Your hands are your only connection to the golf club, making the way you hold it the absolute foundation for every single shot you hit. It’s what steers the clubface, dictates power, and establishes the potential for consistency before you even start your swing. This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, how to build a proper golf grip from the ground up. We’ll cover the three primary grip styles, show you how to find a fundamentals-first neutral hold, and talk about the often overlooked components like grip pressure and what to do when your grip needs a change.
Think of your grip as the steering wheel of a car. If the steering wheel is crooked from the start, you're going to have to make all kinds of weird adjustments during your journey just to drive straight. It's the same in golf. An improper grip forces you to make complex compensations throughout your swing - unconsciously altering your swing path, body rotation, and hand action - just to get the clubface back to square at impact. This is a recipe for inconsistency.
When your grip is fundamentally sound, the rest of the swing becomes simpler. You don't have to fight the club. Instead, you can focus on making a good turn and letting your body power the swing, knowing the clubface will return to the ball in a powerful and square position. It establishes a repeatable base that allows all the other pieces of your golf swing to fall into place more naturally.
Before we discuss different styles like interlocking or overlapping, we have to get the basic hand positions right. We'll build a "neutral" grip, which is the gold standard and the best starting point for 99% of golfers. We'll do this for a right-handed player, left-handed players can simply mirror these instructions.
Don't just grab the club. First, place the clubhead on the ground behind where the ball would be. Make sure the leading edge - the very bottom front edge of the clubface - is perfectly perpendicular to your target line. Many modern grips have a logo or marking on the top, you can use this to ensure the club is sitting straight and not twisted open or closed. This is your zero point. Everything starts here.
Now, bring your left hand to the side of the grip. The key here is to hold the club primarily in your fingers, not deep in your palm. The grip should run diagonally from the base of your pinky finger across to the middle joint of your index finger. This digital control allows your wrists to hinge correctly, which is a major source of power.
If you see three or four knuckles, your hand is too far on top (a "strong" grip). If you only see one knuckle or none, your hand is too far underneath (a "weak" grip). We're aiming for that two-knuckle neutral position.
Your right hand unites with the left to create a single, cohesive unit. Similar to the left hand, let your right hand approach the grip from the side - as if you were going to shake hands with it.
When built correctly, your hands should feel like a single unit working together, not two separate entities competing for control of the club.
Now that you know where to put your hands, let’s talk about how to connect them. There is no single "best" style - it’s about what feels most comfortable and secure for you. Choose one and stick with it.
This is exactly what it sounds like: all ten fingers are on the golf club, with the pinky of the right hand resting against the index finger of the left hand. It's the simplest grip to learn. While fewer tour pros use it today, it's great for beginners, juniors, seniors, or any player who may lack hand and forearm strength. It provides maximum leverage to turn the club over.
This is the most popular grip in golf. To form it, you simply rest the pinky finger of your right hand in the channel created between the index and middle fingers of your left hand. The Overlap promotes a feeling of unity in the hands and is a fantastic choice for the majority of golfers, especially those with average to larger-sized hands.
In this style, the pinky finger of the right hand loops through and hooks onto the index finger of the left hand. Legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods championed this grip. It creates an incredibly secure connection between the hands, making it virtually impossible for them to separate during the swing. It's an excellent choice for players with smaller hands, as it can help them securely hold onto the club without excess tension.
My advice? Experiment with the Overlap and Interlock. One will likely feel a bit more natural and secure than the other. Go with that one.
You can have perfect hand placement and still ruin it with the wrong grip pressure. The impulse for many golfers, especially in pressure situations, is to squeeze the grip tightly - the so-called "death grip." This is destructive. Too much tension in your hands and forearms restricts a free, athletic swing. It slows down clubhead speed and destroys any sense of feel.
So, how tight should you hold it? Think of a 1-to-10 scale, where 1 is barely holding on and 10 is squeezing as hard as you can. You want to aim for a 3 or 4. It should be firm enough that the club won’t fly out of your hands, but light enough that you feel the weight of the clubhead.
A classic analogy is to imagine you are holding a small bird: you want to hold it securely so it can’t fly away, but not so tight that you harm it. This relaxed pressure is vital for creating a smooth tempo and maximizing clubhead speed where it counts - at impact.
Warning: if you are changing an old, ingrained grip, the new, correct position will feel profoundly weird. This is normal. Your brain has spent years, maybe decades, getting used to the old way. You have to be patient and trust the process.
Do not try to overhaul your grip in the middle of a round. You'll likely hit it worse and switch back to what's comfortable after a few bad shots. Instead, dedicate focused time to it.
If your ball is consistently curving one way (a slice or a hook), your grip is often the first place a coach will look. Making a grip change can be a game-changer but stick with it. It might take hundreds of balls before it feels natural, but the payoff in consistency is well worth it.
Building a quality golf grip isn’t a one-time fix, but a foundation you build upon. By following the steps to establish a neutral hold, choosing a connection style that feels secure, and constantly monitoring your grip pressure, you give yourself the best possible chance to make a confident and repeatable swing.
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