How To Grip A Golf Club

Golf teachers will teach you how to grip a golf club using three basic methods. The baseball (ten-fingered) grip is an instructor’s least favorite grip style. Although it is used effectively by some pros, it is easy to acquire for beginners. The baseball grip is less complex and may make it easier for older players with arthritis or other muscular ailments to grip the club. The Vardon (overlapping) grip, popularized by Harry Vardon, is the most common grip used by players. Finally, the interlocking grip is popular among women golfers and players with small hands, but is also the grip style of such legendary professional golfers as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

1. Grip Pressure Grip the club lightly. Whatever style you use, all agree that light grip pressure is the key to an effective stroke. Sam Snead used to say to “hold the club as if you had a baby bird in your hand." A too-strong grip causes slicing. A light grip allows the club face to rotate properly through the swing and makes sure the club face hits squarely and improves wrist hinge, which improves the power of the swing. 
2. The Baseball Grip Grip the club with your lead hand.  Lay the club along the fingers of the left hand just below the palm. Wrap your fingers around the shaft and lay the thumb on top of the shaft in line with the shaft pointing toward the club face. Adjust you hand on the grip so that the club face is at the same height as the ball on the tee. Place your pinkie finger next to the index finger on your lead hand. Wrap your fingers around the grip. Cover the thumb of your lead hand with the heel of the trailing hand. Tuck your lead thumb up along the lifeline of the trailing hand.
3. The Vardon Grip Put the lead hand in place as described above. Place the pinkie of your trailing hand between the middle finger and index finger of the lead hand. Again, tuck the thumb of your lead hand under the heel of the right along the lifeline.
4. The Interlocking Grip Grip with your left hand as in both grips above. Twine your lead hand's index finger with the pinkie finger of your trail hand. The lead index finger will come up and over the trail hand pinkie. Again, tuck that lead hand thumb under the heel of the trail hand right up under the lifeline.

Tips:

• There are a plethora of videos and slide instruction resources available on the web for the cost of a few minutes with your favorite search engine.
• When learning a grip style, look at as many examples as you can find. No two will be identical and someone may show you just the detail that helps you “get” the grip style you are trying to adopt.