Johnny, this video is EXACTLY what I have been trying to find. Perfect, simple explanation of the changes in the swing. After 12 years away from golf I am coming back and was frustrated by the strong grip, delofted position until you showed the position of the hands at completion. Without the 'palm facing target' piece you included here, you can't play with the new swing. Really striking the ball well now. Thank you!
Thank God I watched this. I have been using a strong grip for long time. And pump it long. Feels kind of weird I have been playing since 1991. Best handicap I have had is 1, Im coming back from a Cancer diagnosis and am in remission. I just bought myself a set of Titlesit T100s and they are pure as the driven snow. Anyways thanks Mr Miller for your advice.
Dear Mr Johnny Miller Another great You Tube video:I am going back to my strong grip. You are masterful at explaining the nightmare of golf technique: genuis Thank you
And back when I played most of my golf in the 70's thru the 90's very few had an interlocking grip, but now it seems to be the most popular grip. Even though Nicklaus had the interlocking grip, Tiger is the one that popularized it.
After playing for 20 years I just recently stumbled upon this in my game. Certainly getting a good flight with the irons now. Interesting info from Mr. Miller...
Personally, I find Johnny's tips and explanations quite beneficial. And also, a lot of how he breaks down specific shots during his TV commentary is very accurate. I wish I could play like he can today, not to mention how he did when he was on tour!
Saw this video, looked interesting, few hours later tried it, loved it, felt natural, was cranking it! Now I come back to make sure I was doing it right and see that I had it reversed with the left hand under, right hand over...
Miller in my opinion, was one of the best golf announces in the industry, during his time. I would equate him to what John McEnroe was like after his retirement and going into the announcing booth. Miller had a boatload of knowledge… and he didn’t hold back, and he called a spade a spade. Which a lot of the Primadonna’s in golf in in those days didn’t like. Would be great to see him once in a while behind the microphone…
He was so annoying. Almost every single time a player hits a poor shot according to old Jon “he must be nervous, that was a mental mistake”. He was terrible and there’s a reason he’s no longer around.
Yea I changed my grip to strong and why I love it is because u definitely have to start your downswing with your body and not your hands cuz if u swing with your hands at the ball u will snap hook it but when ur body rotates first then just bring ur arms with it the impact is amazing
@@Nick-lg3wf that’s awesome!! It took me like a year to figure it out but golf has been so much more fun now! Even if I score in the 90s but I was striking the ball well but just flying the green or coming up a little short I don’t mind that stuff will come but so much better than what I was doing which was flipping at the ball at impact and constantly thinning or chunking shots but not no more!!! Good stuff Nick!’
That's what i've moved to now. I've gained an easy 20 yards on my longer irons...with a baby draw. I used to do the reverse C with every swing,(didn't matter what club) and had a more upright swing. Now, i have a flatter swing,(ala Matt Kucher) and no C with my upper body. I guess i taught myself over the years to use my hips better.
Good advice. If you are hitting push fades or pushes - and meaning you are coming from the inside (good) - consider strengthening the left hand grip like Mr. Miller says. You might find that adjustment cures the problem. If not, then you got other problems (and maybe in addition to a grip problem, or not, you'll have to try it out, see how it goes -- it takes time to get all the kinks worked out). And if you are hitting pulls or hooks, try weakening the left hand grip some (and, again, if that doesn't do the trick ... other problems that also need to be addressed).
Literally just figured out today why the strong grip is so powerful. You keep it strong and at impact feels like hitting a nail with a hammer. Easy draws. Jonny is talking about what pros do which is more technical- start strong grip, flatten at top of the swing and have shaft way ahead at impact. That’s tough for those of us who want to flip!
Well explained. I didn't understand why I would hook the ball wit the strong grip and didn't know offsetting was the answer. Well I hope it works because I'm off at a local comp right now and going to try it.
My grip was always considered strong. Over the las few years I notice my iron play got weaker shots loosing a lot of distance. I assume I lot my advantage by moving back to a more neutral position. I went to range finally and moved to a very strong grip. My distance was dramatically better with my distance and my drives were much lower. Typical the driver was very high. Distance was an issue though with the driver but could never get them low when I needed too. Now I can. I’m 69 with a 9.7 handicap index. Hope I can get it down again.
LOVE THIS! The "strong" grip Johnny Miller is talking about here is EXACTLY what SmartGrip helps you do! More power, distance, and control on every shot.
Interesting. 20 years ago when unused to bomb it, 330 yards whenever I wanted with a TM Bubble (lol), this is the exact grip I used. I just found it helped with my slice. Fairly often with the driver, the ball would knuckle and roll for days. I don't have the clubhead speed anymore, but I may go back to trying this grip again.
I had a strong grip for 20 years and could not flatten my left wrist at the top of the backswing. I read and watched video of George Knudsen and now I'm hitting every club better from driver to wedges. Neutral grip forever.😁😁😁
100% agree with this, but in my case(long hitter, very strong grip), my miss is to the right. The natural fade tends to hook on bad days, way too much spin. Its something I need to focus this year.
thank god other people grip this way. my grip and swing is exactly like he said at 2:30 and I thought I was permanently damaging my swing. I also discovered I need the ball more forward for this grip, and also my right hand contributes a lot more strength than before (not sure if this is good or bad but feels more in control)
Interesting Johnny. I do something similar, but instead of taking a 3 knuckle showing grip and doing a forward press, I use a 2 (or 2-1/2) knuckle showing grip and instead of a forward press, I open the face of the driver a little before taking my grip, and I keep my hands slightly behind the ball. I grew up in the 70's being told to use a 3 knuckle showing grip with my left hand (I'm right handed). I duck hooked the ball all the time. PGA Champion Mark Brooks would tell me I had a great swing, but aimed too far right, but I had to with that duck hook. I was jealous of Mark with his long high straight drives even at age 14. I was always told in the 70's to use stiff flex shafts which may have increased the duck hook (my swing speed was 105)? Now at age 64 I use a jumbo grip and a senior flex graphite shaft (my swing speed is 90-95 mph) and hit the ball straight in the fairway all the time using a 2 to 2-1/2 knuckle showing grip and opening the face of the driver slightly before taking my grip. This squares the club face at impact and gives me a powerful straight drive that carries long and stays in the air instead of taking a nose dive at 175 yards. I even aim a little left now instead of severely to the right to compensate for the duck hook. I have found that the Fujikura Atmos shaft works really well to keep the ball in the air even when using a 9.0 loft driver head even with my decreased Senior swing speed. With a 12.5 degree head it launches too high so I have to dial back down the loft to 11.5 which works great too giving me a high power fade.
Els had a horrible old fashioned swing where he flipped his hands to square the face. He had tremendous rhythm which made it work though. If he had swung hard he would not have kept it on the planet.
Works great, Johnny! Than you much. No, guys, Johnny is right. This works but you do need to know how to use lag to square the club face at impact and get shaft lean as he says. Also look up Sean Clement -- he agrees with Johnny. Neutral grips are going away, more power this way. !!!
i do this naturally, but i do get a nice hook from time to time because the club face will tend to be closed at impact sometimes, if u just stare down at the ball a slight bit longer at impact, the pull doesnt happen as much
Dear Mr Johnny Miller I watched your Hogan's Secret video yesterday: Its seminal. Although l think the the short game is the soul of golf (? ) I'd love your thoughts on this precept. I thought l was writing to you yesterday but it soneone else showing your video. Which l am eternally grateful for. I wish l had seen it 50 years ago. ' l ciuld have been a champion' (Rocky 1st movie?)
I agree, but one more point to add is the ball is change so much flight time with the driver used to be about 3 1/2 seconds modern-day ball stays near eight seconds
Neutral grip just feels more natural for me. I'm not known for super great distance but I am known for accuracy. In best ball foursomes, I hit the fairway and then the other 3 guys try for long booming shots knowing they have my fairway ball as a backup.
I tried a switching to a strong grip and ended up with a terrible snap hook. There are too many other adjustments/changes needed for me to grip the club this way so I went back to the neutral grip.
Well, (not surprisingly) instinctively you did it right for a strong grip. You had your right knee kicked inward ala Hogan and Nelson. Actually the right knee isn't really "kicked" in but the hips are pushed toward the target and a gentle arc is formed from the shoulder to the foot. Dropping into position with a strong grip one finds his clubface pointed to the left - hence the hook grip thing. With a strong grip drop the clubface behind the ball and gently sway to the left until the clubface points to the target. You are aiming with your body. From this posture the club face doesn't roll until about shoulder high on the downswing. You will also get Nelson's 3/4 backswing. Looking forward to hearing from you again.
That right arm screwed in worked for me for a short period but I developed a hook and my back was not in the best shape after a round. Reverted to a neutral grip with quite a tight clasp seems far easier and more natural.
Your grip needs to match your swing . If you tend to flip..and use a strong grip you will hit hooks . You need to rotate more with a strong grip to square up.
I think the stronger grip is more prevalent now because there are now more tall golfers, and they start out with clubs made for shorter players. If you use a strong grip and swing more upright you can hit with short clubs.
a stronger grip lets you release the club more powerfully through impact. I have tried both types of grips on the Range and the stronger grip allows me to crank the ball about 20 yards further.
bigmaxy07 with this grip I can put all my body & hips into the strike, i tend to over rotate so my body allows the clubface to be square at impact. I’ve gained an extra 20 yards in carry through changing to a super strong grip. I don’t know why they don’t teach it as all the big hitters have strong grips. If you watch the longest drive comps they have ridiculously strong grips. Bubba Watson like where you see 4 knuckles & the bottom hand is open.
@@theamaturegolfer7798 I couldn't agree more. I grew up playing in the late '90s but when I took a formal lesson in the year 2000, I was taught by a very reputable coach and he started me and my friends on the strong grip and I think that's really when it was implemented as far as teaching people to play. I am 5'8" 145, and very rarely do people hit it past me so there is no doubt in the potential to gain distance simply by the grip. To your point, I feel like I can almost error on the side of freely swinging and almost over rotating and making good contact rather than not get through the ball and that's where my big misses come.
I started doing this. Hooks and slices are gone and I hit every fairway today and hit average 285. I’m 225 lbs so I knew I had the power. But don’t use a strong grip and release your hands it’s going to hook. The hinge in your wrists are more like waving to someone instead of up and down do not up and down your wrists
Super strong grip like that definitely lowers club head speed, Many pros swing their drivers around 120mph, and the vast majority of young golfers know that is the benchmark to being able to compete at that level. Some of them really get flippy at the bottom to get that speed and really rely on timing to make good shots. I know this from lots of experience. I used to have a pretty neutral grip, and even a weak grip somtimes and could really get the club moving, around 120. After 8 years of constantly changing my swing to find something that just feels consistent ive got a strong grip like the video. However, my pw went from 150 high shot, to 135 lower and spinny. So to know these pros are hitting 120mph with driver with a super strong grip, it just says so much about how athletic and fast they really are.
Anyone can confirm that this kind of strong grip can gain some distance on driver? I feel this kind of strong grip deloft irons thus iron shots go much further. Spin rate is reduced and launch able is reduced. However, I don't care about iron shot distance much. Iron is for accuracy and control, thus high spin rate and high launch angle (at the price of losing some distance) are perfect fine with me. I only care about driver distance, maybe 3 or 5 wood. Thanks..
Nicklaus and Hogan both had neutral to weak grip..even George Knudson.. all hated hooks and so do I.. I know I'm nothing compared to them.. but if don't close my right hand.. then a pull hook is a guarantee on my bad days..
John could take a look at my swing any day !!! His observations are based on golfing through different eras , seeing the changes in equipment etc. one thing is for sure he would not patronize you !
@@jonb2437 no. With the strong grip your upper body turn makes the clubhead go square at impact. You dont need the "rolling over" at impact. Hands are needed though but in a different way.
The reason why it's called a power grip is because it promotes left arm and left hand first through impact which makes you be able to load better behind the golf ball.. this creates a more easy swing more consistent and more confident once used with a good swing.
Strange that he also talks about Ben Hogan who weekened his grip and did everything he could to stop the hook also finishing with his Palm to the target
Bens grip was strong the reason he started hooking was because he was turning his wrists over. Like most golfers who use a strong grip and don't understand lag. He stopped that after he realized he went a bit left with his grip, but then realized he needed to set is wrist on the down swing for it to work. He called it the Hogan secret. He would of never of had to redo his swing if he just worked on not turning his club over. He hit a lot of balls and he messed his own swing up. Some of the guys personally think someone that he trusted gave him a golf lesson and messed up his swing a little. But keeping your wrist super strong only means you come back into position with a square club as long as you are creating lag. If you just swing like a pga instructor is going to tell you, youre going to turn your wrists over and cause a hook.
Hogan NEVER trusted his swing to someone else. Hitting a lot of balls certainly did not mess his swing up. Mr. Hogan was the greatest ball striker who has ever played the game. Period.
Not that I need distance but this is soo well made and maybe I can hit it even further.i think I do this already but I dont even know what im doimg im just a " feel player"
A lot of it has to do with one's hands though. I have wide hands with short salamander fingers, so I tend towards a neutral grip. With a strong grip, my pinky wont wrap around the butt end of the grip. I have to use mid to oversize for my wide palms so that makes it even worse.
You don't need more distance with your irons, you just need to know how far you hit each one. If distance was king, Kyle Berkshire would have 20 Majors by now.
I much prefer to simply forward press on the takeaway more with a neutral face and finish low to encourage a low penetrating flight while keeping the angle of attack steep to prevent that slice he's talking about. The shaft lean helps you cock the club back a lot quick giving your sing more length. Weak loft actually gives you room to turn the hips and keep the left arm straight without yanking it left. This way you can play a consistent power fade this way and "block" the shot after turning the hips hard rather than trying to time it perfectly with a release of the right arm across the body like Miller wants you to do, which can also cost you power if you fold in the left arm too early.. Tiger is the best iron player in the world and he's keeping the face neutral at takeaway, cocking the wrists hard and early, arriving on a steep plane, and firing the hips way out in front of the arms so the left arm can be extended at impact and can produce power without swinging too hard.
Sh11111t… I started in ‘71 aged 12 and the books I devoured were the likes of “Jack Nicklaus - how I played the ‘68 Masters”. and then in the 80’s any lessons said “make sure the two Vs in your grip point towards your right shoulder… I guess it’s back to the drawing board…
it is not a "new" grip. Back in the 30's to 50's all the pros had strong grips. It started changing in the 60's after more of the pros started copying Hogan's weak grip that he used in the 50's and onward. Originally Hogan, Nelson Snead and Middlecoff all had strong grips. Hogan later weakened his grip in the 50's to stop hooking.Everyone copied him and followed suit later.
hogan had a pretty weak grip. he did purposely to eliminate leftside of the course. johnny is speaking out of his ass saying strong grip is the trend on tour. most those guys play neutral
@@J3ui you are wrong my friend. Almost all pros nowadays play with a neutral grip tendence to strong or a strong grip. The forward shaft lean at impact eliminates the hook. I started to hit golfballs since -93 again and boy has the swing changed. I am trying to learn the "new way" but have to admit that even with a 9-iron I hit a 5-8 meter draw. Thats way too much but I feel confident that when I get outdoor, I can manage that draw/ hook with a small backswing change. But I love the "new way" to hit the ball as you can fire your right side and turn the upper body naturally to the target in the downswing.
a good lesson; but this is not a strong grip. a strong grip is when the back of the left hand is pointing to the right of the target. the back of johnny's left hand is aiming above the target; which is totally correct. the trick though is to press in with the joint of the left wrist when you have cupped your left wrist onto the shaft, the way johnny demonstrates. this will ensure that you are cupped at the top and you will apply force to both sides of the shaft, and that is a power grip.
Johny Miller was a fantastic golfer, not least his IRON play.I remember him knocking the flags out, INCREDIBLE. Nos he sounds like he's got a heart problem. hope not.great guy.
listen obviously you are all here because your game is not a top level so if your going to be critical about a pros advice who the hell are you because I'm pretty sure you critics on here about miller's advice couldn't even come close to beating his daughter never mind him come on take the advice if you don't like move on
What? I am hear simply because I want to laugh at people that have to come to videos like this to get better! :) I've had a perfect swing since I first picked up a club.. but I'm just perfect like that. Oh.. and.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!
10 yrs old and the simplest explanation of a strong grip versus a neutral grip i have seen . Also the simplest explanation of the impact position needed to accomodate this grip any why . In three and a half minutes … thats how long im normally waiting to get past the ads / like, subscribe and hit the bloody bell …. And half the time it took me to comment 🤦🏻 Im now looking for more .
you don't need a strong grip to encourage shaft lean. you can still get plenty of lean with a neutral grip even on an iron with little offset. TW, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Rory all play with a neutral grip... Cmon Johnny don't misinform us amateurs
most do not. those guys don't need distance, they want control and workability. having a strong grip promotes more face rotation and increases your chances of hooking the ball. the tip itself is not bad if you want distance but this is certainly not some trend on tour. johnny is talking out of his ass
Yeah. But when the shot goes bad it goes really bad. Michelson is always talking about "hitting bombs." Good golf is more about hitting fairways than hitting bombs into the woods. Looks very impressive when it comes off well but when it doesn't ... ouch!
What the heck is talking about. I think most current tour player have neutral grip. They are hitting it farther thru better body motion than his time. As another comment here, Ben hogan had very neutral/weak grip.
Not true in the slightest. Most tour players have at least a slightly stronger than neutral grip. The reason for it is not distance though, it's mainly because getting forward shaft lean at impact, and thus better ballflight and control, is easier with a stronger grip. Hogan did indeed use a fairly weak grip, but that only worked for him because he had a move in his downswing that bowed his left wrist and closed the clubface before impact despite the weak grip. If he did not do that move, a grip as weak as he had would have been highly detrimental
Most pros use a stronger grip ... not sure if their grips are a strong as JM seems to indicate but today's swing utilizes a lot of lower body torque and squaring the clubface comes more naturally (with this swing) with a stronger grip. Some pros are extremely good with squaring the clubface with late hand action and others don't use as much lower body torque which allows a more neutral grip. It makes sense that a closed grip with increased torque leads more easily lets the club shaft lean and increases compression of the ball. I have a more neutral grip and generally take shallow divots and tend to push the ball slightly up and right or even slight fade when I try to increase the speed of lower body rotation (even when I don't "early extend"). My handicap now doesn't reflect my swing but I used to play in college and was plagued by some of the tendencies that seem to come out of a more neutral grip. I'm interested in trying a very strong grip as noted by JM and see the outcome.
nah most pros play neutral. neutral with a slightly weaker right hand grip. reason being is they don't want as much face rotation and they want to work the ball both ways. just like Hogan the last thing you want to do is put a hook in play. and ya just look at all the best ball strikers on tour, they all bow their left wrist through the hitting area.
Doesn't have to be, there are many players who have a very strong grip and only play fades because the grip allows them to hold off their hands from releasing and just use body rotation to keep the club square through impact. Plus if you have a strong grip and intentionally play a draw, your chances of hooking are much higher than someone with a neutral or weak grip. Another thing, switching your grip depending on what type of shot you're hitting is not a good idea for the most part
Such a ridiculous and erroneous comment. Plenty of players hit fades with a strong grip ! DJ , Fred Couples and on and on. People that blindly make comments like you just did have ZERO idea about what they are saying .
this is somewhat correct. having a strong grip promotes more face rotation. have a weak grip does the opposite. but if anything... most pros play a neutral grip so they can work the ball both ways. i can't see how this would ever become a "trend" on tour
just a minute that brandel chamblee book 'anatomy of greatness' says nearly all the great players between Jones and Watson (plus others after Watson) played with a strong grip ?
Holey moley... Not for nothin' but, all that manipulation is BS. Neutral grips relieve tension and allow for more snap through the hitting area. All the young guys can hit the ball no matter what they hell they do. They're young, strong, they swing with speed and have quick reactions. My opinion is that if you want a swing to last a lifetime, do as many things as naturally as possible, play the clubs the way they were designed, and above all... keep the tension level at ZERO.
i don't think it's a bad tip per say but i think Johnny trying to spin it like this is a trend on tour and he's giving us the latest scoop is absolute garbage. these guys play neutral. they don't need distance, control is more important.
Johnny, this video is EXACTLY what I have been trying to find. Perfect, simple explanation of the changes in the swing. After 12 years away from golf I am coming back and was frustrated by the strong grip, delofted position until you showed the position of the hands at completion. Without the 'palm facing target' piece you included here, you can't play with the new swing. Really striking the ball well now. Thank you!
Fantastic tip - especially the explanation of the supporting the grip with increasing the shaft angle at address.
Thank God I watched this. I have been using a strong grip for long time. And pump it long. Feels kind of weird I have been playing since 1991. Best handicap I have had is 1, Im coming back from a Cancer diagnosis and am in remission.
I just bought myself a set of Titlesit T100s and they are pure as the driven snow.
Anyways thanks Mr Miller for your advice.
How u doing these days Charlie? feeling better mate?
Was working on a more neutral grip with nit much success. Gonna keep my strong grip thanks to this great explanation by a golf leadgend!
I'm far from an expert, but I do know the sweetest swing I've ever seen is from Fred Couples and his grip is super strong. He still hits 300 yards.
and Freddy's predominate ball flight was a fade, as many many strong grip players are...were
Now we all can hit like Fred Couples thanks to SmartGrip :) it reinforces a stronger grip on every shot :)
Still hit the ball 300 yards because of the equipment
@@raymonkravagna278 Wish I hit it 300...
@@bobbys4327I can now hit beautiful fades on command once i switched to a strong grip.
Dear Mr Johnny Miller
Another great You Tube video:I am going back to my strong grip. You are masterful at explaining the nightmare of golf technique: genuis Thank you
I changed my grip to ekstremely strong with driver and it made a huge difference. Both for length and avoiding my slice.
And back when I played most of my golf in the 70's thru the 90's very few had an interlocking grip, but now it seems to be the most popular grip. Even though Nicklaus had the interlocking grip, Tiger is the one that popularized it.
After playing for 20 years I just recently stumbled upon this in my game. Certainly getting a good flight with the irons now. Interesting info from Mr. Miller...
Personally, I find Johnny's tips and explanations quite beneficial. And also, a lot of how he breaks down specific shots during his TV commentary is very accurate. I wish I could play like he can today, not to mention how he did when he was on tour!
Saw this video, looked interesting, few hours later tried it, loved it, felt natural, was cranking it! Now I come back to make sure I was doing it right and see that I had it reversed with the left hand under, right hand over...
Leave well enough alone, never watch this video again!......😂
Miller in my opinion, was one of the best golf announces in the industry, during his time. I would equate him to what John McEnroe was like after his retirement and going into the announcing booth. Miller had a boatload of knowledge… and he didn’t hold back, and he called a spade a spade. Which a lot of the Primadonna’s in golf in in those days didn’t like. Would be great to see him once in a while behind the microphone…
I used to love Johnny’s Sky Tee where he’d go out behind the booth up in the air and give a lesson on something he just spotted a player doing.
He was so annoying. Almost every single time a player hits a poor shot according to old Jon “he must be nervous, that was a mental mistake”. He was terrible and there’s a reason he’s no longer around.
@@nathanh1425 He's not around because tour golf sucks so much now it doesn't matter what they say!
Couldn't figure out why I was hooking everything. It was my grip. Thank you
Yea I changed my grip to strong and why I love it is because u definitely have to start your downswing with your body and not your hands cuz if u swing with your hands at the ball u will snap hook it but when ur body rotates first then just bring ur arms with it the impact is amazing
yes sir 👏 🙌 couldn't have said it better ! when i figured this out , is the moment i became a consistent & great ball striker .
@@Nick-lg3wf that’s awesome!! It took me like a year to figure it out but golf has been so much more fun now! Even if I score in the 90s but I was striking the ball well but just flying the green or coming up a little short I don’t mind that stuff will come but so much better than what I was doing which was flipping at the ball at impact and constantly thinning or chunking shots but not no more!!! Good stuff Nick!’
That's what i've moved to now. I've gained an easy 20 yards on my longer irons...with a baby draw. I used to do the reverse C with every swing,(didn't matter what club) and had a more upright swing. Now, i have a flatter swing,(ala Matt Kucher) and no C with my upper body. I guess i taught myself over the years to use my hips better.
Good advice. If you are hitting push fades or pushes - and meaning you are coming from the inside (good) - consider strengthening the left hand grip like Mr. Miller says. You might find that adjustment cures the problem. If not, then you got other problems (and maybe in addition to a grip problem, or not, you'll have to try it out, see how it goes -- it takes time to get all the kinks worked out). And if you are hitting pulls or hooks, try weakening the left hand grip some (and, again, if that doesn't do the trick ... other problems that also need to be addressed).
Literally just figured out today why the strong grip is so powerful. You keep it strong and at impact feels like hitting a nail with a hammer. Easy draws. Jonny is talking about what pros do which is more technical- start strong grip, flatten at top of the swing and have shaft way ahead at impact. That’s tough for those of us who want to flip!
Well explained. I didn't understand why I would hook the ball wit the strong grip and didn't know offsetting was the answer. Well I hope it works because I'm off at a local comp right now and going to try it.
My grip was always considered strong. Over the las few years I notice my iron play got weaker shots loosing a lot of distance. I assume I lot my advantage by moving back to a more neutral position. I went to range finally and moved to a very strong grip. My distance was dramatically better with my distance and my drives were much lower. Typical the driver was very high. Distance was an issue though with the driver but could never get them low when I needed too. Now I can. I’m 69 with a 9.7 handicap index. Hope I can get it down again.
LOVE THIS! The "strong" grip Johnny Miller is talking about here is EXACTLY what SmartGrip helps you do! More power, distance, and control on every shot.
Interesting. 20 years ago when unused to bomb it, 330 yards whenever I wanted with a TM Bubble (lol), this is the exact grip I used. I just found it helped with my slice. Fairly often with the driver, the ball would knuckle and roll for days. I don't have the clubhead speed anymore, but I may go back to trying this grip again.
This grip is fine if you want to stop a slice but other than that. no thanks.
I had a strong grip for 20 years and could not flatten my left wrist at the top of the backswing. I read and watched video of George Knudsen and now I'm hitting every club better from driver to wedges. Neutral grip forever.😁😁😁
spot on, best video to explain the best grip
100% agree with this, but in my case(long hitter, very strong grip), my miss is to the right. The natural fade tends to hook on bad days, way too much spin. Its something I need to focus this year.
thank god other people grip this way. my grip and swing is exactly like he said at 2:30 and I thought I was permanently damaging my swing. I also discovered I need the ball more forward for this grip, and also my right hand contributes a lot more strength than before (not sure if this is good or bad but feels more in control)
Interesting Johnny. I do something similar, but instead of taking a 3 knuckle showing grip and doing a forward press, I use a 2 (or 2-1/2) knuckle showing grip and instead of a forward press, I open the face of the driver a little before taking my grip, and I keep my hands slightly behind the ball.
I grew up in the 70's being told to use a 3 knuckle showing grip with my left hand (I'm right handed). I duck hooked the ball all the time. PGA Champion Mark Brooks would tell me I had a great swing, but aimed too far right, but I had to with that duck hook. I was jealous of Mark with his long high straight drives even at age 14.
I was always told in the 70's to use stiff flex shafts which may have increased the duck hook (my swing speed was 105)? Now at age 64 I use a jumbo grip and a senior flex graphite shaft (my swing speed is 90-95 mph) and hit the ball straight in the fairway all the time using a 2 to 2-1/2 knuckle showing grip and opening the face of the driver slightly before taking my grip. This squares the club face at impact and gives me a powerful straight drive that carries long and stays in the air instead of taking a nose dive at 175 yards. I even aim a little left now instead of severely to the right to compensate for the duck hook.
I have found that the Fujikura Atmos shaft works really well to keep the ball in the air even when using a 9.0 loft driver head even with my decreased Senior swing speed. With a 12.5 degree head it launches too high so I have to dial back down the loft to 11.5 which works great too giving me a high power fade.
Best swing and tempo seen Erin elis in Dubai in 2001 amazing swing and power .I can see the big easy is great nickname
Els had a horrible old fashioned swing where he flipped his hands to square the face. He had tremendous rhythm which made it work though. If he had swung hard he would not have kept it on the planet.
Works great, Johnny! Than you much. No, guys, Johnny is right. This works but you do need to know how to use lag to square the club face at impact and get shaft lean as he says. Also look up Sean Clement -- he agrees with Johnny. Neutral grips are going away, more power this way. !!!
Just the advice I was looking for! Thank you!
Now I understand why teaches today teach a strong grip. I am going back to a weak grip for more Consistency
i do this naturally, but i do get a nice hook from time to time because the club face will tend to be closed at impact sometimes, if u just stare down at the ball a slight bit longer at impact, the pull doesnt happen as much
How do u hit a four iron with that grip since u are delofting the club?
So amazingly encouraging 👏👏👏
I needed this video years ago
Dear Mr Johnny Miller
I watched your Hogan's Secret video yesterday: Its seminal. Although l think the the short game is the soul of golf (? ) I'd love your thoughts on this precept. I thought l was writing to you yesterday but it soneone else showing your video. Which l am eternally grateful for. I wish l had seen it 50 years ago. ' l ciuld have been a champion' (Rocky 1st movie?)
I agree, but one more point to add is the ball is change so much flight time with the driver used to be about 3 1/2 seconds modern-day ball stays near eight seconds
Neutral grip just feels more natural for me. I'm not known for super great distance but I am known for accuracy. In best ball foursomes, I hit the fairway and then the other 3 guys try for long booming shots knowing they have my fairway ball as a backup.
I tried a switching to a strong grip and ended up with a terrible snap hook. There are too many other adjustments/changes needed for me to grip the club this way so I went back to the neutral grip.
Well, (not surprisingly) instinctively you did it right for a strong grip. You had your right knee kicked inward ala Hogan and Nelson. Actually the right knee isn't really "kicked" in but the hips are pushed toward the target and a gentle arc is formed from the shoulder to the foot. Dropping into position with a strong grip one finds his clubface pointed to the left - hence the hook grip thing. With a strong grip drop the clubface behind the ball and gently sway to the left until the clubface points to the target. You are aiming with your body. From this posture the club face doesn't roll until about shoulder high on the downswing. You will also get Nelson's 3/4 backswing. Looking forward to hearing from you again.
That right arm screwed in worked for me for a short period but I developed a hook and my back was not in the best shape after a round. Reverted to a neutral grip with quite a tight clasp seems far easier and more natural.
Your grip needs to match your swing . If you tend to flip..and use a strong grip you will hit hooks . You need to rotate more with a strong grip to square up.
I think the stronger grip is more prevalent now because there are now more tall golfers, and they start out with clubs made for shorter players. If you use a strong grip and swing more upright you can hit with short clubs.
a stronger grip lets you release the club more powerfully through impact. I have tried both types of grips on the Range and the stronger grip allows me to crank the ball about 20 yards further.
Realise you will snap hook everything for days until you train your lower body and shoulders to sync correctly to deliver the correct shaft lean.
bigmaxy07 with this grip I can put all my body & hips into the strike, i tend to over rotate so my body allows the clubface to be square at impact. I’ve gained an extra 20 yards in carry through changing to a super strong grip. I don’t know why they don’t teach it as all the big hitters have strong grips. If you watch the longest drive comps they have ridiculously strong grips. Bubba Watson like where you see 4 knuckles & the bottom hand is open.
@@theamaturegolfer7798 I couldn't agree more. I grew up playing in the late '90s but when I took a formal lesson in the year 2000, I was taught by a very reputable coach and he started me and my friends on the strong grip and I think that's really when it was implemented as far as teaching people to play. I am 5'8" 145, and very rarely do people hit it past me so there is no doubt in the potential to gain distance simply by the grip. To your point, I feel like I can almost error on the side of freely swinging and almost over rotating and making good contact rather than not get through the ball and that's where my big misses come.
@@dhoey98 I'm 6'2" 190, ex Marine. I'll hit it past you.
@@guitarman6742 ok
I started doing this. Hooks and slices are gone and I hit every fairway today and hit average 285. I’m 225 lbs so I knew I had the power. But don’t use a strong grip and release your hands it’s going to hook. The hinge in your wrists are more like waving to someone instead of up and down do not up and down your wrists
Super strong grip like that definitely lowers club head speed, Many pros swing their drivers around 120mph, and the vast majority of young golfers know that is the benchmark to being able to compete at that level. Some of them really get flippy at the bottom to get that speed and really rely on timing to make good shots. I know this from lots of experience. I used to have a pretty neutral grip, and even a weak grip somtimes and could really get the club moving, around 120. After 8 years of constantly changing my swing to find something that just feels consistent ive got a strong grip like the video. However, my pw went from 150 high shot, to 135 lower and spinny. So to know these pros are hitting 120mph with driver with a super strong grip, it just says so much about how athletic and fast they really are.
Anyone can confirm that this kind of strong grip can gain some distance on driver? I feel this kind of strong grip deloft irons thus iron shots go much further. Spin rate is reduced and launch able is reduced. However, I don't care about iron shot distance much. Iron is for accuracy and control, thus high spin rate and high launch angle (at the price of losing some distance) are perfect fine with me. I only care about driver distance, maybe 3 or 5 wood. Thanks..
Nicklaus and Hogan both had neutral to weak grip..even George Knudson.. all hated hooks and so do I.. I know I'm nothing compared to them.. but if don't close my right hand.. then a pull hook is a guarantee on my bad days..
way way easier to play with strong grip. great video JOHNNY
Nice work J Miller!
John could take a look at my swing any day !!! His observations are based on golfing through different eras , seeing the changes in equipment etc. one thing is for sure he would not patronize you !
It made it a lot easier for me to hit the ball consistently & with compression with this grip, as you take the wrists out of the swing
wth you talking about. strong grip allows more wrist play. you must talking about a weak group
@@jonb2437 no. With the strong grip your upper body turn makes the clubhead go square at impact. You dont need the "rolling over" at impact. Hands are needed though but in a different way.
@@peterhammer6915 Thanks for trying to educate. Guys using neutral grip concepts with strong grip.
The reason why it's called a power grip is because it promotes left arm and left hand first through impact which makes you be able to load better behind the golf ball.. this creates a more easy swing more consistent and more confident once used with a good swing.
Are they using that same grip for the driver? Watching TV it seems like it more like the older style?
Johnny on the spot!
Strange that he also talks about Ben Hogan who weekened his grip and did everything he could to stop the hook also finishing with his Palm to the target
Bens grip was strong the reason he started hooking was because he was turning his wrists over. Like most golfers who use a strong grip and don't understand lag. He stopped that after he realized he went a bit left with his grip, but then realized he needed to set is wrist on the down swing for it to work. He called it the Hogan secret. He would of never of had to redo his swing if he just worked on not turning his club over. He hit a lot of balls and he messed his own swing up. Some of the guys personally think someone that he trusted gave him a golf lesson and messed up his swing a little. But keeping your wrist super strong only means you come back into position with a square club as long as you are creating lag. If you just swing like a pga instructor is going to tell you, youre going to turn your wrists over and cause a hook.
its a very well known fact hogan played with a weak grip
Hogan NEVER trusted his swing to someone else. Hitting a lot of balls certainly did not mess his swing up. Mr. Hogan was the greatest ball striker who has ever played the game. Period.
Hogan had clubs built that worked for his swing! Open faced - 2deg flat he could release all day without hooking!
Not that I need distance but this is soo well made and maybe I can hit it even further.i think I do this already but I dont even know what im doimg im just a " feel player"
A lot of it has to do with one's hands though. I have wide hands with short salamander fingers, so I tend towards a neutral grip. With a strong grip, my pinky wont wrap around the butt end of the grip. I have to use mid to oversize for my wide palms so that makes it even worse.
You don't need more distance with your irons, you just need to know how far you hit each one. If distance was king, Kyle Berkshire would have 20 Majors by now.
It's given me more solid and consistent contact.
Great video. Thanks
I much prefer to simply forward press on the takeaway more with a neutral face and finish low to encourage a low penetrating flight while keeping the angle of attack steep to prevent that slice he's talking about. The shaft lean helps you cock the club back a lot quick giving your sing more length. Weak loft actually gives you room to turn the hips and keep the left arm straight without yanking it left. This way you can play a consistent power fade this way and "block" the shot after turning the hips hard rather than trying to time it perfectly with a release of the right arm across the body like Miller wants you to do, which can also cost you power if you fold in the left arm too early.. Tiger is the best iron player in the world and he's keeping the face neutral at takeaway, cocking the wrists hard and early, arriving on a steep plane, and firing the hips way out in front of the arms so the left arm can be extended at impact and can produce power without swinging too hard.
Great video!
Left palm at the target in the follow through is a great swing thought - thank you.
Doesn't the strong grip require holding on and not releasing? I'm not a fan of the strong grip. Neutral all the way!
Sh11111t… I started in ‘71 aged 12 and the books I devoured were the likes of “Jack Nicklaus - how I played the ‘68 Masters”. and then in the 80’s any lessons said “make sure the two Vs in your grip point towards your right shoulder…
I guess it’s back to the drawing board…
To snap hook it in the woods, grip it strong
best yet, thx!!!
Thanks
I think every human knows by now if you did not start playing when you were a kid you get what you get at this point
GENIUS!
You'll add substantial distance with just a little practice if you have any coordination at all.
Another reason why people cannot hit long irons ( less than 26 deg)anymore. Its hard to get the sweeping motion from a strong grip.
it is not a "new" grip. Back in the 30's to 50's all the pros had strong grips. It started changing in the 60's after more of the pros started copying Hogan's weak grip that he used in the 50's and onward. Originally Hogan, Nelson Snead and Middlecoff all had strong grips. Hogan later weakened his grip in the 50's to stop hooking.Everyone copied him and followed suit later.
Ben Hogan had a strong grip as well as Sam Snead, they excelled at the game with their grips
hogan had a pretty weak grip. he did purposely to eliminate leftside of the course. johnny is speaking out of his ass saying strong grip is the trend on tour. most those guys play neutral
@@J3ui you are wrong my friend. Almost all pros nowadays play with a neutral grip tendence to strong or a strong grip. The forward shaft lean at impact eliminates the hook.
I started to hit golfballs since -93 again and boy has the swing changed. I am trying to learn the "new way" but have to admit that even with a 9-iron I hit a 5-8 meter draw. Thats way too much but I feel confident that when I get outdoor, I can manage that draw/ hook with a small backswing change. But I love the "new way" to hit the ball as you can fire your right side and turn the upper body naturally to the target in the downswing.
Remember slow back, your need a little time.John your great
a good lesson; but this is not a strong grip. a strong grip is when the back of the left hand is pointing to the right of the target. the back of johnny's left hand is aiming above the target; which is totally correct. the trick though is to press in with the joint of the left wrist when you have cupped your left wrist onto the shaft, the way johnny demonstrates. this will ensure that you are cupped at the top and you will apply force to both sides of the shaft, and that is a power grip.
then why are you addressing me? do not contact me. you are a troll
good stuff
How do they add shaft angle?
hands are ahead of the club
Still true today. Now lots of tour players with strong grips fade the ball.
half the reason they're hitting wedges a 160 odds it's because they're 42°. When Johnny was playing wedges were 50° or more.
The Desert Fox is the best! There is no more reverse "C" at his age of understanding magic.
Amazing.
My naturally developed grip is this one with shaft lean
A real pro teaching the truth. Not like those shills trying to make money off of advanced idiots.
Johny Miller was a fantastic golfer, not least his IRON play.I remember him knocking the flags out, INCREDIBLE. Nos he sounds like he's got a heart problem. hope not.great guy.
Ml
listen obviously you are all here because your game is not a top level so if your going to be critical about a pros advice who the hell are you because I'm pretty sure you critics on here about miller's advice couldn't even come close to beating his daughter never mind him come on take the advice if you don't like move on
What? I am hear simply because I want to laugh at people that have to come to videos like this to get better! :)
I've had a perfect swing since I first picked up a club.. but I'm just perfect like that.
Oh.. and....
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!
Your spelling is not perfect. So instead of being [here] maybe take some lessons elsewhere.
Ah, yes.. HERE we have the grammar queen.. Johnathan! I type fast, so sometimes mistakes happen.
It's called sarcasm... and it was pretty obvious
Are you legal?
well said
10 yrs old and the simplest explanation of a strong grip versus a neutral grip i have seen .
Also the simplest explanation of the impact position needed to accomodate this grip any why . In three and a half minutes … thats how long im normally waiting to get past the ads / like, subscribe and hit the bloody bell ….
And half the time it took me to comment 🤦🏻
Im now looking for more .
And the ball changed dramatically 🪀
you don't need a strong grip to encourage shaft lean. you can still get plenty of lean with a neutral grip even on an iron with little offset. TW, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Rory all play with a neutral grip... Cmon Johnny don't misinform us amateurs
I think Miller is right...Most of the pros really use a strong grip (not ALL...MOST) and count on squaring the club at impact to get huge distance.
He didn’t say that!
most do not. those guys don't need distance, they want control and workability. having a strong grip promotes more face rotation and increases your chances of hooking the ball. the tip itself is not bad if you want distance but this is certainly not some trend on tour. johnny is talking out of his ass
A stronger grip squares you’re club face when you have shaft lean! With neutral grip and shaft lean Club is open!
james fitzgerald that's just non-sense. Grip has nothing to do with that, it's your wrist positions.
Many coach said no strong grip...i use strong grip..
The lofts are stronger and the ball is juiced. This equals farther distance Johnny, not the grip.
Apple Muscle Car ... are you for real! Hit a ball with a weaker then with a stronger grip! I know the one that will go further!
FACTS !!
Yeah. But when the shot goes bad it goes really bad. Michelson is always talking about "hitting bombs." Good golf is more about hitting fairways than hitting bombs into the woods. Looks very impressive when it comes off well but when it doesn't ... ouch!
What the heck is talking about. I think most current tour player have neutral grip. They are hitting it farther thru better body motion than his time. As another comment here, Ben hogan had very neutral/weak grip.
Not true in the slightest. Most tour players have at least a slightly stronger than neutral grip. The reason for it is not distance though, it's mainly because getting forward shaft lean at impact, and thus better ballflight and control, is easier with a stronger grip. Hogan did indeed use a fairly weak grip, but that only worked for him because he had a move in his downswing that bowed his left wrist and closed the clubface before impact despite the weak grip. If he did not do that move, a grip as weak as he had would have been highly detrimental
Most pros use a stronger grip ... not sure if their grips are a strong as JM seems to indicate but today's swing utilizes a lot of lower body torque and squaring the clubface comes more naturally (with this swing) with a stronger grip. Some pros are extremely good with squaring the clubface with late hand action and others don't use as much lower body torque which allows a more neutral grip. It makes sense that a closed grip with increased torque leads more easily lets the club shaft lean and increases compression of the ball. I have a more neutral grip and generally take shallow divots and tend to push the ball slightly up and right or even slight fade when I try to increase the speed of lower body rotation (even when I don't "early extend"). My handicap now doesn't reflect my swing but I used to play in college and was plagued by some of the tendencies that seem to come out of a more neutral grip. I'm interested in trying a very strong grip as noted by JM and see the outcome.
nah most pros play neutral. neutral with a slightly weaker right hand grip. reason being is they don't want as much face rotation and they want to work the ball both ways. just like Hogan the last thing you want to do is put a hook in play. and ya just look at all the best ball strikers on tour, they all bow their left wrist through the hitting area.
also, chipping and pitching with a strong grip would just be absolutely ludicrous
This is the grip is for a draw shot. If you want to hit a straight shot use a neutral grip
Doesn't have to be, there are many players who have a very strong grip and only play fades because the grip allows them to hold off their hands from releasing and just use body rotation to keep the club square through impact. Plus if you have a strong grip and intentionally play a draw, your chances of hooking are much higher than someone with a neutral or weak grip. Another thing, switching your grip depending on what type of shot you're hitting is not a good idea for the most part
Complete nonsense.
Such a ridiculous and erroneous comment. Plenty of players hit fades with a strong grip ! DJ , Fred Couples and on and on. People that blindly make comments like you just did have ZERO idea about what they are saying .
this is somewhat correct. having a strong grip promotes more face rotation. have a weak grip does the opposite. but if anything... most pros play a neutral grip so they can work the ball both ways. i can't see how this would ever become a "trend" on tour
This is the video everything in your newsfeed about golf doesn’t want you to see
just a minute that brandel chamblee book 'anatomy of greatness' says nearly all the great players between Jones and Watson (plus others after Watson) played with a strong grip ?
9 miles? I'm gonna try that.
Johnny's still thrilled by golf like he's still a little kid,.
Sure miss Johnny on tv.
I find it helps me to have a pre shot routeen...dufner waggle.lolololol
omkuberaynamaha Or maybe the Garcia grip/regrip/grip/regrip/grip/regrip......
Holey moley... Not for nothin' but, all that manipulation is BS. Neutral grips relieve tension and allow for more snap through the hitting area. All the young guys can hit the ball no matter what they hell they do. They're young, strong, they swing with speed and have quick reactions. My opinion is that if you want a swing to last a lifetime, do as many things as naturally as possible, play the clubs the way they were designed, and above all... keep the tension level at ZERO.
i don't think it's a bad tip per say but i think Johnny trying to spin it like this is a trend on tour and he's giving us the latest scoop is absolute garbage. these guys play neutral. they don't need distance, control is more important.