Grip
Also known as: hold, hand placement
The grip is how your hands hold the club. It is the only contact you have with the club, so it controls the clubface more than any other fundamental.
Grip describes both hand placement and grip pressure. The three common styles are the overlap (Vardon), interlock, and ten-finger (baseball) grips. A neutral grip lets the face return square naturally; a "strong" grip (hands rotated away from the target) tends to close the face and produce a draw or hook, while a "weak" grip tends to leave the face open and produce a fade or slice. Most chronic curvature problems trace back to grip before anything in the swing itself.
Example — A common first fix for a slice
A player who slices is told to "strengthen the grip" — rotate both hands slightly clockwise so two or three knuckles of the lead hand are visible at address.
Why it matters
Because the grip sets where the face points, fixing it often removes a slice or hook without changing the swing at all — the cheapest improvement in golf. SwingVantage can spot a face-driven start direction in your swing for free.
Frequently asked questions
Should beginners use an interlock or overlap grip?
Either works — interlock suits smaller hands and is common among players who learned young; overlap is the most widely taught. Pick the one that feels secure and lets your wrists hinge freely.
Related terms
- Face AngleFace angle is where the clubface points at impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. It determines roughly 75–85% of the ball’s starting direction.
- SliceA slice is a shot that curves sharply away from the target — to the right for a right-handed golfer. It happens when the clubface is open relative to the swing path at impact.
- DrawA draw is a controlled shot that curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer (the opposite for a lefty). It is produced by a clubface slightly closed to the swing path but still open to the target line.
Go deeper
Grip: the full lessonRelated guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.