Single Plane, Natural Golf, Moe Norman - Grip Size Matters

How does grip size affect speed? When Moe said he held the clubs in the palms of his hands, what exactly did he mean? This video discuses the truth about grip size and how it can affect your ability to produce speed.

[王毅-pu]

Dear Todd, you are a great instructor in golf.

[raybowles]

I don't have big hands and went to a mid size grip and I love them. They don't move around in my hands and seem so much easier to hold. I guess it is a individual issue. I am loving the single plane swing. I stepped out this morning, took a 5 iron, no warm ups, and hit a solid straight hit. Never done that in my 40yrs of golf.

[elderhiker]

Thanks for this excellent explanation of Moe's grip. In addition to your videos, I actually have the original Natural Golf book (in which you are prominently featured as the primary model of Moe's swing) and I was sure that I had correctly placed my hands on the club. Here is what I have found in my experimentation: I use the 10-finger grip for pitching and chiping. But, I switch to the overlaping grip for driver and fairway woods. I find that the 10-finger grip allows me to keep the club face square to the target line longer and it increases my accuracy. But, as you say, for longer shafts in the driver and fairway woods, the 10-finger grip restricts the leverage angle in the backswing and get shorter shots due to reduced swing speed. I do use the JumboMax XL grips with no-taper and it find that it gives me greater control over face angle. Because of this, I hit very straight shots. But, I'm still a work in progress and I frequently watch the Moe Norman videos and the Natural Golf book to remind myself of the swing goals I am trying to achieve. Your YouTube videos are an inspiration. Thanks a million.

[patricklee]

I went to the 10 finger grip after many years of the overlapping grip and the reason is because my hands became arthritic, especially the left hand. I found that my consistency got better.

[kourt]

Honestly this may be the best video on the grip I’ve ever seen. Well done!

[natgolfpro]

Great explanation of the pros and cons of the different grip sizes available and how proper grip fitting is critical.  Thanks again Todd

[theokenon]

This video alone is worth a $1, 000. I wish I had this knowledge in 1998 when I first started playing golf. I went to natural golf Because of Moe But I suffered strength loss unknowingly do to grip size and grip placement, But my accuracy especially with the driver was amazing. But being young and not liking the guys teasing me about my weird looking set up and loss of power I went Back to the conventional set up. Great video. So easy to understand and it makes a lot of sense. You don’t normally get this type of information for free. Thanks Todd.

[chrisbilling]

Wow! I can feel the difference. I have been playing Natural Golf for a long time and this video explains why i lost so much distance. Great Video!

[sandylake]

Every video I watch you answer questions I’ve always wondered about. I see so many women grip the club in the palm of their left hand and it costs them so much speed and distance. Great lesson!

[jeffparnell]

Best definition of proper grip size and why it matters....PERIOD! Great stuff Todd!

[Gumballa]

Being an engineer by training I had always wondered why there was so much ambiguity in golf. It’s an optimization problem quite simply put and there is only one optimal way for any given outcome! Never understood why setup and impact would need to be so different and all the adjustments had to happen WHILE swinging - seemed entirely arbitrary to me. You good Sir don’t sell opinion, you sell results of an optimization process Mr. Norman has completed for us to copy! Thank you very much for your work!

[galerauschenberger]

Thanks for clarifying that for me. I never did like the palm grip, and haven't used it. I do use a slightly larger grip because I wrap my grips. Played 9 holes yesterday and shot 37. Not bad for an old bugger of 70.

[wallstreetoneil]

The best video on the grip I've ever watched! I would add 3 comments based on what you said that I think may not be entirely correct. You stated that you aren't a fan of the 10 finger grip because it shortens the lever-> implication power loss. I would argue, getting your dominant hand fully on the club, yes with a tiny bit shorter lever, provides FAR more potential power gain than loss from 1/2" shorter of a lever. The 2nd issue would be the implication that a full Radial (thumbs up) Wrist Hinge (on the back swing) is necessary for the most leverage / power. When you look at some of the longest hitters on tour (Bryson's new swing, Wolff, Rahm), none have a full thumbs up Radial Hinge (on the backswing) but do get more loaded wrist compression Radial Hinge during the change of direction (which stores more power than an uncompressed / unloaded Radial hinge) - but they all have massive loaded Wrist Extension 'hinging' during the same transition - thus you can argue that the focus on a full Radial Hinge as a backswing necessity isn't completely accurate as wrist Extension and additional 'down cock' radial wrist loading are more important. The 3rd 'physics' issue would be that a bigger grip provides more surface area for the Right Hand to apply force against and 2ndly, the larger circumference of a bigger grip would allow more mechanical advantage twisting force to be applied to the grip by the golfer - this alone is a reason for everyone to use as big a grip a possible - at minimum +4 type grips. I recently found your channel and have really enjoyed your material.

[irishplayerkc]

Thanks for this informative instruction on grip. I first learned Natural Golf when I needed to find a swing for my Father, who after hip surgery, could no longer play the game he loved. We took the Natural Golf lessons together in Tampa and he loved how he could once again hit it square without hip action; which he could no longer replicate after surgery. It also took me out of the woods and into the fairway but my distance suffered greatly. I'm 6'4" tall and 250 lbs and I used to hit it a mile, but not very straight. Natural Golf cured my slice but took yards away from my drives. The first tenet of Natural Golf was the palm grip and ten finger; which was hard to get used to. My hands are very large; I wear XXX gloves so the Natural Golf grip feels better in my hands. I can now see where my mistakes were and take it to the range. Thanks again.

[SteveWish]

Todd - I just went back and reviewed this - an absolute "ah-ha" moment for me - this all makes sense yo me now! Thanks - this is more about learning what Moe meant and did - rather than what he said! I had previously run out and outfitted with a set of Jumbo Max grips (a la BD) and got away from the grip training of my Graves Golf 5 iron training club.

[razorockIB]

Awesome video, Todd. So much clarity!

[jackmacner]

Love the explanation. I have been using the natural golf swing and love the simpler mechanics, but I am also still learning. Your videos have been a big help in my learning process. Thanks

[DonSwindle]

As a former Natural Golfer this video gave me the speed I needed.

[johnkeegan]

I owned natural golf clubs. This video showed me what I was doing wrong with the grip back in the day. Thanks.

[EscalanteFlyFlipper]

Brilliant video. Moe was paid to change and as you’ve indicated he sort of did.

I like the funny video where he was “the first inductee” into the Natural Golf Hall of Fame. Moe walked away and tapped the little trophy on his head.

I’d love to know his thought at that moment in time.

Now that was a “tell” if ever there was one.

And I love your passion to teach.

All the best.