Why travel experts like Scottie Scheffler love this simple adherence check

The next time you’re parked outside (or on the couch) watching your favorite tour pros on the range — analyzing their routines in hopes of stealing something from your game — look past the obvious. Instead of getting swept up in fancy training aids or complicated drills, shift your focus to one of the most important aspects of the game: to hold

Specifically, how they put their hands on the club.

John Scott Rattan, GOLF Top 100 teacher, recently revealed some quick and easy ways for tour pros to set their hands. It’s known as a grip position, and it’s an easy way to check your clubface position at address.

“You watch Scottie Scheffler every day on the range doing something like this to make sure he’s stuck, to keep the face square,” Rattan said.

If done right, this quick catch check can improve the quality of your claims in a big way. Here’s how Rattan teaches you – and how you can apply it to your practice sessions.

The stand-up grip, he explained

To perform a static grip test, first take your normal setup. From there, stand up without fixing your hands on the club. Fully extend your arms as you lift the club until it is straight out in front of you, almost level with the ground.

Now, release your wrists while holding your grip. It should feel like your hands are leaning forward as the weight of the club rests on them. If you do it right, the butt of the club will point towards your face and the clubhead will drop slightly — right down to your eye. This will give you a clearer view of your clubface and allow you to identify any fakes you are inadvertently making at address.

“Read” your clubface like clockwork

Before you can diagnose a problem or implement a fix, you need to know what to look for when testing your clubface in the grip position. To make it easier, Rattan suggests a simple idea: think of the clubface as a clock.

Square – 12 o’clock

Closed – 11 o’clock

Open – 1 o’clock

Avoid this common mistake

The stand-up grip can also reveal a player’s habits and tendencies. One of the most common mistakes Rattan sees in people who don’t learn well during this exercise is starting in a bad place.

“Face is king in the game,” he says, “so if the face is bad at first, you have to make up for it somewhere.”

For example, many beginners unknowingly prepare to hit the ball with a closed clubface. According to Rattan, when you swing the clubface off – or left, for right-handed players – it signals to your mind that you’re off the club and, unless you’re deliberately trying to hit a low shot, you’ll need to add later in your swing.

This can lead to penalties such as excessive right turns or throwing hands too late to regain top position. And if you can’t add more loft, that’s when the dreaded low and left misses can sneak up on you.

“When we start with it [the clubface] square, therefore, in lowering down, we have motives to take a higher position in the club, than to add a higher place to it,” he continued, “So, you want to promote construction.”

Another reliable tour strategy is the square clubface

In addition to the grip, Rattan says there’s another trick you can use to set your clubface square like a pro.

“Put it down [your clubface] it gets to the right corner and you catch it,” he said, “Xander Schauffele does the same thing.”

By using a stand-up grip or 90-degree technique, you’ll set your clubface square and train your eyes to see what a square face looks like—helping you spot any deception before it wreaks havoc on your swing.

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