What Is the Most Common Golf Grip?

The single most common way golfers hold the club is with an overlap grip, often called the Vardon grip. This is your direct answer, but it's only a small part of a much bigger picture. Choosing how you physically connect your hands is one thing, but understanding how those hands should be positioned on the club to control your ball flight is where real improvement lies. This guide will walk you through the three main grips, help you understand the more important concept of grip strength, and give you a simple framework for finding the perfect hold for your game.

The Three Main Ways to Hold a Golf Club

Your grip is your only connection to the golf club, it’s the steering wheel for your entire swing. While the overlap is the most prevalent, two other styles are used by millions of golfers, including some of the best in history. Let's break down each one so you understand the feel and function behind them.

1. The Overlap (Vardon) Grip: The Gold Standard

Named after the legendary English golfer Harry Vardon, who popularized it in the early 20th century, the overlap grip is the go-to for a huge majority of golfers. It's especially well-suited for players with average-to-large sized hands.

The core philosophy of the overlap is to get your hands working together as a single, unified unit. By having the hands "linked," it reduces the tendency for one hand (usually the dominant one) to take over and manipulate the clubface at the wrong time.

How to Do It (for a Right-Handed Golfer):

• Step 1: Place your left hand on the club first, holding it primarily in the fingers, not the palm. When you look down, you should be able to see the knuckles of your index and middle fingers.
• Step 2: Take your right hand and place it on the grip below the left hand.
• Step 3: Instead of all ten fingers making contact with the grip, you’ll "overlap" the pinky finger of your right hand so it rests comfortably in the channel created between the index and middle fingers of your left hand.

That's it. This connection a promotes stable, cohesive wrist action throughout the swing and provides a fantastic blend of power and control.

2. The Interlock Grip: The Power Connection

If you have watched Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus play, you have witnessed the interlock grip in action. This style creates an incredibly secure connection between the hands and is often preferred by players with smaller hands, as it helps prevent any feeling of the hands separating during the swing.

Some players find the interlock more comfortable and powerful because the hands feel physically locked together. The downside for some is that it can feel a little restrictive or even uncomfortable if you have large fingers or joint pain.

How to Do It (for a Right-Handed Golfer):

• Step 1: Begin with the same left-hand position as the overlap grip - club in the fingers, two knuckles visible.
• Step 2: Place your right hand on the grip.
• Step 3: This time, instead of overlapping, you’ll extend the index finger of your left hand slightly and "interlock" it with the pinky finger of your right hand. The two fingers will hook together snugly.

If the overlap feels a bit loose or you struggle with small hands, give the interlock a serious look. It has powered some of the greatest careers in golf history for a reason.

3. The Ten-Finger (Baseball) Grip: The Simple Solution

The ten-finger grip is exactly what it sounds like: all ten fingers are in contact with the golf club, similar to how you’d hold a baseball bat. This grip is most common among complete beginners, juniors, seniors, or golfers who have arthritis or a lack of strength in their hands and wrists.

The primary benefit of the ten-finger grip is simplicity and leverage. It can feel more natural at first and potentially help generate more clubhead speed for those who need it. The main drawback is that it can allow the hands to work too independently, leading to inconsistency. With the hands separated, the dominant bottom hand has a greater tendency to become overactive and flip the clubface closed through impact.

How to Do It (for a Right-Handed Golfer):

• Step 1: Position your left hand on the club.
• Step 2: Simply place your right hand on the club directly below your left, with your right pinky finger pushed up snugly against the left index finger. No overlap, no interlock.

The Most Important Thing: Grip Strength (Neu_tra_l, Strong, or Weak)

Here’s a piece of coaching advice that will serve you well: how your hands are rotated on the club is far more important than whether you interlock or overlap. This rotation is referred to as grip "strength." It has nothing to do with pressure and everything to do with how your hands influence the clubface.

Your grip is the #1 cause of directional problems. If your ball isn’t going where you want it to, your grip is the first place you should look.

The Neutral Grip: The Starting Point

A neutral grip is the goal for most golfers. It positions your hands on the club in a way that encourages a square clubface at impact without you having to manipulate it.

• Left Hand (Top Hand): As mentioned, you should see about two knuckles when you look down. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder.
• Right Hand (Bottom Hand): The "V" formed by your right thumb and index finger should also point toward your right shoulder, essentially parallel to the V of your left hand. The life-line in your right palm should fit neatly over your left thumb.

The Strong Grip: The Slice-Fighter

A "strong" grip means your hands are rotated more to the right on the club (for a right-handed golfer). The left hand is turned more on top of the grip, showing three or even four knuckles. The right-hand shifts more underneath the grip.

Effect on Ball Flight: This position makes it easier for you to close the clubface through impact. It’s a common and effective fix for players who persistently slice the ball (a curve to the right). The grip itself pre-sets a draw or hook bias.

The Weak Grip: The Hook-Buster

A "weak" grip is the opposite. Your hands are rotated more to the left on the club. You might only see one knuckle on your left hand, and the "V's" of both hands will point more toward the left side of your body or even your chin.

Effect on Ball Flight: This position makes the clubface more inclined to stay open through impact. Players who fight a nasty hook (a severe curve to the left) will often use a weaker grip to counteract that tendency and promote a fade or a straight shot.

How to Find the Right Grip for You

So, with all this information, how do you settle on the right hold? It’s a process of guided experimentation. Here are a few things to consider.

1. Start with Your Ball Flight

Your golf ball tells the truth. Are you a chronic slicer? Try strengthening your grip a little - turn both hands slightly to the right on the club handle. Do you hook everything? Try the opposite - weaken it by turning your hands to the left. Small adjustments can make a big difference.

2. Consider Your Hand Size

As we covered, your hand size is a great indicator for choosing between overlapping and interlocking.

• Large to Average Hands: Start with the Overlap.
• Small to Average Hands: Give the Interlock an honest try.
• Juniors, Seniors, or Limited Strength: Don't be afraid to use the Ten-Finger if it’s more comfortable and powerful for you. Playing well is more important than looking a certain way.

3. Embrace the "Weird" Feeling

Changing your grip feels bizarre. It's unlike how you hold anything else. If you've been holding the club incorrectly for years, a fundamentally sound grip will feel completely alien. That's normal! My advice to students is always the same: commit to the new grip for at least two weeks of practice. Hit dozens and dozens of balls with it. Your brain and your hands need time to adjust before it starts feeling natural. Don’t abandon a change after five swings because it feels weird.

4. Check Your Grip Pressure

Finally, regardless of your chosen style, don't strangle the club. The "hold it like a bird" analogy is a little too light, but the idea of "holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing any out" is just about perfect. On a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is death-gripping it, you want to be around a 4 or 5. Too much tension in your hands, wrists, and forearms kills clubhead speed and destroys your ability to feel the clubhead during the swing.

Final Thoughts

While the overlap grip is technically the "most common," the best grip is ultimately the one that allows you to control the clubface and deliver it squarely to the ball with consistency. Focus first on finding the right grip *strength* (neutral, strong, or weak) to straighten out your ball flight, then choose the hand connection (overlap, interlock, or ten-finger) that feels most comfortable and secure for you.

Sorting through these adjustments can feel like guesswork, especially when a proper grip feels so unnatural at first. When you’re trying a change, feedback is everything. It’s why we made it possible to get help from our app, Caddie AI, anytime, anywhere. You can simply ask a question like "My hands feel small, should I use the interlock or overlap grip?" and get an instant, clear answer. We designed it to be your 24/7 golf coach, helping you move past confusion and build a swing you can trust.