Does your grip matter? Yes it does. In fact, how you grip your golf club matters a lot and should be one of the first things that you should perfect. See, how you hold your golf club will determine the flight direction your ball will take since the position of your clubface when it hits the ball will be determined by your grip. A good grip is one that allows you to move your wrist so you can get maximum power and better feel for your swing.

New golfers tend to grip the golf club the same way they’re gripping anything. That is, they use their palms more. In golf, the most powerful and accurate shots begin with a grip that’s correctly placed in the fingers.

To correctly grip a golf club, a right-handed golfer uses his left hand as the top hand and the right hand as the bottom hand. A left-handed golfer, meanwhile, uses the right hand is the top hand, and the left hand as the bottom hand.

Hold the club up in front of you, about three feet in the air. Make sure that the clubface is square. Then, put the club at an angle through the fingers, following a diagonal line. The club should touch the base of the little finger and rest just above the first joint of the index finger, again in a diagonal position. If you’re right-handed, your left thumb should be placed toward the back side of the shaft. When you’re ready to hit the ball (at address), check that the knuckles of your index and middle finger of your top hand are plainly seen.

Your grip should be made with your fingers and not with the palms of your hands. By holding the club this way, you are allowing more leverage for your wrist so you can swing further. This also allows you to keep your arms extended during the swing so your club head can generate more speed upon impact.

A grip that lets the palm do the holding results in a weak shot and slices. This is one of the most common errors among first-time golfers that you should try to avoid at the outset if you want to have a powerful swing and consequently, a great golf game.