What Are the Three Primary Golf Grips?

Your hands are your only connection to the golf club, making the way you hold it one of the most fundamental skills in the game. Quite literally, your grip is the steering wheel for your golf shots, heavily influencing the direction, flight, and consistency of the ball. This guide will walk you through the three primary grip styles, show you how to execute each one, and help you figure out which is the best fit for your game.

The Foundation: How to Hold the Club Correctly

Before you even decide on a style - whether that's interlocking, overlapping, or 10-finger - you need to understand the basic principles of a good, neutral grip. No matter which of the three methods you choose, these fundamentals remain the same. The goal is to create a hold that is both stable and tension-free, allowing your hands to work together as a single, unified unit, not as two sparring partners.

Think about grip pressure for a moment. Most golfers, especially when they're new, are guilty of grabbing the club with a death grip. This creates tension that runs all the way up your forearms and into your shoulders, destroying any chance of a fluid, powerful swing. A common coaching analogy is to hold the club with the same pressure you’d use to hold a small bird or a tube of toothpaste - firm enough so it won’t fly away or slip, but gentle enough not to cause any harm or squeeze out all the paste.

Step 1: Get Your Lead Hand Right (Left Hand for a Right-Handed Golfer)

Your lead hand is arguably the most important of the two, as it largely sets the clubface angle and controls the club's path.

Start by letting your lead arm hang naturally at your side. Now, place the club in your hand so that the handle runs diagonally across your fingers, from the base of your little finger to the middle pad of your index finger. The club should be held primarily in the fingers, not deep in the palm. This is a common mistake that severely limits your ability to hinge your wrists correctly, which is a major power source.

Once the club is in your fingers, close your hand over the top of the grip. Check these key points:

• See Two Knuckles: When you look down at your hand from your address position, you should see the knuckles of your index and middle fingers. If you see only one knuckle, your grip is too "weak" (turned too far to the left), which often leads to a slice. If you see three or even four knuckles, your grip is too "strong" (turned too far to the right), a common cause of a hook.
• Check the "V": The "V" shape created by your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder (for a right-handed player). This is a great indicator of a neutral hand position.

Step 2: Add Your Trail Hand (Right Hand for a Right-Handed Golfer)

Now it's time to add your other hand. This hand is a source of support and adds a lot of feel to the shot, especially around the greens.

Like you did with the lead hand, let your trail arm hang naturally. As you bring it to the club, the palm should face your target. We want to place this hand on the club in the same way it hangs, without any unnatural twisting.

The main contact point here is placing the lifeline in the palm of your trail hand directly over the thumb of your lead hand. It should fit snugly on top. Once it's in place, wrap the fingers of your trail hand around the club. Again, the grip should be in your fingers, not your palm.

With these fundamentals in place, we can now look at the three primary styles, which are defined by how the last finger of your trail hand connects with your lead hand.

The Big Three: A Look at Each Grip Style

The difference between the three primary golf grips comes down to one tiny connection: what you do with the pinky finger of your trail hand. Each method offers a slightly different feel and has benefits that may suit different types of players. There is no universally "correct" answer, the best one is the one that gives you comfort, confidence, and control.

The 10-Finger Grip (Baseball Grip)

As the name suggests, the 10-finger grip is where all ten of your fingers are in full contact with the club's handle. It feels the most an awful lot like holding a baseball bat, which is why it's a natural starting point for many newcomers to the game.

How to Do It: After placing your lead hand correctly, simply place your trail hand on the club immediately below it, so that the pinky finger of your trail hand is snug against the index finger of your lead hand. There is no overlapping or interlocking, the hands are separate but touching.

Who Is It Good For?

• Absolute Beginners: It's the most intuitive way to hold something, removing one layer of technical 'weirdness' when you're just starting out.
• Junior Golfers: Kids often don't have the hand strength or size for the other grips, and the 10-finger allows them to use their hands more effectively to generate power.
• Players with Hand Pain or Arthritis: For those with joint stiffness or pain, the other grips can be uncomfortable. The 10-finger grip puts the least amount of strain on the joints.

Pros and Cons:

The main benefit is simplicity and the potential to generate a bit more clubhead speed through more active wrist action. However, the biggest drawback is that it can make it difficult for your hands to work as a single, unified team. Often, one hand (usually the dominant trail hand) can become too active, leading to inconsistency.

The Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip physically connects your hands by weaving two fingers together. This is a very popular grip method, made famous by two of the greatest players in history, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, among many others.

How to Do It: The interlock happens between the pinky finger of your trail hand and the index finger of your lead hand. After establishing your lead hand grip, extend the index finger slightly off the club. Now, as you place your trail hand, entwine its pinky finger into the gap created between the index and middle finger of your lead hand. The index finger of your lead hand and the pinky of your trail hand will cross over and "lock" together.

Who Is It Good For?

• Players with Small or Average-Sized Hands: This grip provides an excellent sense of security and unity, particularly if you have smaller hands that might feel "loose" with the overlap grip.
• Golfers Who Want to Quiet Their Hands: By locking the hands together, it can help prevent too much independent hand or wrist action in the swing, promoting a more body-driven motion.

Pros and Cons:

The primary advantage is the incredible sense of security and unity. Your hands truly feel like they are working as one. The downside for some is that it can feel very unnatural at first. Some golfers also find that the interlock puts uncomfortable pressure on their pinky finger over time.

The Overlapping Grip (Vardon Grip)

This is by far the most common grip used on professional golf tours around the world, so much so that it's often called the "Vardon Grip" after the legendary English golfer Harry Vardon who popularized it. Instead of locking the fingers together, one simply rests on top of the other.

How to Do It: With your lead hand in place, take the pinky finger of your trail hand and let it rest in the channel or groove created between your lead hand's index and middle fingers. It doesn't push down hard, it just settles comfortably in that gap.

Who Is It Good For?

• Golfers with Average to Large Hands: Players with larger hands often find this grip much more comfortable than the interlock because it doesn't bunch the hands up.
• Players Looking for a Balanced Feel: The overlap offers an excellent balance between unity and freedom, allowing the wrists to hinge naturally while still encouraging the hands to work together.

Pros and Cons:

Its widespread popularity comes from its ability to promote a passive hand action, which encourages power to be generated by the bigger muscles of the body's rotation. It's an exceptionally stable and repeatable grip. The only real con is that for players with smaller hands, it can sometimes feel a little less secure than the interlock.

Finding Your Perfect Match: Which Grip is Right for You?

So, we've walked through the fundamentals and the three main options. Now for the most important question: which one should you choose?

The honest answer is: the one that is most comfortable and gives you the most control.

Don't choose the interlock just because Tiger uses it, and don't feel pressure to move away from the 10-finger if it's giving you good results. Use the following as a starting guide for your experimentation:

Start with the 10-Finger if: You are brand new to the game, have particularly small or weak hands, or suffer from arthritis or joint pain.

Start with the Interlock if: You have small to average-sized hands and you feel like your hands tend to work against each other in the swing. You crave the feeling of total security.

Start with the Overlap if: You have average to large-sized hands. This is the 'go-to' for good reason and is a fantastic place for most golfers to start experimenting.

The best thing you can do is go to a driving range, take all three grips for a test drive, and see what happens. Hit 15-20 balls with each style. Don’t just judge them on the flight of the ball initially, judge them on comfort, feel, and your perceived sense of control over the clubface. Your body will usually tell you which one feels most natural and athletic.

Final Thoughts

To sum it up, the 10-finger, interlocking, and overlapping grips all provide a valid way to connect your hands to the club. The best choice ultimately depends on your hand size, comfort, and what gives you the confidence to make a great swing. Dedicate some time to experimenting, and once you find one you like, make it your own.

Learning your grip is the first big milestone, but the questions never stop once you're on the course. You might find yourself wondering what club is best from 150 yards out or what to do when you have a tricky sidehill lie. For those moments when you need an expert answer in seconds, I'm here to help. Caddie AI acts as your real-time coach and caddie, able to instantly analyze any on-course situation, including when you snap a picture of a difficult lie, and give you professional advice so you can play your next shot with genuine confidence.