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Interlock vs Overlap Grip

jvbart

jvbart

2022 Quest Cup with Edel Golf
Albatross 2024 Club
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I'm currently using an overlap grip which is all I have ever tried. Most of what I read says grip style shouldn't matter and you should go with whatever feels most comfortable. I was wondering if anyone has ever seen hard data of one style performing better than the other (ie; percent of pros playing one grip, trackman data for one vs the other over multiple players). Also does one style help to correct a certain swing error or fit a certain swing type? My current miss is a slice and wondering if an interlocking grip could help? I have heard a stronger grip can help with a driver slice.
 
I'll start out suggesting a lesson from a person qualified to teach golf.

That is not me. I'm not a pro. The following is only what I have experienced myself and have seen on tv, youtube, in magazines, and heresay. I'm a left handed golfer. Everything below pertains to my right hand. If you're right handed, substitute your left hand.

The other day I was watching the Champions tour (I think it was that... maybe it was the Asian tour, LPGA Diamond tour, or PGA...) anyway, the announcers were talking about grip strength for players and their swing. Not how tightly they held the club but how their hands were positioned on the grip. (hope that makes sense)

The announcer said that too weak of a grip can result in a slice. I have noticed this myself. If I weaken my grip (rotate my right hand towards the bottom of the club shaft to where I can see less than 2 knuckles (the first 2 knuckles of my index and middle fingers) on my leading hand when holding a club as I would normally prepare to swing it) it tends to cause me to slice. That's my experience. Strengthening my grip (rotating my right hand towards the top of the club shaft to where I can see almost 2 knuckles) tends to make my slice go away or at least be less prevalent. (There's a lot more that can cause a slice but grip is the foundation that everything else is built upon).

I use an interlock grip... the pinky of my lower (left) hand on the grip interweaves with the first and second fingers of my upper (right) hand (index and middle fingers). The crease of the thumb where it meets my palm on my left hand forms a V which points towards my left shoulder...

Stand with your arms relaxed and hanging at your sides. Look down at your left hand (for right handed golfer) or right hand (for left handed golfer) and see how many knuckles you see. 1 indicates a tendency to a weaker grip. 2 indicates a tendency to a stronger grip. 3 indicates a strong grip.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

Get a lesson if you can or at least advice from someone qualified to teach golf. That's not me. :)
 
I don't know if there is anything to learn regarding what grip the pros use. Most pros use the overlap grip, but some really great players have used the interlock (Nicklaus, Tiger, Spieth, Fowler, Zack Johnson, Anthony Kim, McIlroy, Thomas, Koepka, Schauffele, etc.).

I'm sure there are people who struggle with slices with both grips. Same for people who struggle with hooks.

A stronger grip generally helps close the face through impact so it can help with a slice. But it's not guaranteed as several parts of the swing contribute to producing a given ball flight.
 
I don't think one grip is better than the other, I still use a 10 finger and have plenty of consistency with it.
Yes a stronger grip should help with a slice, as long as your aren't coming over the top.
 
There are some that say it depends on finger size but the coaches I've used told me to use whichever was more comfortable.
 
I've been messing with my grip since I started rebuilding my swing in October. I am using a stronger grip this is both interlocked and overlapped. I am interlocking my hands like normal, but for some reason, my right ring finger wants to sit on top of my left index finger?! It's unorthodox, but comfortable for me, so I'm going with it.
 
I have used all three, first ten finger, then graduated to interlock, and eventually overlap. Interlock and overlap are both good at linking the hands together, I would not rate one better than the other (for me). I think it really comes down to what is more comfortable for you. I used interlock when I was maybe 10-13 y.o. with less hand strength, and overlap did not work well for me at that point. As I got stronger, at a certain point overlap become more comfortable for me than interlock, which at times could lead to pinch/chafe/blisters. It's been overlap ever since.
 
Scorpion12 said:
I'll start out suggesting a lesson from a person qualified to teach golf.

That is not me. I'm not a pro. The following is only what I have experienced myself and have seen on tv, youtube, in magazines, and heresay. I'm a left handed golfer. Everything below pertains to my right hand. If you're right handed, substitute your left hand.

The other day I was watching the Champions tour (I think it was that... maybe it was the Asian tour, LPGA Diamond tour, or PGA...) anyway, the announcers were talking about grip strength for players and their swing. Not how tightly they held the club but how their hands were positioned on the grip. (hope that makes sense)

The announcer said that too weak of a grip can result in a slice. I have noticed this myself. If I weaken my grip (rotate my right hand towards the bottom of the club shaft to where I can see less than 2 knuckles (the first 2 knuckles of my index and middle fingers) on my leading hand when holding a club as I would normally prepare to swing it) it tends to cause me to slice. That's my experience. Strengthening my grip (rotating my right hand towards the top of the club shaft to where I can see almost 2 knuckles) tends to make my slice go away or at least be less prevalent. (There's a lot more that can cause a slice but grip is the foundation that everything else is built upon).

I use an interlock grip... the pinky of my lower (left) hand on the grip interweaves with the first and second fingers of my upper (right) hand (index and middle fingers). The crease of the thumb where it meets my palm on my left hand forms a V which points towards my left shoulder...

Stand with your arms relaxed and hanging at your sides. Look down at your left hand (for right handed golfer) or right hand (for left handed golfer) and see how many knuckles you see. 1 indicates a tendency to a weaker grip. 2 indicates a tendency to a stronger grip. 3 indicates a strong grip.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

Get a lesson if you can or at least advice from someone qualified to teach golf. That's not me. :)
Click to expand...
Man your description of your strong grip had me turning in circles until I saw you were left handed. I always just assume everyone is right handed and the way you were describing it, I had your hands backwards. I was like "how the hell are you making your slice go away if your right hand is turned up more? That's asking to open the face". Anyway I saw you're a lefty like me and everything made sense. That's exactly how I've been getting my slice a little more under control the past couple weeks. It really does work.
 
I recently ( 6 months ago or so ) switched from interlock to overlap due to a pinky injury on my right hand. After that, the torque/stress on that pinky didn't feel right or really give me any comfort in my grip. I decided to go to overlap to let the pinky heal fully.

The timing was perfect actually because while I did that, I also took the opportunity to weaken my grip as I used to play with a fairly strong grip to take some wrist rotation out of my swing and try to focus on a more flat follow through at impact. While I can't say that going interlock to overlap reduced my ability to close the face, I did feel like I didn't have as much control of the face with the overlap. No real data of course.

If you are trying to work out slice/fade or hook/draw, adjusting grip strength would be the better of the two options to see an impact. Unfortunately, the grip is the foundation to the connection to the club so changing that, will alter all of your feels to some degree. Start with the left hand ( if you are a right ), and weaken that slightly. Then apply the right hand or down hand ( if you are right handed ) to the grip like you normally would. Should get both hands to rotate without changing the feel between the hands.
 
Currently using overlap mostly so i weaken my grip. For me wrapping my bottom hand (right) over my thumb more reduces the a regrip or grab that can produce a push or sometimes a slice. Tweak and test on the range, find what is natural and comfortable then try it on the course. Play well.
 
I was taught with an interlock grip and that it w as I have always used except a couple weeks when my pinky was bothering me and I tried going to overlap. I found having fingers on the shorter and beefier side not to care for overlap. As soon as that pinky healed went right back to interlock and have not looked back.
 
I've used an overlap grip forever simply for the fact that my pinky is a little curved and interlocking hurts it. I have no idea what impact either grip has on the swing though.
 
As to the hook / slice aspect, I don't think either grip itself promotes one versus the other. You can strengthen or weaken either grip. Stronger grips can help close the face at impact but it's worthwhile to get a lesson on driver to see if there's anything else going on in your swing causing the slice.
 
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Based on your slice, it doesn’t matter if you go with overlap and interlock. It’s you swing path in relation to your body that is causing your slice.
 
I used interlock until the interlocking finger's joints started to ache like arthritis. Moved to overlap and no issues after that. Considering to move to "reverse" overlap, so that my lead hand fore finger is overlapping trail hand pinky. That would give me more control over the club face and path as my swing is trail hand dominated.
 
I had heard hand size might determine a better option. interlock for small hands.
 
I have used all three. The baseball grip seems to give extreme power, but they all seem to work fine for me. Right now I mostly use overlap grip.
 
I learned with an interlock. I can’t get comfortable with an overlap, no matter how often I try it. I put a death grip in the club with it. I’ve given up trying.
 
Jvbart, listen to Tadashi. He knows what he’s talking about. He is a swing guru.



Muchmor18, many apologies. I thought I put it in my post that I was left handed. Sorry for the confusion.

I hit the driving range today Andy messed with strengthening my grip... I rolled my right hand towards the top of the club shaft slightly. Apparently it was too strong and I went from a slight fade to a hook.

What I found working for me consistently was take my normal grip, rotate the club shaft to the right just a touch, and then lock my hands into my grip and swing. Straight down the driving range.
 
My thoughts on this subject:
-Overlap, interlock, or baseball doesn't really matter.
-What does matter is the strength or weakness of your grip on the club.
-Find what makes you feel comfortable and go with that.

I personally play interlock but if I feel myself start to drag the handle too much, I switch to a baseball grip.
 
Thanks guys great feedback! I think I'm going to stick with overlap and strengthen (rotate) my grip a bit. I have thicker fingers so I'm a bit nervous about interlock. I think I may give it a try just to see if it changes anything in my swing.
 
I dont think there are really any hard and fast rules about which grip you should use or really any data that suggest one grip is better than another.
It is worth nothing though that the 2 best golfers who ever lived (Woods and Nicklaus) both use the interlock.
 
I started with an interlock grip, tried changing to overlap for a little while but ended up switching back.
 
Like others have said, I learned with the interlock and can’t get comfortable long-term with any other grip.
 
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