Your hands are the единственное connection you have to the golf club, so how you place them on the grip acts as the steering wheel for your entire shot. Getting it right is one of the most important fundamentals in golf, giving you control over the clubface and helping you deliver power consistently. This guide will walk you through the primary grip styles, provide a straightforward process for building a solid, neutral grip, and help you troubleshoot common faults.
Think of your grip as the communication link between your body and the club. It’s what translates your swing's motion into action at the ball. The primary role of the grip is to control the clubface. An open clubface at impact causes a slice, and a closed clubface causes a hook. A sound, neutral grip helps you return the clubface to a square position at impact automatically, without needing last-second manipulations with your hands.
When your grip is flawed, your body instinctively knows it. You'll start making compensations elsewhere in your posture or swing to try and hit the ball straight. A “strong” grip that promotes a hook might cause you to instinctively block the shot to the right. A “weak” grip that promotes a slice might cause you to try and flip your hands over at the last second. These compensations are incredibly difficult to time, which is why a poor grip is often the root cause of inconsistency.
One final warning before we get started: A fundamentally sound golf grip feels weird. For many, it feels bizarre. It is unlike holding anything else, from a baseball bat to a hammer. You have to trust the process. If you’re changing from an old, comfortable (but flawed) grip, expect it to feel very strange for a while. That feeling is normal, and it’s a sign that you're on the right track.
Before we build the grip piece by piece, you need to decide how your hands will connect on the club. There are three standard methods, and honestly, I have no preference for which one you use. The goal is for your hands to feel like a single, unified unit. Choose the one that feels most comfortable and secure to you.
Just as it sounds, all ten of your fingers are in contact with the grip itself, with the pinky finger of your trail hand (right hand for righties) nestled up against the index finger of your lead hand (left hand).
Perhaps the second-most popular style, the Interlock is favored by legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Here, the pinky finger of your trail hand links together, or interlocks, with the index finger of your lead hand.
Named after the legendary Harry Vardon, this is the most common grip used on professional tours. To form the Overlap, you simply rest the pinky finger of your trail hand in the middle of the channel created between the index and middle fingers of your lead hand.
We’re going to build a neutral grip, which is the gold standard. A neutral grip pre-sets your hands in a position that encourages them to return the clubface to square at impact with minimal effort. These instructions are for a right-handed golfer, lefties, just swap every "left" and "right."
Before any of this, you have to know where "straight" is. Place your clubhead on the ground behind the ball so that it’s aiming at your target. The leading edge (the bottom groove of the club) should be perpendicular to your target line. Many modern grips have a logo or marking on the top, you can use this as a reference to ensure the club isn't twisted open or closed in your hands. This is our foundation.
Let your left arm hang naturally from its shoulder socket. Don't force it into a position. Just let it hang. As you bring your hand to the grip, notice that your palm is likely facing slightly inwards, not straight at the target and not straight at your body. We want to keep that natural angle.
Now, let your right arm hang and bring your hand to the side of the club, just like you did with your left. Replicate that natural position where the palm faces in slightly.
To finalize the grip, connect your hands using one of the three styles - Ten-Finger, Overlap, or Interlock - that you chose earlier. Experiment to find which one allows your hands to feel the most connected and comfortable.
Holding the club too tightly is a major power killer. Tension in your hands and forearms restricts a free-flowing, speedy swing. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is barely holding on and 10 is a death grip, you want to be around a 4 or 5. A common analogy is to hold the club as you would a tube of toothpaste: firm enough so the cap doesn't fall off, but not so tight that you squeeze anything out. The pressure should be consistent from address to finish.
I would only ever recommend changing your grip if you see a consistent, directional miss. If your shots are going relatively straight, leave it alone. But if you have a nagging slice or hook, odds are the grip is the first place you should look.
Building a neutral, effective golf grip is the command center for your entire game. By placing your hands on the club correctly using the Overlap, Interlock, or Ten-Finger style, you give yourself the best possible chance to deliver the clubface squarely and consistently, without needing heroic compensations during the swing.
Learning a new move like the proper grip takes reinforcement until it becomes second nature, and sometimes you just need a quick, trusted answer on the spot. That’s where we designed Caddie AI to act as your personal coach. If you're on the range struggling with a slice, you can describe your issue to get instant feedback on potential grip faults, and even snap a quick photo of your hands on the club for immediate analysis to get the kind of expert opinion that helps you regain your confidence and feel.
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