Little Red Blog: How to Hold the Club

"If you have a bad grip, you don't want a good swing." —Harvey Penick

This was the foundation of Harvey Penick's teaching. And when it comes to beginners—or even long-time players who’ve never seen meaningful improvement—nothing is more important.

At Bradley’s Ball Flight Academy, we’ve made it our mission to honor Penick’s method and legacy. These Little Red Blogs aren’t quick tips for clicks. They’re instructional texts—grounded in tradition, backed by academic and coaching experience, and designed to give a new generation of golfers something better than a swing tip that expires by Friday.

In this post, we’ll walk you through Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book's foundational lessons on grip, enriched by firsthand reflections from Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, and Dave Marr in the Little Red Video.

Step 1: Understand Why the Grip Is Everything

Ben Crenshaw said it best:

"If you don't have a good grip, you don't want to play good golf."

A bad grip means you have to make compensations in your swing to square the clubface—and those compensations lead to inconsistency, frustration, and plateaus. Penick knew that if you don’t start with the hands, the rest of the swing is just compensation.

That’s why he often began by putting a yardstick in his students' hands. It was the simplest way to remove distraction and feel the correct relationship between hands and club.

"Just pick up a yardstick and fit your hands to it and swing it. Then put the same grip on a golf club." —Penick

Tom Kite explained it this way:

"The yardstick gives you a flat side. It aligns with the palm of your left hand. Then you wrap it around and it stays square. Then it aligns with your right palm. Wrap it around—it stays square."

No Vs to align. No guesswork. Just feel and structure.

Step 2: One Grip Does Not Fit All

Dave Marr offers the clearest breakdown:

• Interlocking grip — Ideal for short fingers. Used by Tom Kite, Jack Nicklaus, and Gene Sarazen.

• Overlapping grip — Most common among pros and amateurs. Used by Hogan, Crenshaw, Palmer, Snead, Nelson, and Payne Stewart.

• Ten-finger grip — Also called the baseball grip. Often used by women, older players, or those with less hand strength. Beth Daniel, Art Wall, and Bob Rosburg succeeded with it.

Penick emphasized that each of these grips could work—if your hands worked together as one unit.

"The hands must be touching each other. They should feel like they are melted together."

And no matter which grip you choose:

"I don't want the left thumb straight down the top. I want the thumb a little bit to the right."

This left thumb position helps control the club at the top of the swing, giving you structure and leverage.

Step 3: Don’t Force the Change—Unless You’re Ready to Practice

Penick tells the story of Kirby Atwell, a talented University of Texas player with a weak grip. Penick adjusted both hands stronger, and Kirby was stunned by the power and straightness of his first swing.

But Penick also warned:

"Changing a bad grip into a good grip requires a great amount of practice."

A grip change can ruin their confidence if a once-a-week player isn’t committed to putting in the reps. But if you’re serious—if you’re ready to build a foundation—this is the change that can unlock your entire swing.

Step 4: Hold It Like It’s Art

Penick believed the grip wasn’t just functional—it was beautiful.

"Look at the club in the hands of Ben Crenshaw. His hands and fingers fit so gracefully, so naturally, that I am moved to regard his grip as a piece of art."

Even Jackie Burke, Jr. and Mickey Wright were praised not just for their technique, but for how natural and connected their hands looked on the club.

If you’re holding the club with tension, separation, or awkward angles, something’s off.

Feel it. Refine it. Make it yours.

Final Thoughts from BBFA

At Bradley’s Ball Flight Academy, we don’t push one grip. We push your grip—as long as your hands work together and give you control.

Use a yardstick. Melt the hands together. Get the left thumb in position. And then trust it.

Because like Penick said:

"If the ball is flying pretty well, your grip is all right."

Until next time—hold it like it matters. Because it does.