The Ultimate Guide to the Proper Golf Grip
One of the first lessons for a beginning golfer working on a full swing is the hand position on the clubs, otherwise known as the golf grip. The proper grip comes in different forms. Most golfers use either the Vardon, interlock, or baseball grip. Figuring out what works best means you have to experiment with your grip. Be careful, though. Changing your grip can be one of the most difficult adjustments for a golfer to make. It’s best to work with a golf teaching professional if you want to change your grip.
Types of Grips
The Vardon and interlock grip are the most popular. Very few golfers use a baseball grip. The purpose of the Vardon and interlock grips is to make it feel like your hands are part of the club. There are slight variations for all those grips. Let’s examine them.
Interlock grip: An interlock grip has the index finger wrapped between your ring finger and pinkie on your trail hand, which is the lower hand on the club. The purpose of the grip is to connect your hands or “interlock” them. This helps create stability and limits the use of your hands and wrists in the swing. Too much hand and wrist action can lead to unpredictable shots. One of the disadvantages is it’s sometimes an awkward way to hold a club, especially for a beginner.
Vardon grip: For the Vardon, also called the overlapping grip, place all 10 fingers on the club and then put your top hand’s pinkie between the index and middle finger. Your pinkie rests on top of those first two fingers. The overlapping grip is named after Harry Vardon, an early 1900s golfer who won the Open Championship 6 times and the United States Open once. Vardon used the grip and his success with it turned it into the most popular grip in the world. The Vardon grip gives golfers more flexibility with their wrists, which can create more power at impact. It’s better for golfers with bigger hands because when you put your pinkie on top of your trail hand, it takes up less space on the club.
Baseball grip: The baseball grip is the easiest to understand. Grab the grip handle of the golf club with both hands and put all 10 fingers on the club. There’s no connection between the hands in this grip position. Beginners often start with a baseball grip because many play baseball before they pick up a golf club. It’s perhaps the most natural way to hold a club. Baseball is a game that promotes using your hands more for the swing. In golf, the idea is to use your core—your shoulders, abdominal muscles, and legs—to create consistency and power. For the full swing, the goal is to keep your hands stable and uninvolved with the swing. Your hands are a more active part of the swing with a baseball grip, which can make it tricky to use. Very few professional golfers use the baseball grip. It’s great for beginners, though. It’s an easy way to start because many beginners are already familiar with it.
How to Grip the Club
Place your trail hand on the club first, just above the middle of the club grip. The club should be nestled into your hands, at the bottom of your fingers. Don’t grab it with your fingers. Slide your other hand on the club. The thumb of your lead hand will slide under the pinkie of your trail hand. Wrap the fingers of both hands around the club. For the interlocking grip, your first finger rests between your third finger and pinkie. For the Vardon grip, your index finger rests on top of your third finger and pinkie. If the hand placement is correct, you should see a V at the bottom of your grip with the trail hand. Some players like to extend the first finger on their trail hand down the club grip. Others prefer to wrap it around the club. It’s a matter of comfort. For the baseball grip, just place your trail hand on the club and then your other hand above it. The club should rest in the palm of your hand. Your hands aren’t connected with this grip. Beginners should work with an instructor on hand placement for their grip.
What are Grip Strengths?
There are three types of grip strengths in golf--strong, neutral, and weak. Every player’s grip falls into one of these categories. Grip strength centers around the placement of your weak hand in the grip. For left-handed golfers, that’s your right hand, and it’s the opposite for right-handed golfers.
- Strong grip: With a strong grip, when the club is resting on the ground, the club face is closed or pointing to the left for right-handed players and the opposite for left handers. A right-handed player would rotate the club in their hand slightly to the left, maybe half an inch, to use a strong grip. A left-handed player would do the opposite.
- Weak grip: With a weak grip, when the club is resting on the ground, the club face is open or pointing to the right for right-handed players and the opposite for left handers. A right-handed player would rotate the club in their hand slightly to the right, maybe half an inch, to use a weak grip. A left-handed player would do the opposite.
- Neutral grip: With a neutral grip, when the club is resting on the ground, the club face is level and points straight up.
Each type of grip strength has its advantages. A strong grip promotes a draw, which is when a ball travels from right to left for right-handed golfers and the opposite way for left-handed golfers. A shot hit with a draw typically rolls out farther, giving the golfer more distance. A weak grip promotes a fade, which is when a ball travels from left to right for right-handed golfers and the opposite way for left-handed golfers. A fade is sometimes easier to control than a draw. A neutral grip promotes a straight shot. Experienced golfers will sometimes change their grip on the course depending on which type of shot they want to play. It’s best for beginners to choose one grip strength and stick with it.
Figuring out the right golf grip is fundamental whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golfer. Professionals adjust their grips constantly, depending on the type of shot they need to play in a certain situation. Once you are comfortable with a grip, you can start changing your grip to fit the shot.
