There’s no doubt about it-- the hardest part about a good golf swing is the grip.

Just have a good close look at Ernie’s or Tiger’s grip and you will know instantly what you have to do if you’re remotely serious about playing this game well. Looking at a great grip is the same sensation as gazing upon a fine piece of art. It’s almost as if
hands were made to hold onto a golf club. If you very carefully study the grips of the great players, for example Severiano Ballesteros, you will notice that his grip is so perfect that a good shot seems inevitable.

With the perfect grip you can do things with the ball that others can just dream of. However obtaining that perfect grip is not easy, and requires a lot of determination to get it right.

It’s very rare in our game to come across a player with a perfect grip and the kids who come into the game for the first time with thoughts and intentions of turning professional are nearly in tears when they realize that their goal will not be achieved without changing their grip.

If you want to get a grip you sometimes need to simply focus and not let anything disturb you, but sometimes it’s just not that easy. I remember one sunny Friday morning on the first hole of a busy course, when my friend Bill was beginning his pre-shot routine. He was visualizing his upcoming shot, when a piercing voice came over the clubhouse loudspeaker. “Would the pair on the Women’s tee come back up to the Men’s tee please” with every eye on the course looking at us, Bill was still deep into his routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption.

Again the announcement, “Would the pair on the Ladies tee kindly start from the Men’s tee.” Bill simply ignored the announcement and kept concentrating, when once more, the man yelled “Would the man standing on the Ladies tee please go back to the
Men’s tee, please!”

Bill stopped, turned and looked through the clubhouse window directly at the person with the microphone. He cupped his hands and shouted back “Would the bloody idiot in the clubhouse kindly shut-up and let me play my second shot."