Trigger Happy

By Jason Suedhof

IMG Leadbetter Certified Golf Instructor

Trigger Happy

Almost every instructor in the world will tell you that a good grip is the start of a good swing. A good grip allows the hands, wrists, arms and body to synchronize properly. The hands must work together to create speed and let the club work properly through the ball. Having a trigger in your grip can really help your swing function better and help your club work in balance.

When applying your grip, for a right handed player, let your left index finger separate a little further from the bottom three fingers. These bottom three fingers play a major role as they are important pressure points in your grip. This allows the pinky of the right hand to either overlap the index finger of the left hand or interlock with the same fingers. If you are a very young player or a beginner you may find it easier to use the baseball grip.

When placing your right hand on the club, make sure that your index finger is separate from the middle finger, but not further down the grip than the thumb. Having your index finger too far down the club causes you to lose feel and control of your ball flight. Looking down at your trigger it should appear as a hook with the index finger slighting touching the thumb.

The trigger at the start of your swing helps the club to stay in front of you and not work too far inside.

In the backswing the trigger helps the club stay in better balance.

At the top, the trigger supports the club and keeps it from getting too laid off. It can also help your backswing stay shorter for more consistency.

On the downswing, the trigger ensures the conservation of angular momentum. This may be the most important element of the trigger. Keeping the “lag” can really help the penetration of the ball and help a player stay in their angles through impact.

At impact, the trigger allows you to square the clubface and ultimately give you a solid strike.

Try this, start your downswing with a trigger. Half way down stop quickly. Feel how the club reacts. Then pull your trigger back, closer to your middle finger. Start you downswing again. Feel how the club wants to fall closer to the ground and lose the angle created by your wrist between the club and left arm. This happens because the trigger has given you a longer grip and it is further down the club. The trigger has given you more control. Good luck and have fun!