Two side-by-side photos illustrating what the hands look like from two angles when the interlocking grip is employed.

Gripping a golf club seems like it would be simple, straightforward, and not all that hard to do. Unfortunately, like most things in golf, there is much more than meets the eye. Golfing greats Arnold Palmer, Harry Vardon, and Tiger Woods have attributed much of their professional success to their grips.

Keep reading to learn how to properly grip a golf club and improve your game.

How to Properly Grip a Golf Club, Step-by-Step

Below we have outlined how to grip a golf club properly for right-handed players. Lefties should reverse the hands and positions indicated in these steps from Golf.com:

  1. Hold your club waist-high in front of you, horizontal to the ground, and square the club face.
  2. Always grab the club with your left hand first. Stretch out the fingers of your left hand; align the club handle with your left palm so it makes a straight line diagonally across your fingers.
  3. Close your hand around the club. As you grip the club with your left hand, the heel of your palm should rest along the top edge of the handle (but you should still be able to see the tip of the handle).
  4. Rotate your hand to the right until you see two knuckles on your left hand when you look down. This will give you a neutral grip, which is a great starting point for lots of golfers.
  5. Position the heel of your right hand on top of your left thumb, so it’s covering the left hand. Close your hand so your thumb and forefinger create a ‘V’ that points to the middle of your sternum.

Types of Golf Grips

There are three foundational golf grips that all have their merits. Find the one that fits your game!

1. 10-finger Grip

This is the grip that most kids start out using. This grip is called the 10-finger because all ten of your fingers are touching the grip independently. This grip might be a good option if you want to increase your swing speed a bit, or if you have smaller hands.

2. Overlapping Grip

The overlapping grip, or “Vardon” grip (named after seven-time major champion Harry Vardon) has become one of the most popular grips in golf due to its reliability and stability. The overlap is when you position the pinkie finger of the top hand in the ridge between your other hand’s index and middle finger.

3. Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip became popular when Jack Nicklaus came to the PGA Tour in the early ‘60s, and it became even more popularized with Tiger Woods. Now the most-used grip throughout the United States, the interlocking grip is straightforward. Simply interlock your top pinkie finger with your bottom hand’s index finger.

How Tight to Grip a Golf Club

A common mistake among new golfers is holding their club too tightly. A too-tight grip can cause a chronic slice or reduce clubhead speed. Try this tip from Arnold Palmer: if you’re right-handed, focus your club pressure on the last three fingers of your left hand and the first two fingers of your right hand (and vice-versa if you’re left-handed). Don’t grip the club with your palms.

So how tight should you grip a golf club? As legendary pro golfer Sam Snead recommends, hold the club as if you’re holding a small bird. Your grip shouldn’t let it fly away, nor should you crush it.

Better Golf Begins with Better Instruction

Treetops Resort includes five award-winning Michigan golf courses professionally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., Tom Fazio, and Rick Smith. Play where the greats played and improve your golf game with Treetops’ Golf Academy. Have fun and receive top-notch instruction from our PGA Pro instructors in a world-class practice facility.

Treetops Resort of Gaylord, Michigan offers both indoor and outdoor golf lessons for golfers of all ages and skill levels. Students have traveled from all over the country to improve their game with Treetops’ golf lessons in Michigan.

We take progression very seriously and have plenty of skilled alumni to back that up.

Book your Treetops golf lessons today!