Why Do Golfers Lock Their Fingers?

One of the first things you’ll notice when watching skilled golfers is how they hold the club - their hands aren’t just placed side-by-side but are connected in a very specific way. Golfers lock their fingers together to make both hands work as a single, unified unit, which is fundamentally important for controlling the clubface and delivering power consistently. This article will walk you through the three primary methods golfers use to connect their hands, explain why each one works, and help you discover the perfect grip for your game.

The Steering Wheel of Your Swing: Why the Grip Matters

Think of your grip as the steering wheel for your entire golf swing. It's your one and only connection to the club, and how you hold it has an enormous influence on where the clubface points at impact. When the clubface isn't pointing where you want it to, you’re forced to make compensations throughout your swing to try and straighten out the shot. That’s when things get complicated and inconsistent.

Unifying the hands forges a stronger, more stable connection that helps in a couple of significant ways:

• Better Control: When your hands work together, you have a much better chance of returning the clubface to a square position at impact. If they act independently, the bottom hand (trail hand) can often become too active, flipping the club over and causing hooks.
• More Power and Consistency: The golf swing is a rotational action powered by your body. A unified grip allows you to transfer that rotational energy from your torso, through your arms, and into the clubhead more efficiently. It makes the hands and arms a cohesive lever, not two separate pieces.

The goal is to find a way to connect your hands that feels comfortable and secure, allowing you to swing freely without your grip shifting during the motion. Let’s look at the three grips that make this happen.

Three Ways to Lock it In: Overlap vs. Interlock vs. Ten-Finger

While an instructor might have their preference, there is no single “correct” grip that works for every golfer on the planet. The best players in history have used different styles. The right one for you depends on factors like your hand size, strength, and simple comfort. We’ll explore the big three: The Vardon (Overlap), the Interlock, and the Ten-Finger.

Method 1: The Vardon Grip (The Overlap)

Named after the legendary English golfer Harry Vardon, the overlap is the most common grip used on professional tours today. It’s an excellent choice for a wide range of golfers, particularly those with average to large-sized hands.

How to Do It:

1. Start by placing your top hand (left hand for a right-handed golfer) on the club.
2. Next, place your bottom hand (right hand) on the grip as well.
3. To complete the "lock," simply lift the pinky finger of your bottom hand and rest it on top of the crease or gap created between your top hand's index and middle fingers.
4. Your bottom hand’s index finger and your top hand’s pinky are not linked, just resting on each other.

Who It’s For: Golfers with average to large hands. Because the fingers aren't intertwined, it can feel less restrictive for players with thicker fingers.

• Pros: This grip promotes a wonderful sense of unity while allowing the hands to remain relatively passive. This can be fantastic for developing good “feel” on and around the greens. Many players feel it gives them great control without feeling like they are "strangling" the club.
• Cons: For players with smaller hands or less hand strength, the overlap can sometimes feel a bit insecure. If the club feels like it might twist in your hands, the interlock might be a better option.

Method 2: The Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip forms the most secure connection between the hands and has been famously used by two of the greatest to ever play the game: Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. If it’s good enough for them, it’s certainly good enough for the rest of us! It’s an especially popular choice for those with smaller hands.

How to Do It:

1. Place your top hand on the club in a comfortable position.
2. As you bring your bottom hand to the club, physically link or "interlock" the pinky finger of your bottom hand with the index finger of your top hand.
3. The two fingers will hook together, creating a palpable feeling of your hands becoming one connected unit.

Who It’s For: Golfers with smaller hands, or any player who craves a feeling of ultimate security in their grip.

• Pros: The interlocking nature locks the hands together, making it nearly impossible for them to separate during the swing. This can give players a massive confidence boost, knowing their connection to the club is rock-solid.
• Cons: Some golfers, especially those with larger hands or arthritis, find this grip uncomfortable. It can sometimes put pressure on the knuckles. There is also a slight tendency for players to apply too much grip pressure with this style, so it's a feeling you have to monitor.

Method 3: The Ten-Finger Grip (The Baseball Grip)

Often overlooked by serious golfers, the Ten-Finger is a completely valid and often recommended grip, particularly for beginners, juniors, and seniors. It doesn't involve any "locking" per se, but instead places the hands right up against each other.

How to Do It:

1. Grip the club with your top hand.
2. Simply place your bottom hand on the club directly below it, so that the pinky finger of your bottom hand is touching snugly against the index finger of your top hand.
3. All ten fingers are firmly on the club’s grip, much like you would hold a baseball bat.

Who It’s For: New golfers, juniors with small hands, and players who suffer from arthritis or a lack of hand and wrist strength.

• Pros: This is by far the most natural-feeling grip. It allows players who lack strength to get the most leverage and power from their hands and wrists. For someone just learning the game, feeling comfortable is a huge first step.
• Cons: The biggest drawback is that it can make it easier for the hands to work independently rather than as a unit. Often, the more dominant bottom hand can take over, causing the club to flip closed and lead to hooks. Experienced players generally move to an overlap or interlock for more consistency.

The Neutral Grip: Your Starting Point for Success

Once you’ve decided how to connect your hands, it’s just as important to ensure they are positioned on the club correctly. Regardless of your choice between overlap or interlock, you should aim for a "neutral" grip as your starting point. This puts your hands in a natural, athletic position that helps you deliver a square clubface without manipulations.

Here are two simple checkpoints to find a neutral position (for a right-handed golfer):

1. Check the Top Hand: After placing your left hand on the club, look down. You should be able to see the knuckles of your index and middle finger. If you can see three or four knuckles, your grip is likely too “strong” (rotated to the right). If you can only see one or none, it’s too “weak” (rotated to the left).
2. Check the "V": Both hands form a "V" with the thumb and index finger. These two Vs should point roughly up towards your right shoulder (not your chin, and not outside your shoulder). This applies to your top hand and your bottom hand when it sits on the club.

This neutral position makes your job easier. A strong grip encourages a hook, and a weak grip encourages a slice. By starting neutral, you’re giving yourself the best chance to hit the ball straight.

Finding Your Perfect Fit: How to Choose

So, which grip is for you? Honestly, a lot of it comes down to experimentation and personal comfort. What I tell all my students is to not be afraid to try each one. The hold of the golf club is unlike anything else we do, and it will feel weird at first. That's okay.

Here’s a simple process:

Go to the driving range. Hit 15-20 balls with the Overlap grip. Then, switch and hit 15-20 balls with the Interlocking grip. If you fall into one of the categories above, maybe even try the Ten-Finger grip. Don’t over-analyze the ball flight at first. Just pay attention to what feels most secure and comfortable in your hands. Does the club feel stable at the top of your swing? Can you swing with speed without feeling like you're losing control?

Once you find one that feels right, commit to it for a while. It can take time for a new grip to feel natural, but getting this fundamental right will pay you back over and over again on the course.

Final Thoughts

Golfers lock their fingers using an overlap or interlock grip to unify their hands, promoting better clubface control and more consistent power. While the ten-finger grip is a great option for some, connecting the hands is a technique used by the vast majority of skilled players to make sure their "steering wheel" is operating as a single, cohesive unit.

Figuring out your ideal grip is a massive step, but the learning doesn’t stop there. As you work on this offline, questions will always pop up on the course or at the range. When you're mid-round and feel that something is off with your hands, getting a trustworthy second opinion can make all the difference. Our app, Caddie AI, is designed to be that on-demand coach you can turn to for instant answers, helping you diagnose issues and build confidence right when you need it.