Driver Grip Vs Iron Grip Comparisons — (What Are the Differences?)
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Patrick Corley
- 10/21/2022
One of the most challenging aspects of golf is that every swing and set-up is slightly different depending on the golf club. Because of the increased length of the driver, squaring up the clubface at impact is something many golfers struggle with. That’s why the slice is one of the most common miss-hits for high handicappers.
To combat this miss and make sure that your set-up is optimal for every situation, it’s crucial to use the correct grip. In this article, we will cover the differences in the driver vs iron grip, both when it comes to set-up and the grips themselves.
Difference Between Driver Grip and Iron Grip
There is no difference between the driver grip and iron grip. You grip these clubs the same way.
But, there are many ways to grip the golf club: a weak grip, a neutral grip, and a strong grip. All grips are usable, but depending on what you struggle with in your golf swing, some are better suited for you than others.
The grip can change depending on what club you’re using.
This is because all golf clubs have different lengths. Now, we’ll go over the different grips, which suit you the best, and when to use which grip depending on the club.
Weak Grip
The weak grip is undoubtedly the most uncommon, and very few professional golfers use it. A weak grip will promote a more open clubface compared to the closed of the popular strong grip. That’s why golfers who struggle with a hook should consider using a weaker grip.
Because the driver has a very long shaft, it becomes harder to square the clubface at impact. A square clubface is always desirable, and to shape your shot the path of the golf club is what should change.
The weaker grip’s open-face tendencies are therefore unsuitable for most driver swings, and most golfers should stay away from this grip completely.
You can look at your knuckles to tell if you have a weak grip.
You have a weak grip if no knuckles are showing on your left hand. To strengthen the grip and close the face, as a result, move your left hand together until you start seeing a knuckle or two. How many knuckles you see will make a neutral or a strong grip.
Neutral Grip
The neutral golf grip is very popular – especially when it comes to irons. This grip promotes a natural opening and closing of the club face and works for many golfers. Many professionals also use this grip, and anyone with a tight dispersion can try this grip.
However, the neutral grip is not suited for golfers with tendencies to miss the golf ball to the right or left. It’s also somewhat uncommon to see really good golfers using this grip with the driver, because of the increased length.
A neutral grip will usually show around one or half a knuckle on your left hand, and your right hand will be placed in the middle of the shaft over the left. Again, if you’re like most golfers who struggle with a slice, consider strengthening your grip by moving your hands to the right to see at least two knuckles.
Strong Grip
In professional golf, a strong grip is the most popular. This is because it keeps the clubface square longer and significantly decreases the need to flip your hands or forearms to square the face at impact.
With a strong grip, you should see at least two of your knuckles. If that doesn’t help, consider strengthening even further. It’s also crucial to place your right hand accordingly by setting the thumb on top of the left hand’s thumb, meaning that your thumb will point to the left of the clubface and not run down the middle of the shaft.
Many golfers use a strong grip for the driver to decrease the risk of a slice, but it can also be used for every other club in the bag. The strong grip has recently gained popularity because it allows golfers to swing fast without worrying about missing the ball to the right. So if you tend to over-fade or slice your golf shots, we highly recommend that you try to strengthen your grip.
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Driver Grips Vs Iron Grips – What Do They Do?
The Grip Portion of the Golf Club
Sometimes there are also differences in the grip itself, although they are usually relatively similar. The main differences between grips are the size and firmness. Both these options have their strengths and should be considered when choosing the grip.
Grip Size
What grip size you should use depends primarily on your hand size, but sometimes also preference. All golf grips come in the standard version made for average size hands, as long as you don’t pick anything else.
Then there is a slightly larger midsize option, a significantly larger oversized option, and an undersized option for those with smaller hands. There are also jumbo grips that are used by the professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau.
We know that this is what he wants because he is looking for the largest grips possible.
Many golfers use larger grips than standard to increase the iron’s feel, while they might stick with the standard version for their woods and driver, as it sometimes makes it easier to turn the club over and square up the face.
If you can’t buy new larger grips even though you might need them, it’s possible to add some layers of tape under the grip to increase the thickness slightly.
Grip Firmness
The grip’s firmness should also be considered but has little to do with performance. Some golfers choose to have a softer grip in the shorter irons, as that tends to improve the feel of the golf clubs and connectivity to the shot as a result.
Few golfers use soft grips for their longer clubs, such as the fairway woods and driver, since the softer feel can feel strange at higher swing speeds. However, we recommend sticking with the same type of grip throughout your bag for optimal consistency.
Golf gear manufacturers such as Winn and Golf Pride make excellent grips, including wrap grips and cord grips, and you should always pick the grip that makes you the most comfortable as they will enable you to play your best golf possible. There are also some golf brands you should avoid, so always pick a quality brand to ensure a long-lasting and well-performing grip.
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Weak Grip With Driver – What Should I Do?
If you struggle with consistency with the driver and tend to miss the ball to the right, it might very well be because of a weak grip. As mentioned earlier in the article, a weak grip means that your hands are rotated too far to the left and that you don’t see any knuckles on your left hand.
To fix this and strengthen your grip, move both hands simultaneously until you see at least two knuckles on your left hand.
It’s also crucial that your right hand’s thumb is placed on top of the right’s and that it doesn’t run straight down the shaft. Otherwise, you risk losing the benefits of the stronger grip.
Stronger Grip With Driver Than Irons – What Should I Do?
Because so many golfers struggle with a slice with their driver, it’s very common to have a stronger grip with the driver than irons. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem, but it can lead to inconsistency as the two swings will be somewhat different.
At the end of the day, what works for you might not work for others, but we recommend that you try to use the same grip for all golf clubs to maximize your consistency and shoot lower scores.
If you want to decrease the difference between the two grips, either strengthen the grip on your irons or weaken the grip on your driver. Now you’ll have to take the club away more squarely and proficiently, which might take some time to get used to. Ultimately, we strongly recommend that you see your local PGA professional for help if it’s needed.
FAQ Section
Do you use the same grip for driver and irons?
Every golfer is different, but generally speaking, it’s wise to use the same grip for both the driver and irons. This is because it makes your swing more consistent as fewer things change. However, if you struggle with a slice when hitting the driver, changing your driver grip alone can help.
Do you hold a driver differently than an iron?
There are three types of golf grips: weak grip, neutral grip, and strong grip. All these can be used on all clubs, including the driver and irons. Because the driver is much longer than the irons, you may struggle with squaring the face, which a grip change can help combat.
What grip is best for a driver?
The best grip depends on the golfer and its strengths and weaknesses. If you tend to miss the ball to the right, consider using a stronger grip. On the other hand, if you miss the ball to the left, consider weakening your grip. If you miss the ball in both directions, the grip might not be the problem but rather the swing.
Why do I need a stronger grip with the driver?
Because the driver is much longer than an iron, it’s more challenging to square the clubface at impact. When you swing, the clubface will naturally open during the takeaway, and if you don’t close it enough on your way down, you will hit a slice. A stronger grip keeps the clubface more closed, making it easier to hit the golf ball straight.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
The grip plays a vital part in playing good golf, and if you struggle with consistency, you should consider changing your grip by weakening or strengthening it.
Hopefully, you now have a clear idea of the different grips and the differences between the driver and iron grip. Thank you for reading this article from TellMeMoreGolf.com, and we wish you a great time out on the course!
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