How to Hold the Golf Club in the Fingers (Not the Palm) for More Speed and Control

Many golfers think they are gripping the club correctly, but in reality the handle is sitting too much in the palms. This small setup error quietly restricts wrist hinge, slows the club down, and makes it harder to control the clubface through impact.

When the club sits in the fingers instead of the palm, the wrists can hinge and unhinge freely. This allows you to create lag, release the club naturally, and generate speed without forcing the swing.

A palm-dominated grip locks the wrists and encourages early release, flipping, or an open face. The swing may look fine on video, but the hands cannot deliver the club with the same speed or stability.

In this article, you’ll learn exactly where the handle should sit in each hand, how finger placement affects hinge and release, and how a simple grip change can unlock more effortless power and more consistent face control.

Finger Grip vs Palm Grip Explained

A finger grip places the handle diagonally across the base of the fingers in the lead hand, running from the heel pad down toward the first knuckle of the index finger. This allows the wrists to hinge naturally and the club to release with speed and stability.

A palm grip places the handle across the center of the hand, closer to the lifeline. This restricts wrist hinge, reduces lag, and makes it harder for the clubhead to accelerate and square consistently through impact.

How Finger Placement Affects Wrist Hinge

When the club sits in the fingers, the wrists can hinge up and down freely, allowing you to create lag and store energy in the backswing. This freedom makes it easier to deliver the club with speed and a stable face through impact.

When the club sits in the palm, the wrists are locked into a flatter position and lose their natural hinge. This often leads to early release, reduced clubhead speed, and difficulty squaring the face without flipping the hands.

How Palm Gripping Causes Common Swing Faults

When the handle sits too much in the palm, the wrists lose their ability to hinge and unhinge freely. This often leads to an early release, where the clubhead throws away lag and reaches the ball too soon.

Without proper hinge, the club approaches the ball with less speed and less shaft lean. The face can arrive open, producing weak shots, thin contact, and a pattern of fades or slices that feel hard to control.

Lead Hand Finger Placement

In the lead hand, the grip should run diagonally across the fingers, starting near the base of the pinky and crossing toward the first knuckle of the index finger.

The heel pad of the hand then sits on top of the handle, which secures the club without pushing it into the palm.

This position allows the lead wrist to hinge and return to flat or slightly bowed at impact.

When the handle is set in the fingers with the heel pad on top, the clubface can be controlled by the structure of the wrist instead of a late hand flip.

Trail Hand Finger Placement

In the trail hand, the handle should sit more in the fingers than in the center of the palm, with the lifeline of the palm resting lightly over the lead thumb. This creates a secure connection without smothering the grip or locking the wrists.

The trail hand’s fingers wrap around the handle to support and guide the release, while the palm stays soft enough to allow the wrist to hinge and extend naturally through impact.

When the club is too deep in the trail palm, the wrist loses mobility and the face becomes harder to square without flipping.

Proper finger placement in the trail hand helps the wrists work together, supports lag, and stabilizes the clubface so it can rotate at the same rate as the body instead of being forced by the hands.

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Grip in the Fingers and Shot Shape

Holding the club in the fingers allows the wrists and forearms to rotate at a natural rate that matches your body rotation. This helps the clubface square more predictably, producing straighter start lines and more consistent curvature.

When the grip sits too much in the palms, the wrists tend to lose mobility and the face often stays open longer. This can lead to weak fades, blocks, or a feeling that you have to flip the hands late to keep the ball from slicing.

A true finger grip promotes a balanced release. The face closes neither too fast nor too slow, which reduces both hooks and slices and makes shot shape easier to control without manipulation.

Simple Finger-Grip Checks

Heel Pad Test

Set your grip and look at your lead hand. The heel pad should sit on top of the handle, and the grip should run diagonally across the fingers rather than straight through the center of the palm.

One-Hand Hinge Test

Hold the club with just your lead hand and hinge the wrist up and down. If the club hinges freely and feels light, it is in the fingers. If it feels heavy or restricted, the handle is likely sitting too much in the palm.

Club Balance Test

Grip the club normally and make small waggles. You should feel the clubhead swing easily without your forearms tightening. Free movement usually indicates a proper finger grip, while stiffness often means the grip is buried in the palm.

Drills to Train a Proper Finger Grip

Grip Reset Drill

Before each range session, deliberately take your grip off and re-set it with the handle running diagonally across the fingers and the heel pad on top. Do this slowly and with intention for the first 10–15 balls so your hands learn the correct placement instead of defaulting back into the palms.

Lead-Hand-Only Half Swings

Hit short, waist-high shots using only your lead hand. If the club is in the fingers, you will feel the wrist hinge and unhinge freely and the face will stay stable through impact. If it is in the palm, the club will feel heavy and hard to control.

Impact Hinge Drill

Set up, hinge the club halfway back, then return to an impact position with a flat lead wrist and slight shaft lean. Repeat this motion slowly, focusing on how easily the wrist can hinge and return when the club is supported by the fingers instead of the palm.

These drills build awareness of where the handle sits in your hands and train the feeling of a free, athletic hinge that leads to more speed and more reliable face control.

Building Proper Finger Grip into Your Routine

Set your lead hand first, making sure the handle runs diagonally across the fingers with the heel pad on top. This creates the foundation for wrist hinge and face control.

Add the trail hand so the lifeline rests lightly over the lead thumb and the fingers wrap around without pushing the handle deep into the palm. Both hands should feel connected, but the grip should still sit primarily in the fingers.

Before every shot, make a small waggle and feel the clubhead swing freely. If your wrists feel stiff or the club feels heavy, reset the grip and place it back into the fingers before starting the swing.

When finger placement becomes part of your routine, wrist hinge becomes automatic, release timing improves, and the clubface squares with far less effort.

Conclusion

Holding the golf club in the fingers rather than the palms allows the wrists to hinge freely, store energy, and release the club with speed and stability. This simple change improves lag, increases clubhead speed, and makes it easier to square the clubface without manipulation.

A palm-dominated grip restricts wrist motion, encourages early release, and often leads to weak contact and inconsistent shot shape. By placing the handle diagonally across the fingers with the heel pad on top, you create a structure that supports both power and control.

When the club sits correctly in the fingers, the swing becomes more athletic and the release more predictable. Speed increases, face control improves, and the club starts to feel like a natural extension of your hands instead of something you have to force through impact.

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Thanks for reading today’s article!

Nick Foy – Golf Instructor