How Do You Use A Golf Grip Trainer?
A golf grip trainer simply clips on to the grip of a golf club. Right handed players put their left hand on the grip trainer first with the left thumb against the right side of the ergonomic mold. Next, the right hand fingers are put on the golf grip trainer followed by the right thumb overlapping the left and sitting inside the oval shape of the grip trainer. The right index finger will be separated from the middle finger and make a nice trigger finger.
So why am I talking about a golf grip trainer today? Well, I actually picked up a product from Amazon called the Links Golf Grip Trainer. The reason why I was even looking for a product showing how to supposedly have a good grip is because of hitting the ball like this. Literally 50 shots below with a combination of a 9 iron and 8 iron and how many look to have gone left of target? FYI… this was captured by the SkyTrak Launch Monitor that I use in my golf cave.
As you might notice, nearly all balls start for a very short time going straight and then they tail off to the left. Sometimes it is a draw and sometimes it is a hook. Now imagine aligning to the flagstick from 130 yards away. I take my 8 iron and it goes to the left side of the green or more likely ends up in the rough on the off the left side of the green. I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I have too strong of a grip.
So in a nutshell that is why I decided to purchase the Links Golf Grip Trainer. Plus I changed from an interlock grip to a 10 finger grip midway through the golf season and never felt comfortable with the way my hands were on the golf club.
How To Use The Links Golf Grip Trainer
The Links Golf Grip Trainer is a snap to use. Almost literally. You just clip it on to your golf grip. I imagine it will fit most standard or midsize grips. With smaller hands, I use a standard grip and this product fits just fine.
As can be seen in the video above and the image below, there was a noticeable difference between hitting a shot without the Links Golf Grip Trainer and using the product. I was so thrilled with the single shot I took in the video that I forgot to keep the video rolling. The first five shots were taken using my normal grip. The last two shots below are with using this golf grip trainer. There is a remarkable difference in backspin compared to not using the product I believe partly because of the sidespin numbers. I’ll take the offline numbers with the product any day versus the first 4 shots (the 5th shot was good) of not using the Linkgs Golf Grip Trainer.
What Do I Think of the Links Golf Grip Trainer?
This was literally the first time I used the Links Golf Grip Trainer. It is meant for right handed golfers only. If the maker’s of this product are listening, I do wish there were directions. Of course it is fairly easy to figure things out on your own. Also, it should go without saying that you should not play a round with this product. After a number of shots, the plastic was pushing against my left index finger a little. I do wish the product were entirely made of rubber with no seams.
I learned quickly that it works with an interlock grip for me. I got used to a 10 finger baseball grip throughout the golfing season but my hands didn’t feel like they meshed well together. They mesh together well using an interlock grip with this device.
It literally took about 3 seconds to align the product with the clubface or grip. Just put the top of the Links Golf Grip Trainer down about 2-3 inches from the top of the grip. I like how it places your hands in what many professionals call a neutral grip with the V’s pointing to the right shoulder. Having said that, if need be it looks like you could put the product on the grip a bit one way or the other to have more of a weaker or stronger grip.
The bottom line is the Links Golf Grip Trainer does what it sets out to do. Without the grip I was struggling with draws and sometimes a hook. With the trainer it has straightened out those shots. I think a great use of this golf grip trainer would be to take 5 shots with it and then 5 shots without, while attempting to replicate the same grip without the product. Continue until it is ingrained without using the device. The price was right and I am very happy that I purchased the Links Golf Grip Trainer.