If we know anything about golf, it’s that the sport is made up of a series of interlocking parts, each as important as the last. If you run into trouble in your golf game, you might focus on the mechanics of your swing — the way you’re rotating your follow-through, tempo — when really all it might come down to is how you’re holding the club.
How you hold the golf club is integral to your game, so it’s important to take a look at the various types of golf grips to see what works for you.
Types of Golf Grips
There is really no “right” way to hold a golf club – although other people may tell you otherwise. The important thing is to find something that works for you. If you’re having trouble keeping your game consistent, however, then it might be time to change up your grip to something else.
Here are some common ways to hold a golf club.
10-Finger Grip
Beginners of the game or those with smaller hands might find comfort in the 10-finger grip. This grip is exactly as it sounds — 10 fingers on the club, no interlocking needed. Because both your hands are firmly on the club, it acts as a powerful way to swing.
Overlapping or the “Vardon” Grip
The overlapping grip is also known as the “Vardon” grip, named after legendary Jersey golf player Harry Vardon. This grip is the same as the 10-finger grip, save that your pinkie finger and index finger interlock together. This brings your hands closer together and some view it as a more stable, reliable grip on the club. It’s also the chosen grip of the vast majority of most professional golfers.
How to Hold a Golf Club For Beginners
If you’re just starting out as a golfer, it’s even more important to take your time and focus on the fundamentals of your swing. That starts with your grip. Follow this simple process for holding your club the right way:
- Hold your club out in front of you, horizontal to the ground.
- Grab with your non-dominant hand first. The top part of the club should still be showing.
- Rotate that hand until you see the first two knuckles.
- Cover the tip of your thumb with the heel of your other hand.
As your game progresses, you might want to try that interlocking grip. That’s easy to do — just connect your bottom pinkie finger with the index finger of your other hand. It might feel a little strange at first, but it will just take some getting used to.
How to Hold a Golf Club Right-Handed
Follow the same process described before, with your left hand closing over the club first. Rotate that hand to the right until you see the first two knuckles. Then, with the heel of your right hand, close it over the tip of your left thumb.
How to Hold a Golf Club Left-Handed
Use your right hand to grip the club first, and rotate to the left until you see the first two knuckles. Then place the heel of your left hand below, right over the tip of your right thumb.
How Tightly Should You Hold a Golf Club?
You should hold a golf club firmly but not too tightly. There’s a saying that relates a golf grip to holding a baby bird — gentle enough so that you’re not going to hurt it but tight enough so that it won’t fly away.
Should You Change Your Grip For Different Clubs?
When it comes to your driver and irons, you’ll be holding the club with the same grip. Try not to change grips between clubs — it’s important to have continuity so that you’re repeating the same swing over and over again. The more repetitive and consistent your swing becomes, the more consistent your game will be. Pros like Bryson Dechambeau have taken this consistency tactic to a whole new level by making all the clubs in his bag the same length.
The one club you should grip differently is your putter. Putting requires a drastically different type of technique than any of your clubs. Because of this, the grip itself can vary drastically as well, from belly putting to the prayer grip. You don’t have to change your grip up for putting, of course — if you want to keep your grip consistent for all clubs, feel free to do so.
Tips for Holding Your Club
Gripping a golf club is easier said than done. It may start off as a relatively mindless part of your game, but — as golf often does — it can quickly become one of the main antagonists of your game. When you find yourself in a grip nightmare, consult some of these tips for how to properly hold a golf club.
Choke Down
One common mistake is choking up on the club, which simply means moving your hands farther up the club. If your grip feels off, look down and see if you can still see the tip of the grip-end of your club. If you can’t, choke down a bit.
Loosen Your Grip
When things start to get tough, we can start to grip our club like something that’s desperately trying to fly away. Relax — that club isn’t going anywhere. Make sure you’re going easy on your club. Remember to be firm but gentle.
Check Hand Placement
Whatever grip you’re using, make sure you’re staying consistent with it. Look down at your hands and see if they’re in the right position.
Reset
If nothing else is working, reset the whole process. Take a deep breath, amble around the tee box for a moment, remember that golf is just a game and that you’re (probably) just there to have a good time. Sometimes our biggest enemy is overthinking our grip. Trust it, and swing away.
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