Some people think that they are less likely to have hand irritation or blisters when using the overlap grip as well. This, along with the ease of adaptation, has caused the overlap grip to be one of golf’s most popular grips. The double overlap grip has got attention recently mostly because it's used by PGA Tour player Jim Furyk, who has more than £29 million in career earnings. Left, right, left right, left. Leadbetter says excess tension in a standard grip inhibits a player's ability to cock his wrists at the top of the backswing, with much of that tension coming from the fingers in the middle of the grip--the left forefinger and the right pinky and ring finger. Because the right hand can only support the left hand in a double-overlap grip--it is unable to apply its grip pressure directly to the club--it becomes harder for the player to hit at the ball. Here goes #1. For any student invested in playing golf at the highest level, I favor the overlap golf grip. Vardon Overlap Grip I've played my entire career with an overlap. Watch any kid picking up a golf club, and you're likely to see grip the first grip---the 10-finger grip. 10 finger grip versus the overlap grip. Short-game guru Dave Pelz has mentioned using the double-overlap grip during pitching practice to encourage lighter pressure when using your regular grip. Because of this, Furyk generally plays a controlled fade, which is a left-to-right shot. I think. On the final day while on the practice tee I for some reason decided to hit some balls with a 10 finger grip. Known as the overlapping, overlap, or Vardon, this is the most popular grip and used often by low-handicap or professional players. While there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each, in this article,… Locked Together. Vardon Grip There is a lot of talk about which of the three grips may be best for every golfer. I think I'm switching to a 10 finger. If you search the Internet for “double-overlap grip,” chances are good that you will get a lot of hits for the words “overlap” and “grip”… and virtually no useful information on the double-overlap grip itself. Swinging with the double-overlap grip can help you learn to just swing the club, and for most players, that might be its greatest benefit. In fact, although we do most things by feel, most weekend players struggle to feel their swing in a consistent way from day-to-day. Leadbetter says for some, this will lead to reduced tension in the grip and an improved swing. The Perfect Golf Swing describes the overlap grip as follows: the characteristic feature of the Vardon overlap grip is the overlap of the right 5th finger over the left fingers, usually resting in the groove between the left second finger and left third finger. This grip technique is named after the great Harry Vardon, who popularized it in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. His newfound technique revolutionized the sport so much that, even to this day, the overlapping grip is also commonly known as the Vardon Grip. What Are the Advantages of Using the Interlocking Golf Grip?. Overview. The Big Three. He is a newsroom manager at a Florida-based Web site and has been there since 1997 after 20 years in the newspaper business. Watch any kid picking up a golf club, and you're likely to see grip the first grip---the 10-finger grip. What Are the Benefits of the Double Overlap Golf Grip? If you search the Internet for “double-overlap grip,” chances are good that you will get a lot of hits for the... Unified Hands. Unity. Famous examples: Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar. Three types of grips are generally considered the standard, but a fourth, the double overlap, has crept into the discussion because it's used by one of the world's top players. What Are the Advantages of Using the Interlocking Golf Grip? "Golf Magazine": Dave Pelz on Double-Overlap Pitching Grip, "Golf Digest" magazine: Jim Furyk Swing Sequence, Privacy Notice / Your California Privacy Rights. I may try to overlap my left index finger over my right pinky (righty) instead of the classic vardon grip with the right pinky over the left index. Wow! An interlocking grip ties your little and pointer finger together while your little finger places itself … Unless you use a belly putter -- which will soon be illegal under the Rules of Golf -- your hands are the only contact points between your body and the golf club. It's by far the easiest to understand; hold the club in all 10 fingers as you would a baseball bat. The reverse overlap gives him that extra feel and control in his right palm." Each has its own strengths and weaknesses to be considered. Rhythm. golf and women image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com. The greatest benefit to this hold is an even more secure hand placement. In fact, the better you get, the more you realize how important the grip is in the game of golf. The downside of such a method is undoubtedly a reduction in power, Spieth is not a long hitter, and if his timing or co-ordination wavers he will play army golf. Indeed, the Vardon grip – or overlap grip – is used by 90% of Tour players and an overwhelming majority of amateur golfers around the world. In Scott's IMA video when teaching the IMA grip he says that a golfer can use a ten finger grip or separate the hands or use a reverse overlap grip but he never says to use a Vardon normal overlap grip while using the IMA swing. Your hands are the only part of you in contract with the club, and finding the right grip is critical in making solid, repeatable swings. Advantages of Interlocking Golf Grip The grip can help weak or small hands remain together on the golf club instead of sliding apart during a game. The Big Three. The overlapping grip has for many years been the choice of top – professionals. Watch any kid picking up a golf club, and you're likely to see grip the first grip—the 10 … Following are a few advantages to using the overlapping grip on your short game shots. Having good rhythm in your short game is just as important as it is in your long game, and an overlapping grip should help you toward that goal. Furyk’s double-overlap places overlaps both the right pinky and ring fingers over the left index and middle fingers. The interlocking allows you to have a better feel of the golf club with a more comfortable grip. Two of the most popular grips in golf are the interlocking and overlap grips, but many seem to sleep on the baseball/ten finger grip. The Overlapping grip / Vardon Grip (b) has its benefits as generally for a right handed golfer this would be their stronger hand. The second is most widely used by the world's professionals: the Vardon or overlapping grip, in which the pinky finger of the right hand (for right-handed players) overlaps the index finger of the left. What are the trophy names for major sports? It can feel a bit easier to release the golf club when using an overlapping grip. Pay attention to how your hands (specifically your upper hand) lead the clubhead while using the triple-overlap grip. Therefore by removing / overlapping the right little finger on the left hand, i beleive this counter balances the strength in both hands. It can help you develop more flow and rhythm, as well as showing you just how little effort it takes to get solid contact with the ball. Most players that use the ten-finger will have smaller hands. The Vardon grips also known as the overlapping grip and was created by Harry Vardon. The third version is the interlocking grip, in which the right pinky is interlaced between the left forefinger and middle finger. It is so named after the famous British golfer that was the first to promote its benefits and win major tournaments with it, Harry Vardon. Here are the main advantages I have found in using a 10 finger golf grip: The ten finger grip offers the most contact with the club and generates maximum power for a strike. Furyk has made reference to this benefit in the past. Therefore, the way in which you hold the club can have a major impact your success. Pelz says a double overlap grip again addresses the culprit---too much hand pressure and tension while holding the club---and allows you to feel the clubhead doing the work instead. Well, again, there is no right or wrong answer. There are three basic types of golf grips: the overlapping, interlocking and 10-finger grips. The second is most widely used by the world's professionals: the Vardon or overlapping grip, in which the pinky finger of the right hand (for right-handed players) overlaps the index finger of the left. Paul Scott Runyan, one of the world’s best players of the 1930s said in 1979 that golf clubs with thick grips give a firm stroke. I've just returned from a golf outing and made a discovery. Many golfers struggle against a hook, which is generally caused by flipping the right hand at the moment they contact the ball. 10 Football players that hate each other off and on the pitch, Golf Digest: Leadbetter's Lessons: Try a New-Style Grip to Help Your Wrist Action, Foozled Golfer: Jim Furyk's 'Double-Overlap' Grip May Have Changed My Life, WorldGolf: 'Swing Essentials' Start With Grip. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and political science from the University of Wisconsin. This was named after the famous golfer Harry Vardon who championed this grip in the late 1800’s. This minimizes the chance for one hand to “take over” the swing. He suggests using a double overlap grip at least for practice to get a feel for the proper swing before returning to your normal grip. By placing the left hand in such a dominant position, a double-overlap grip prevents the right hand from “taking over” as referred to earlier. The double-overlap grip prevents the right hand from having any major contact with the grip of the club, almost forcing Furyk to feel as if his swing is being controlled totally by his left hand and the left side of his body. He is the author of the instructional golf book "Ruthless Putting" and edited a collection of swashbuckling novels. He won the U.S. Open in 2003 and remains a weekly tour contender. Despite the huge popularity of the overlap grip, some of the world’s best players prefer the interlock golf grip. Anybody who plays golf wants to perfect their swing and hit the ball as far and straight as possible with every club. The overlap grip is usually for people with larger hands and those that need to control their grip pressure a bit. … Leadbetter says for some, this will lead to reduced tension in the grip and an improved swing. - use two fingers and let the left hand more leading, and make a handle to be More of ONE unit. Vardon’s grip is believed to yield more benefits and ease of mastery compared to other gripping styles nonetheless, the fact it is only a matter of individual comfort when handling any golf club. To place your hands on the handle using the Vardon Overlap, take the little finger on the trailing hand and place it between the index and middle finger on the lead hand (for right-handed golfers, the lead hand is the left). This creates a compact grip; the wrists are extremely close to each other and can function more as a unit. The Overlapping Grip. Feel is a crucial part of any golfer’s swing. This reinforces a more consistent feel each time he plays. Vardon Overlap Golf Grip. Even if you decide not to use the grip during a round, practicing with it can help you learn to just let go and swing the club. But the grip is used by PGA Tour professional Jim Furyk, who rarely drops out of the Top10 in the world rankings, so it is worth understanding why he prefers it. North Carolina native Mike Southern has been writing since 1979. He is forced to let the club do more of the work, which teaches him a more flowing swing that takes less effort. It's not as popular but has a major selling point---the two most successful players in history, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, use it. Southern was trained in electronics at Forsyth Technical Community College and is also an occasional woodworker. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Golf’s most utilized grip wasn’t popularized until the last century, by a professional British golfer named Harry Vardon. With a double overlap, the pinky and ring finger on the right hand overlap the index and middle finger on the left, sliding down one slot from a standard overlapping grip. Here's the rundown on the grip that Tiger and Rory use. The overlap grip can sometimes be referred to as the Vardon grip as well. A double overlap removes a finger from the club, decreasing tension in the middle of the grip and increasing grip pressure elsewhere. The more common overlap grip, also known as the Vardon grip, overlaps the pinky finger of the right hand over the index finger of the left hand. The grip provides necessary unity between the hands without inhibiting their movement, freeing the golfer to fully … Interlock Golf Grip. The interlocking grip may have several advantages, depending on your swing style and ability level. Alan Craig began writing for newspapers in 1976 and has had work appear in publications small (Beloit, Wis., "Daily News") and large (the "Los Angeles Times"). But a good golf swing starts with a good grip. Short-game guru Dave Pelz, who counts three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson among his clients, says holding the club in a "death grip" is a major reason his students hit poor "pitch shots"---played from well inside 100 yards when trying to get the ball close to the hole. All and all, the improved stability and comfort of the overlap grip is usually worth the decreased distance. Watch any kid picking up a golf club, and you're likely to see grip the first grip---the 10 … Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Overlapping grip is a method that involves firmly holding the handle of the club with the smallest (pinky) finger placed on the small space between the left index and the middle fingers. What Are the Advantages of Using the Interlocking. Dear friends: I have been searching for new ways and approaches to golf which will make golf game swing easier and consistent and forgiving. A surprising amount of golfers don't know what a reverse overlap putting grip is. Between the baseball grip, interlocking, and Vardon, it may be confusing which one is better in certain situations. So I would think that your grip is OK no matter what swing you are using. The Interlock The interlock is a variation to the traditional Vardon grip, in which the right pinky -- for a right-handed golfer -- rests over the left index finger behind the shaft. One advocate of trying a double overlap grip is David Leadbetter, considered one of the top instructors in the world. This grip places the club in the fingers and is the grip most likely to be taught by golf instructors. Golfers who use the overlap grip tend to have larger hands. Upside: Golfers with large and/or strong hands tend to overlap. The gripping action of the 5th right finger helps to keep the two hands together so that they can function as a single, cohesive unit. A great way to increase your sense of clubface control is to practice with a split grip. The Vardon Grip—also called the "overlapping grip" or the "Vardon Overlap" grip—is the method of holding the golf club that is most popular among professional golfers. I had been struggling some during the week with my ball striking. I broke my left index finger a month ago and it required surgery, so this may be my only option, for the first few months of the season anyway. It may seem churlish, but, I believe, had someone caught him at Augusta, or his putting had slipped, his game may well have deserted him over the back nine. A common reason players choose one grip over another is their desire to create unity between their hands. No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape the feeling that you do not have full control of the club. The start point for most beginners is learning a grip option that feels most comfortable. 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Release the golf club with a good grip electronics at Forsyth Technical Community College and also... Overlaps both the right pinky and ring fingers over the left index and middle fingers 2003 and remains a tour. Extremely close to each other and can function more as a unit both the hand... To each other and can function more as a unit picking up golf! Overlaps both the right hand at the highest level, i favor the overlap grip to be.! Three grips may be best for every golfer 2003 and remains a weekly tour contender practice! Overlap golf grip desire to create unity between their hands their grip pressure a bit easier release! Way to increase your sense of clubface control is to practice with a split grip forefinger! Overlap removes a finger from the club in the world talk about which of the do. 10-Finger grip flowing swing that takes less effort there are three basic types of golf grips: the overlapping overlap. 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