Your golf fundamentals significantly impact your ability to consistently hit the ball well. Your stance, your posture, and your golf grip.
In this article, we are going to focus on your golf grip and if the interlock golf grip is something you should try.
When it comes to holding the golf club, it isn’t “one size fits all.” It doesn’t matter how your buddy grips the club – the question is, “What works best for you?”.
Pardon the pun, but the interlock golf grip could unlock your game. It could be the answer you have been looking for.
In this article, we will look at the following:
- What Is The Interlock Golf Grip?
- What Are The Other Golf Grips?
- Do Professional Golfers Use The Interlock Golf Grip?
- 3 Reasons You Should Give The Interlock Golf Grip A Try
- How To Switch To The Interlock Golf Grip – 3 Tips
Let’s get started!
What Is The Interlock Golf Grip?
Just as the name indicates, the interlock golf grip is a method of holding a golf club that has your fingers interlocked.
We will explain how to do it if you are a right-handed player, but lefties can simply reverse it.
You grip the club with your left hand first, followed by your right hand.
Your pinky finger on your right-hand goes between your pointer finger and your middle finger on your left hand.
This is the interlock grip – the location of your thumbs on the shaft will determine if your grip is weak or strong.
This type of grip is used for all of your clubs except your putter – you can do it with your putter, but most players don’t.
What Are The Other Golf Grips?
There are two other golf grips that you can use when hitting full shots. The Overlap golf grip and the 10-finger (baseball) grip.
The Overlap grip is the 2nd most popular option (behind the Interlock golf grip).
To use the overlap golf grip, the pinky on your right hand rests on top of the crease between your pointer and the middle finger on your left hand.
The 10-finger grip is simple and used by most beginners. You grip the golf club will all 10 of your fingers touching the shaft/grip. Your hands should touch but don’t overlap.
All 3 grips can work, but most scratch golfers use interlock or overlap.
Do Professional Golfers Use The Interlock Golf Grip?
Absolutely! It is the most popular grip on the PGA Tour.
One of our favorite golf books is “How I Play Golf” by Tiger Woods. In this book, Tiger talks about using the Interlock golf grip.
Do you have an opinion on the greatest player of all time? Are you a Tiger guy or do you think Jack Nicklaus was better?
Regardless of your choice, you are picking a player who used the interlock golf grip! Rory McIlroy also uses the interlock grip.
There are also a large amount of players in the Golf Hall of Fame that use the overlap grip. Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and Phil Mickelson, just to name a few.
The 10-finger grip is rarely used by elite players. There are some exceptions (Bob Estes, Scott Piercy), but for the most part, it is leveraged by beginners and juniors.
3 Reasons You Should Give The Interlock Golf Grip A Try
On a personal note, I use the interlock golf grip. I started out playing with the overlap, but when I was struggling during my freshman year of college, I switched.
This change immediately improved my ball striking, and it could do the same for you – here are a few reasons to try it out!
1. Get Connected
You never want to fight yourself during your golf swing. You want everything to be working together to hit the golf ball on the center of the club face.
The interlock golf grip physically connects your hands and forces them to work together as a single mechanism.
Simple is always better. Less moving parts make it easier to make the same swing every time you hit a shot.
When you use the interlock golf grip, you no longer have two separate hands on the club – you have one mechanism holding the grip/shaft.
Stay connected and start hitting the ball better. Your scores and your golf handicap will start to drop.
2. Reduce Tension – Release The Club
Many golfers struggle to consistently release the club through the impact zone. This can be due to nerves or because they are “aiming the shot” instead of making a confident swing.
Do you have this problem when you play? If so, the interlock golf grip could help.
This type of grip is more stable, so you don’t have to squeeze the club. Reduce the tension in your hands, and it will be easier to let the club flow.
Learn to release the club through the impact zone, and you will be amazed by the golf shots you start to hit.
3. Keep Your Wrists Under Control
Using your wrists correctly during your golf swing is critical if you want both power and control.
A common mistake by beginners is “too much wrist” in their swing. This can lead to “flipping it” and the dreaded duck hook.
The interlock golf grip will stabilize your wrists and allow you to use them the correct way.
Don’t fall into the trap of being a “wristy” player – the interlock golf grip will stabilize and improve your golf swing.
The key to playing great golf is consistency.
How To Switch To The Interlock Golf Grip – 3 Tips
You are sold! You are interested in giving the interlock golf grip a try. This won’t be an easy change – here are 3 tips to help.
1. Learn On The Driving Range
Adjusting your golf grip is the most challenging change you can make to your swing.
If you are switching from an overlap or a 10-finger grip, the interlock golf grip will feel awkward at first. Don’t try to make this change in the middle of a round.
Give it a try on the driving range and start with a short iron (Pitching Wedge or 9-iron). You might hit some bad shots – duffs, chunks, and shanks!
The more balls you hit, the more comfortable it will become. Work your way through your golf bag until you get to your driver.
As Theodore Roosevelt famously said:
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life”.
We don’t think he was talking about switching to an interlock golf grip, but we think it applies.
2. Keep A club In Your House
The biggest challenge when you move to an interlock golf grip is getting comfortable. You need it to feel natural when you grip the club.
You can work on this while sitting on your couch or while dialing into a conference call. Keep a club close at all times.
Just constantly grip the club and re-grip it. Make practice swings.
You may not have time to practice every day, but you can find 5 minutes here and there to hold a club.
Your spouse might think you are crazy, but you are learning how to use the interlock golf grip.
3. Be Patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and switching your golf grip will take more than one practice session. Stay patient and avoid getting frustrated.
The first couple of times you try to play with a new grip on the golf course, you will probably play worse. You will shoot higher scores, but you are learning.
Stick with it, and you will be rewarded with the best golf shots of your life.
Are you considering making a change to your golf grip? There is no time like the present. Go get a bucket of balls and get started today!
Good luck, and play well!
