Types of Golf Grips: The 3 Best Golf Grips Explained (With Pros and Cons)

There's no one way to play golf. Over the last six hundred or so years this game has been played, techniques and strategies have been constantly evolving.

Of course, there are basics you'll need to get right, but even then there is no one-size-fits-all solution. How you grip the club is a great example. As a fundamental part of the sport, different grips can have a dramatic effect on your swing and the outcome. 

So, what are the differences between the various types of golf grips? Which one's the best golf grip for you? 

We'll look at the three most common grips in golf, walk through the pros and cons of each, answer the questions golfers ask most often, and show you how an indoor golf simulator can help you choose between them.

The 3 Main Types of Golf Grips at a Glance

Before we dig into each one, here's a quick side-by-side look at how the three grips compare and who tends to use them:

Now let's get into how each one actually works.

The Ten-Finger Grip (Baseball Grip)

The most basic club grip in the game, the ten-finger grip gets its name from the simple fact that all ten fingers touch the club. It's also known by some as the neutral or "baseball" grip because it's more or less the same way you would hold a baseball bat. This also makes many amateurs naturally gravitate to a ten-finger grip when they're first starting out. It just feels right!

How to Do the Ten-Finger Grip

If you hold the club as you would with a baseball bat, you're almost there. For right-handed players, the left hand (known as the leading hand) will be toward the top of the club while the right hand (known as the trailing hand) is below that. There should be no gap between the hands, and the first knuckles of the left hand should line up with the second knuckles of the right and vice versa.

The only thing to watch out for is the thumb of your left hand. Instead of wrapping around the shaft of the club, this should be pointing down the top of the shaft, resting on the club and covered by the fingers of your right hand.

Advantages

1. It's easy for beginners – There can be a lot of things to focus on when you first start playing golf, from swing to posture, to club selection and everything in between! Allowing yourself a neutral, natural grip means one less thing to worry about for the time being.
   

2. It's the most natural feeling – Until players get used to them, some of the movements and grips in golf can feel a little awkward. Adopting the ten-finger grip feels comfortable and can lead to a more relaxed stroke in general.
   

3. It has greater impact power – All ten fingers are holding the club, which means all ten fingers can transfer power from the arms to the club at point of impact. Combined with more wrist flexibility — and a bigger snap-through in the swing — if handled correctly, it allows for a lot of shot power.
   

4. It's gentle on the hands – Players dealing with arthritis, weak grip strength, or wrist injuries often find the baseball grip in golf far less stressful than the overlap or interlock, since none of the fingers are bent into unfamiliar positions.
   
   

Disadvantages

1. The hands can operate independently – With a neutral grip, your hands aren't really connected and can move somewhat independently of each other. Without the right strength and discipline, this can result in a power imbalance or messing up the swing sequence, leading to a poor shot.
   

2. Too much freedom in the wrists – Although wrist freedom can be a blessing for extra shot power, it can also be a curse for control. Power should come from the entire swing, and an overreliance on the wrists can entrench bad habits as well as cause mishits.
   

3. It's rare on TOUR – Few professionals use the ten-finger grip, so most instructional content and pro swings you'll try to copy will be using something different.
   
   

The Overlapping Grip (Vardon Grip)

Golf's most utilized grip was popularized by a professional British golfer named Harry Vardon (1870-1937). His newfound technique revolutionized the sport so much that, even to this day, the overlapping grip is also commonly known as the Vardon grip. The majority of today's PGA professionals use the overlapping grip, and it's probably what you'll be taught if you take golf lessons.

How to Do the Overlapping Grip

Begin with the ten-finger grip, but lift the pinky of the trailing hand and rest it in the groove between the index and middle finger of the leading hand. The thumb of the leading hand is still pointing down the club, and the trailing hand is moved closer to the leading hand so there is still no gap between them.

You'll know it's right when both "V" shapes formed by your thumbs and forefingers point at your trail shoulder, and there's no gap between your two hands.

Advantages

1. It combines freedom and control – By making the hands a little more unified, the Vardon grip increases the amount of control you have over both wrists, helping them move as one but without reducing their freedom entirely.
   

2. It's good for bigger hands – Those with longer fingers and bigger hands will find the overlapping grip more comfortable, as it partially wraps around the leading hand and not just the club. This makes it the best golf grip for big hands in most cases.
   

3. It reduces hand tension – Lifting one finger off the club takes some of the squeeze pressure out of the swing, which encourages a more relaxed stroke driven by body rotation rather than the wrists.
   

4. It's easier to follow the professionals – Modeling your swing and grip on what the professionals do is always a good idea. Adopting the most popular golf club grip will make this easier to do.
   
   

Disadvantages

There aren't many disadvantages to the Vardon grip. No wonder it's still so popular! The only drawbacks are that it can be slightly awkward for smaller hands.

The Interlocking Grip

What do Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy — some of the greatest golfers in history — have in common? They don't use the overlapping grip! Instead, these pros favor a variation called the interlocking grip and, if they're finding huge success with it, there's no reason why you can't, either!

How to Do the Interlocking Grip

With the interlocking grip, the pinky of the trailing hand is now fully between the index and middle fingers of the leading hand, instead of just resting on top of the space between them. It means the index finger of the leading hand is now between the pinky and ring finger of the trailing hand, effectively "interlocking" both hands.

It's worth clearing up a common point of confusion here: with the interlocking grip, you weave the pinky of your trail hand (the lower hand on the club) together with the index finger of your lead hand (the upper hand). Once they're locked, the rest of the trail hand closes naturally over the club.

Advantages

1. It locks the hands and wrists together – With the interlocking grip, both hands effectively act as one fluid unit. This gives you much better control without having to think much about what your wrists are doing.
   

2. It reduces the tension on the club – With all ten fingers back on the club, and the interlock naturally helping you hold it, you don't need to put so much pressure on the grip. This helps you avoid choking the club and allows for a more fluid swing.
   

3. It's well-suited to small hands – Players with small hands, such as juniors and many female golfers, will find the interlocking grip more comfortable than the overlapping grip — making it the best golf grip for small hands in most cases.
   

4. It has a fantastic pedigree – If it's good enough for Tiger and Jack, it's good enough for the rest of us!
   
   

Disadvantages

Although some big-name players swear by the interlocking grip, it's not necessarily a magic bullet for your game. There are some disadvantages, including:

1. It can be an awkward grip and takes time to get used to.
   

2. It can reduce wrist movement too much, minimizing the power you get from the snap-through and making big drives harder without a well-timed and rhythmic swing.
   

3. Because it makes you rely much more on your whole body for power and accuracy, it can amplify existing problems if you don’t have solid swing fundementals.
   

4. It can seem very unnatural to begin with, especially for newer players, making it frustrating as you get used to it.
   
   

Which Golf Grip Is Right for You?

Ultimately, deciding on which grip you'll use will come down to one simple rule: choose the one that works best for you! As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to each grip, and not every player will find every grip to their liking.

Here's a quick way to narrow it down:

• Just starting out? Try the ten-finger grip while you focus on the rest of your swing. You can always graduate to an overlap or interlock later.

• Have average to large hands? The overlapping grip is the easiest to learn and repeat.

• Have smaller hands, or feel like your hands come apart at the top of your swing? Give the interlocking grip a real try. It can feel strange for the first few rounds, but the unity it creates is hard to beat.

• Slicing the ball? Before changing grip types, try slightly strengthening your existing grip — rotate both hands a touch clockwise (for righties) so you can see two or three knuckles on your lead hand at address. That alone fixes a lot of slices.

• Hooking the ball? Try the opposite — weaken your grip slightly so you only see one knuckle.
  
  

How an Indoor Golf Simulator Helps You Find Your Best Grip

One of the simplest ways to test your grip is with a home golf simulator. It not only gives you the freedom to practice shots over and over again, on some of the world's most iconic courses, no less, but also gives you invaluable metrics and feedback with which to judge your grip.

Test each grip and let the data speak for itself. The numbers that matter most are face angle at impact (is your grip squaring the face), club path, and shot dispersion (which grip is actually the most consistent for your swing). Your gut will tell you which grip feels right; the simulator will tell you which one plays right.

FAQs About Golf Grips

What's the most common golf grip?

The overlapping (Vardon) grip is the most common golf grip. The majority of PGA TOUR players and most amateur golfers use it because it strikes a good balance between control, feel, and tension reduction.

What's the best golf grip for beginners?

The ten-finger (baseball) grip is the best golf grip for beginners. All ten fingers stay on the club, so there's no awkward overlap or interlock to learn. Once your swing fundamentals are dialed in, you can graduate to the overlap or interlock for a bit more hand unity.

What's the best golf grip for big hands?

The overlapping (Vardon) grip is generally best for big hands. Long fingers wrap around the lead hand comfortably without crowding. 

What's the best golf grip for small hands?

The interlocking grip tends to be more comfortable for small hands. By weaving the trail-hand pinky between the lead-hand fingers, it creates a secure connection that smaller hands often can't quite achieve with the overlap. This is why many junior and female golfers prefer it.

What is the type of grip where the fingers of one hand are on top of the fingers of the other?

That's the overlapping grip, also called the Vardon grip. The pinky of the trailing hand rests on top of the gap between the index and middle fingers of the leading hand.

Should your golf grip be the same for every club?

Yes — your grip type, grip strength, and grip pressure should be consistent for every club from driver through wedges. The only exception is the putter, which uses specialty grips because the putting stroke is fundamentally different from a full swing.

Do all pro golfers use the interlocking grip?

No. Most PGA TOUR pros actually use the overlapping grip. The interlocking grip is famously used by Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy, but on TOUR as a whole, the overlap is still the more common choice.

What grip does Tiger Woods use?

Tiger Woods uses an interlocking grip. He's used it since childhood — Jack Nicklaus did too — and credits it with giving him the unified hand action his swing relies on.

How often should you change your golf grips?

Most golfers should replace their grips every 40 to 60 rounds, or about once per season if you play regularly. Worn grips force you to hold the club tighter to keep control, and that extra tension quietly costs you clubhead speed and accuracy.

Can changing my grip fix a slice?

Often, yes. A slice is usually caused by an open clubface at impact, and strengthening your grip — rotating both hands slightly away from the target so you can see three knuckles on your lead hand — helps square the face up. Combine that with a lighter grip pressure and you'll see a noticeable difference for a lot of common slices.