Ben Hogan once said that “good golf begins with a good grip”. This admonition is echoed by virtually all golf instructors, who emphasise that a good grip is the fundamental element of a good golf swing.
But for many golfers – myself included – finding and sticking with the perfect grip isn’t so straightforward.
With Hogan’s mantra ringing in my head, I set off for the driving range this week with a pair of GS ‘2V’ Training Gloves; a training aid new to the market which provides a simple, visual guide to consistently achieving a good grip on the golf club.
The gloves are the brainchild of George Scott, a PGA Professional from the Boars Head Golf Centre in East Sussex. Having spent the past five years teaching juniors and adult beginners, Scott saw the need for a product which allows golfers to align and assess their grip without requiring constant feedback from an instructor.
“The issue every golfer has with their grip is they go on feel – and what they feel is correct and feel is right or wrong,” Scott said.
[youtube width=”600″ height=”315″ video_id=”N4unEp-m-nY”]
Watch the GS ‘2V’ Gloves in action as PGA Pro George Scott explains how they can improve your game.
“Even very good golfers can have poor grips, that they cope with but affects the golf swing. So I decided to come up with something that helps every golfer just by wearing not one glove, but two.”
Scott said the ‘2V’ concept – based on the basic teaching principle of aligning the two V-shapes formed by the thumb and index finger on the club shaft – was conceived with a friend in a local Café, using coloured Sharpie pens as a visual aide.
Since their release earlier this year, he said the gloves had attracted a hugely positive response.
“Since July, we’ve sold around 200 pairs just out of Boars Head GC,” Scott said. “The feedback has been very positive. People say things like they’re very easy to use, the simplest way of getting the perfect grip, and an innovative training aid unlike anything else available on the market to buy right now.”
So after hitting a dozen balls with my usual grip, I stepped into the driving bay armed with a shiny new pair of the GS2V Gloves – and what I now saw was technically sound grip.
(L) My regular golf grip and (R) with the assistance of the GS2V Gloves.
As a 15-handicapper who is prone to the odd pull left, stemming from a strong grip, I noticed a marked improvement to my ball flight. While my ball striking was less consistent (as you would expect from any immediate change to your golf swing), when I made good contact the ball tracked higher and straighter.
I can certainly see the worth in having a pair handy in your golf bag; particularly if you’re just learning the game, or for those patches where something just isn’t right with your golf swing.
Who knows – you might save yourself an expensive trip to the local pro for a lesson.
For more information on the GS ‘2V’ Gloves, visit http://www.gsgolf.co.uk/
