Parsons, Tim - Preformed Training Grips for Juniors

Property: Liberty Lake Junior Golf Association

Location: Spokane, WA

Program Contact: Timothy J. Parsons

Contact Phone/Email: 407-310-1469, tparsons@pga.com

Name of PD Program: Preformed Training Grips for Juniors

Type of PD Program: Junior Golf

Details of Program

The goal of the program was to help junior golfers learn and feel comfortable with the proper grip faster.

I purchased 10 junior golf clubs with preformed training grips and had students use them almost exclusively during our weekly junior golf classes and in our summer golf camps. We would allow them to use their own clubs at the beginning or end of class, usually for warm-up, grip check and contest. Having each student have a preformed grip allowed them to focus more on their given swing thought versus being distracted from an uncomfortable, unsure grip.

We had contests at the beginning and end of classes. We would teach the grip at the beginning and let the students use their own clubs. Then go thru the day’s program using the training clubs followed by a repeat of the same competition at the end of class and check their grips and watch for improvement.

Results of Program

The results were overwhelmingly positive. Most students showed improvement in their ability to grip the club correctly and consistently. The other positive was that many students' swing mechanics naturally became more fundamentally sound because they didn’t have to compensate for a poor/inconsistent grip.

These results have encouraged students to continue to participate, resulting in a ridiculously low turnover rate and a waiting list to get into any of these programs.

Recommendations

I would highly recommend any PGA Professional who instructs junior golfers to consider extended use of preformed grip training clubs early in their development.