There is a lot of talk about which of the three grips may be best for every golfer. Between the baseball grip, interlocking, and Vardon, it may be confusing which one is better in certain situations.
While there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each, in this article, we will focus on the Vardon Grip.
What Is The Vardon Grip In Golf
The Vardon grip is a way of gripping the golf club that was popularized by professional golfer Harry Vardon around the turn of the 20th century.
While Vardon was not the originator of the grip, he was the player who advocated for it more than any other player while displaying impressive successes during his professional career.
📢 Need To Know: The Vardon grip is also referred to as the overlap grip because the bottom hand’s pinky finger on the shaft lies on top of the crease between the index and middle finger of the top hand, overlapping the hands.
How To Use The Vardon Golf Grip
To use the Vardon golf grip, put your top hand (left hand for righties, and right hand for lefties), in position on the club. Then place the pinky finger of your bottom hand on top of the space between your top hand’s index and middle finger.
Your top hand’s thumb should sit within the enclosure of the fingers of your bottom hand, while the thumb of your bottom hand should point downward or on an angle. Whichever feels more comfortable for you.
Here is a detailed visual demonstration.
Vardon Grip Advantages/Disadvantages
Depending on your hands’ size, swing type, and grip strength, you may or may not benefit from using the Vardon grip.
Some of the advantages of the Vardon grip include:
- Suitable for players with large hands
- Allows for more control and consistent ball striking with both hands so close together
- Allows for players with arthritis or hand pain to grip the club firmly
- Improved grip stability and comfort
Some of the disadvantages include:
- Tougher for players with small or weaker hands
- May lose a little bit of distance
- May be less comfortable for some players
Vardon Grip Vs Interlock Grip
The interlock grip is highly popular among amateurs, whereas the Vardon or overlap grip is the most used grip by professionals.
Both Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus used the interlocking grip, which begs the question: Why do two of the best golfers of all time use the interlocking grip, while the majority still use Vardon’s method?
There is no single answer to this question because the right grip for one player is not necessarily the best one for another. Interlocking grip is useful for many golfers because it shares the advantages of keeping the hands closer together. This may lead to more control and consistency.
📋 Keep in mind: The interlocking grip may be a little less comfortable for players with arthritis or hand pain. Vardon may give a little bit of relief by releasing the pinky finger while also providing a firm grip on the club.
Baseball Grip Vs Vardon Grip
The baseball grip is the simplest way to grip the club. Otherwise known as the ten finger golf grip, It is excellent for beginners and players who need a little more strength on the club. It may give a bit more distance but sometimes creates less consistency and control.
Since the hand coverage on the club is more drastic, the hands need to be in perfect unison to create decent control on the ball.
The Vardon grip automatically creates more control by keeping the hand coverage on the shaft to a minimum.
Conclusion
If you have any experiences or questions you would like to share about the Vardon grip, please leave them in the comments section below.
FAQ
What pros use Vardon grip?
Will Zalatoris, Camron Smith, Patrick Cantlay, and Collin Morikawa are some of the top 10 golfers in the world that use the Vardon grip. This is the most popular grip on professional tours and is ideal for golfers with larger hands.
Is the Vardon grip the best?
The Vardon grip, or interlocking grip, is the most popular grip for good golfers. The Vardon grip offers freedom and control by unifying the hands to work together and exercise control over the wrists.
What is the Reverse Vardon grip?
The reverse Vardon grip is one of the simplest putting grips where your leading hand’s index finger overlaps the pinky and index finger of your trailing hand. In the initial Vardon grip the pinky of your trailing hand overlapped the index finger of your trailing hand. The reverse overlap grip is used by approximately 68.5% of the top FedEx Cup players.
