Executing Blake's Grip Change: Something That Might Help
January 11 2004 at 8:28 PM Snakedoc (Login Snakedoc)
SAGF Members 2002
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For those of you who may be trying the Blake swing and are using a fixed grip: if it is working well and you are satisfied with power and accuracy, read no further. If, on the other hand, you wish to try the grip change and/or you've tried it, but can't make it work, here's something to try. OK, you have placed the lead hand on the club in a fairly strong position, two to three knuckles showing--Mindy calls it a 'fist' grip. Now, when you place the trail hand on the shaft, it's a little bit trickier, but will soon feel natural. The club is held with the two middle fingers and the little finger overlaps the forefinger of the lead hand. The pad of the trail hand is pulled up from the shaft. This leaves a space for the lead hand thumb to move into as the grip change occurs. Then 'screw' the top part of the trail hand toward the target (counter-clockwise). This places the 'V' of the trail hand in a neutral position on top of the shaft. The thumb and forefinger of the trail hand are loose/relaxed and not exerting any pressure on the shaft.
Ready to swing. The backswing may be started with a forward press to counter the tendency for the head to move in the backswing. Move the lead knee toward the ball and very slowly take the club straight back, not inside. Now here's the part that seems to bother a number of folks. Twist the top part of the trail hand clockwise as the left hand turns 'under'. Twisting the trail hand clockwise does NOT mean (critical) that the two middle fingers of the trail hand 'slip' around the shaft--they stay right where they were. This will naturally 'force' the two hands to come together. One image is to think of the clockwise twist as 'unscrewing' of the top part of the hand that was 'screwed' on at address. That's it.
One other thing. Up till now I have described the lead hand movement in the backswing as a turning 'under'. It feels like turning 'under' but actually, the lead wrist is going back 'bowed' with the back of the hand facing away from your body. By the time you reach the top of backswing the lead hand thumb will be on top of the club. 'On top' means on top related to the ground. The clubface is square and you are ready for the downswing--downward drag Mindy would say.
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