What is a Proper Golf Grip?

A good golf swing starts with the proper golf grip. There is no one right way to grip a club, but most standard golf grips incorporate the same basic elements of alignment and finger pressure. When the hands are placed on the club correctly, everything else tends to line up accordingly; the head, shoulders, arms and club will be in the correct position. Depending on the size of a person's hands and what feels most comfortable, a golfer may choose a ten-finger, overlapping, or interlocking golf grip.

The ten-finger golf grip is a popular choice among young golfers and those with smaller hands, as it tends to allow for more stability and control of the club. For a right-handed golfer, the left hand grips the club directly above the right hand, similar to how a person would hold a baseball bat. An overlapping grip involves laying the right pinkie in the crease between the left index and middle fingers, and an interlocking grip requires the left index finger linking together with the right pinkie. The grips do not differ much in terms of function, and an individual should experiment with different grip options to determine which is the most comfortable.

Regardless of the golf grip a person chooses, the amount of finger pressure that should be used is approximately the same. The hands should hold the club just strongly enough that it does not slip. Too firm of a grip restricts arm and wrist movement in the swing. Most of the pressure should be in the pinkie and ring finger of the bottom hand, and the index and middle finger of the top hand. The remaining fingers are mainly used for balance and stability, and the thumbs should rest comfortably on top of the grip.

Many golf instructors emphasize the importance of lining up the "V's" of the hands with the opposite shoulders. The thumb and forefinger on each hand form V shapes when placed on the club. When taking a proper golf grip, a right-handed individual should notice the V of the left hand pointing toward the right shoulder, and the V of the right hand angled at the left shoulder. Aligning the V shapes ensures that the hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders are kept square and perpendicular to the swing path. An advanced golfer can rotate the V of his or her bottom hand to the left to promote a strong grip or to the right to promote a weak grip, depending on if he or she wants to hit a fade or draw.