If you’ve watched Scottie Scheffler get ready for a round, you've almost certainly noticed him swinging a long, flexible orange training rod. That popular piece of equipment is the GolfForever Swing Trainer, and while it's much more than just a grip trainer, its molded grip is integral to how it improves his game. This article will break down what this tool is, how Scheffler uses it, and most importantly, how you can apply the same fundamental principles to build a rock-solid grip and a more consistent golf swing.
The Tool Behind the #1 Player: The GolfForever Swing Trainer
First things first, let’s be clear. The orange tool you see Scottie swinging is not just a simple grip aid. The GolfForever Swing Trainer is a comprehensive warm-up, fitness, and swing training device. It’s designed to improve flexibility, build core strength, and help golfers ingrain proper movement patterns.
Here’s a breakdown of its main components:
- A flexible shaft: This exagerates the feeling of loading and unloading a club, teaching you to be patient in the transition from backswing to downswing.
- A weighted ball: This is a key part. The heaviness of the ball helps you feel the clubhead throughout the swing and encourages a correct swing path powered by the body's rotation, not just the arms.
- A molded training grip: This is the part that gets a lot of attention. The grip has a specific shape that forces your hands into a fundamentally sound, neutral position. This isn't an arbitrary design, it places your hands in a position that promotes power, control, and consistency at impact.
For Scheffler, this tool is an essential part of his pre-round routine. He isn’t just mindlessly swinging it, he’s actively engaging the muscles that power his golf swing and reinforcing the hand position he wants to maintain for the next four hours.
How Scottie Scheffler Uses the Trainer to Prepare
Watching Scottie use the GolfForever trainer is a lesson in tour-level preparation. He uses it methodically to “wake up” his body and sync up his movements before he even hits a golf ball. His routine focuses on two main areas: core activation and swing sequencing.
Core Activation and Flexibility
Scheffler performs a series of rotational stretches and movements. By holding the weighted trainer and twisting his torso, he is firing up his obliques and the deep core muscles that create so much speed and stability in the modern golf swing. This isn't just a light stretch, it's a dynamic warm-up that increases blood flow and prepares his body for explosive rotation. He’s essentially telling his body, "We're about to turn powerfully, let's get ready." This preparation helps to prevent injury and ensures his body can support the swing he wants to make from the very first tee.
Swing Sequencing and Grip Reinforcement
As he moves through slow-motion backswings and follow-throughs, the molded grip on the trainer is working its magic. Every single rep ingrains the exact same hand placement. He doesn’t have to think about his grip, the tool places it for him. This frees up his mind to concentrate on the bigger-picture feelings of rhythm and tempo.
The weight of the tool also helps him feel the correct sequence. He has to use his big muscles (his legs, hips, and torso) to initiate the downswing. If he tried to yank the trainer down with just his arms, the weight and flexibility of the device would immediately feel out of sync. It naturally encourages an athletic motion where the body leads and the hands and arms follow, which is the secret to both power and consistency.
Anatomy of a Perfect Grip: Why a Molded Trainer Works
Why is so much emphasis placed on the grip? Because it’s the only connection you have to the golf club. A poor grip is the root cause of countless swing faults. If your hands are not positioned correctly on the club, you will almost certainly have to make a series of unnatural compensations during your swing to get the clubface square at impact.
A molded grip trainer, like the one on Scheffler's device, teaches the fundamentals of what coaches call a "neutral" to "slightly strong" grip. This is the grip style used by the overwhelming majority of the world's best players. Let's break down what that actually means.
The Lead Hand (Top Hand)
For a right-handed golfer, this is the left hand. A good grip starts here.
- Hand Placement: The club should run diagonally across your fingers, from the base of your index finger to just below your pinky finger. Many amateurs make the mistake of placing the club in the palm of their hand, which severely limits wrist hinge and power.
- Rotation: As you close your hand, you should be able to look down and see at least two, maybe two-and-a-half, knuckles on your left hand.
- The "V": The ‘V’ shape formed by your thumb and index finger should point roughly towards your right shoulder or ear. If it points at your chin (a "weak" grip), you’ll likely struggle with slices. If it points way outside your shoulder (too "strong"), hooks can become a problem.
The Trail Hand (Bottom Hand)
This is the right hand for a righty. This hand is more for support, feel, and adding speed.
- Hand Placement: The right hand grip is more in the fingers as well. The lifeline in your right palm should fit neatly over your left thumb. This unites the hands so they work as a single unit.
The "V": Just like the left hand, the ‘V’ formed by the right thumb and index finger should also point up towards your right shoulder.
A molded trainer physically forces your hands into this position over and over again. After a few hundred reps, this "weird" feeling starts to become normal. You are building muscle memory so that when you pick up a regular golf club, your hands automatically find their correct home without you having to overthink it.
How to Build Your Perfect Grip - No Trainer Required
While the GolfForever trainer is a fantastic tool, you don't need one to fix your grip. All you need is a golf club and a bit of discipline. The key is consistent, intentional practice. Here's a simple, step-by-step process you can use at home.
Step 1: Get the Clubface Square
Before you even place your hands, rest the sole of the club on the ground as it was designed to sit. Make sure the leading edge of the clubface is pointing perfectly straight at your target. Start with a square face, and you won’t have to fix it later.
Step 2: Place Your Lead Hand
Bring your top hand (left hand for a righty) to the side of the grip. Let a few inches of the club stick out the top. Remember to place it diagonally in your fingers, not your palm. Rotate your hand over so you can see those two knuckles, and check that the "V" is pointing at your right shoulder.
Step 3: Add Your Trail Hand
Bring your bottom hand in from the side. Allow the lifeline of your right palm to cover your left thumb. Your right index finger should sit slightly lower, almost like a "trigger finger," for stability. Close your fingers and check that this second "V" also points toward your right shoulder.
Step 4: Connect the Hands
You have three common options for connecting your pinky finger and index finger:
- The Overlap (or Vardon) Grip: The pinky of your trail hand rests in the space between the index and middle finger of your lead hand. This is the most popular grip on tour.
- The Interlock Grip: The pinky of your trail hand and the index finger of your lead hand link together. This is great for players with smaller hands and was popularized by legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
- The Ten-Finger (or Baseball) Grip: All ten fingers are on the club, with the pinky finger of the trail hand pushed up against the index finger of the lead hand. This is often recommended for beginners, seniors, or those with less hand strength.
Honestly, the connection style doesn't matter nearly as much as the placement of your palms and the neutral position of your hands. Experiment and choose what feels most comfortable and secure for you.
Step 5: The Secret Ingredient - Repetition
This new grip will feel strange. It might even feel weak or awkward. That’s normal. The only way past that feeling is repetition. Grab a club every night while you’re watching TV and just hold it. For ten minutes, just put your hands on it correctly, take them off, and put them back on. Do this for a few weeks, and soon the new grip will feel like second nature, and your old grip will feel strange. This is when you know you've made real progress.
Final Thoughts
The training aid world number one Scottie Scheffler uses, the GolfForever Swing Trainer, is an effective tool for synchronizing his body and ingraining a perfect grip. It works by combining warm-up, strength, and repetition into one fluid routine. By understanding the principles behind the molded grip, you can build the same fundamental hand position that leads to more power and consistency.
A consistent grip takes practice, but knowing you’re working on the right things is a major confidence booster. As you work on your game, questions will inevitably pop up, and we designed Caddie AI to be your personal 24/7 golf coach. If you're wondering how your new grip should affect ball flight or you’re standing over a tricky lie without a clue how to play it, you can get a simple, expert-level answer in seconds. We give you instant access to clear advice that removes the guesswork from golf, allowing you to focus on your swing and enjoy the game more.