fingers, you can control the putter effectively with no tension in your hands, arms or shoulders. You can let it swing itself, which is the topic of an upcoming post. In the other picture, you can see the finished product. One of the reasons I touch my forefingers is that I want my hands to feel as one. When the right heel pad covers two of the left fingers, the right arm will be less prone to straighten because the hands are not split apart. If the right arm is straight, it can become too heavy and put undue downward pressure on the putter. Choosing the correct size of the grip is very important. If the hands are too big for the grip, they will feel too smashed together and the right hand will feel like it is falling off the club. If the grip is too big, it will be very difficult to get the left hand grip in the fingers. The heel pad won't stay on top without feeling overly stretched and tense. As a reference, I wear a Cadet Medium glove and my grip is the Golf Pride Tour Classic. It would be a Mid Size. For those who have large hands, Tiger Shark makes a very good oversized grip. For small hands, the Golf Pride Pro Only works great. For more on the grip, see my earlier post. Grip to me is critical. The only person I teachwho does not grip the putter this way is my best player, Zach Johnson. Believe me, the irony is not lost on me! While we make a few adjustments to work around his left hand being in the palm (see earlierpost on Golf Digest article), Zach is most comfortable with his grip. Every person that comes to me has a choice to grip it in the palm or fingers; no one so far has chosen the palm. I would encourage you to experiment with both. I think you will notice the stability of the left hand when it is in the fingers and the pad is on top.

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The Grip, Part II

Bunker – PurePoint Golf Tips – GreenSide Bunker

Bobby explains the correct way to complete a bunker shot. How to get out of a green side bunker in golf….Bobby Eldridge…Pure Point Golf.

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Bunker – PurePoint Golf Tips – GreenSide Bunker

Golf Tips, Lessons, Instruction & Drills – The Grip (new)

BPS golf instructor Steve Bishop discusses how to put your hands on the club properly to form a neutral golf grip. This grip video is different from his first. He…

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Golf Tips, Lessons, Instruction & Drills – The Grip (new)