When to Use a Interlocking Golf Grip; Pros | Cons | Tips

 

What is the Interlocking Golf Grip?

The interlocking grip is one of the various types of grips in golf and is the most often used style. This grip helps you have a firm hold and better control over the golf club. When this grip is firm, the handle is well inside the player’s palms because the club tends to rest on the fingers’ base.

An interlocking grip helps a golfer create a powerful shot, while improving your slice shots and overall distance accuracy.

Players who can hold the handle with proper linking of the fingers while allowing the wrists and hands to move freely can control the direction of the club to their advantage. The interlocking grip is generally used by expert golfers who play the LPGA tours.

A right-handed golfer who wishes to use this grip must lock the right pinkie between the middle and index fingers of the other hand.

In other words, the pinkie and index fingers of the right and left hands must be entangled with each other by lifting the finger of the right hand slightly.

The thumb of the player’s left hand must be aligned with the lifeline of his/her right hand to get a good grip on the handle of the golf club.

 

Why You Should Use The Interlocking Golf Grip

There are several reasons why you may want to use an interlocking golf grip. Some of the reasons are given below.

• This grip is handy when you want to increase the lag within a swing or shorten a backswing.
• It keeps the fingers close to the cushioned club grip without any gap below while locking the club in place with minimal effort and consistent grip pressure.
• The grip helps in keeping your muscles relaxed during a swing and delivering better clubhead speed without allowing you to lose control over the club.
• It is a good choice for golfers with short or weak hands and players with less forearm strength.

 

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 interlocking allows you to have a better feel of the golf club with a more comfortable grip.
• The grip helps to get both the hands working together and offer more clubhead speed without losing control over the clubface.
• An interlocking grip helps you to be consistent with each swing in a game by keeping the hands connected throughout the swing.
• This grip helps you to get a proper feel of the ring and middle finger of your hands.
• It offers more powerful slice shots and impacts when compared to other golf grips.
• The grip has been used by some of the all-time famous golfers like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Bubba Watson, and Rory Mcllroy.

 

Disadvantages of Interlocking Golf Grip

Although the interlocking golf grip has quite a few advantages, it has its fair share of disadvantages too, some of which are given below.

• The interlocking grip can be complex and might take time for a golfer to master. It may be unsuitable for beginners to hold the golf club with this grip.
• The gripping style has been known to be uncomfortable for some players that make it difficult for them to control the golf club when rendering strong shots.
• The movement of the hands or wrists around the golf club handle is often restricted or limited resulting in less release of the club when there is an impact.
• The grip has not helped some players achieve the distance that they would have expected during a game.
• The grip tends to induce fade for many golfers as the club grip rests on the palms of the hands.

 

Problems with Using the Interlocking Grip

Some golfers have faced a few problems when they tried to use the interlocking golf grip to play their favorite game. Read on to know more about them.

• The area of the hands where the fingers interlock tends to get rubbed or hurt causing cuts or blisters. Because of this, some golfers avoid playing continuously. You may want to apply some surgical spirit on the rubbing area when you play again after the wounds have healed.
• Beginners have found it difficult to follow the right action with this grip because of too much pressure in their palms.
• The fingers get jammed against each other up to the hilt when they hold the golf club. This keeps the left hand in a weak position while the right hand is in a strong position for a right-handed player and vice versa for a lefty.
• The interlocking golf grip tends to increase the chances of causing hooks and slices.
• This grip causes a sense of discomfort and some players feel that the interlocking action makes it challenging to turn the club more because their hands are already turned over during a contact.
• The interlocking action does not happen properly for players with large hands unlike those with small hands.
• The grip often causes the dominant hand to take over although both the hands are placed equally preventing you from making solid contact.
• This golf grip gives less chance for hand/wrist manipulation of the golf club.

 

Tips for Using the Interlocking Golf Grip

While using an interlocking golf grip can be a nightmare for some golfers, here are some tips to make the best use of this grip.

• Link your fingers and hold the golf club so that it rests more inside the fingers of your left hand. This will also help you get consistent grip pressure. In other words, the index finger of the left hand and the pinkie of the right hand should not get interlocked very deeply so that the right-hand grip on the golf club is concentrated more on the palm than the fingers.
• Avoid holding the golf club grip too tightly so that it does not create any extra tension or grip pressure. The interlocking will by default ensure that you already have a firm grip on the club and hence it is ideal to use if you feel your current grip is not as secure as you wish it to be.
• An interlocking golf grip is better suited for golfers with short or small fingers or weak grip strength than those with big or large fingers. Ladies, in particular, will find this grip useful.
• This gripping style is ideal for use if you want a firm hold on the golf club and/or more rotation speed or hand rotation in your golf swing.
• Avoid opting for this golf grip if you are a beginner or an intermediate player as you may not achieve the desired results.
• Use an interlocking golf grip if you would like to shorten your backswing and make the swing more compact.

 

Interlocking Vs Overlapping Golf Grip

The following points give some information on the differences between the interlocking and overlapping (Vardon) grip.

• An interlocking golf grip produces strong slice shots on impact whereas an overlapping grip renders powerful regular shots.
• The interlocking grip is ideal for people with small or weak hands whilst the Vardon grip is a good choice for those with big or strong hands.
• Interlocking golf grip works best for expert players compared to overlapping golf grip that is suitable for players of all levels ranging from amateurs to professionals.
• The fundamental strategy of an interlocking golf grip is slightly complex in contrast to the straightforward strategy of an overlapping golf grip.
• Interlocking grip places a restriction on the wrist and hand movement of players compared to the ‘handsy’ performance promoted by the Vardon grip.
• Golfers tend to slice more when they adopt an interlocking golf grip compared to when they use an overlapping grip.
• An interlocking grip at times tends to cause more discomfort to players because of the locking position while the overlapping grip is more comfortable because of the pressure points at the right place.
• Interlocking golf grip has given some people more power to play in contrast to when they use an overlapping grip because of less grip pressure.
• The interlocking grip often offers golfers good control over their golf clubs while the Vardon grip gives them lesser control.
• Few players have been able to render more speed and square the clubface with their drivers when they use an interlocking grip than an overlapping grip.
• Interlocking golf grip can help players in producing more consistent swings when compared to using an overlapping grip.
• Golfers using the interlocking grip tend to cover a lesser distance than their counterparts using an overlapping grip.
• An interlocking golf grip has helped some players experience a better feel around the greens as against a Vardon grip.
• The interlocking grip is a better option over the overlapping grip for players who feel that they are losing on strength.
• Interlocking golf grip works best for some players when they use their drivers, long irons, and wedges while they prefer overlapping grip for playing their woods.

 

Interlocking Vs 10 Finger Golf Grip

The interlocking golf grip has its pros and cons over the 10-finger or baseball golf grip. Some of the main features of both types of grips are compared below.

• While some players with thick fingers tend to feel uncomfortable using an interlocking golf grip, they have found the 10-finger golf grip to be more comforting.
• Few golfers have not been successful or consistent with their ball striking and shot patterns with the interlocking grip, unlike the 10-finger grip.
• Interlocking grip is ideal for players who want to cover less distance while a 10-finger grip works better for long distances especially when the focus is on playing full shots.
• Some golfers find that they tend to lose grip pressure during a game with an interlocking grip as against a 10-finger grip.
• Players have felt less relaxed and tension-free when they play with the interlocking grip in place of a 10-finger grip.
• Some players have found that they are inconsistent with interlocking golf grip while they were able to deliver more consistency with a 10-finger grip. However, there are those who achieve consistency the other way around.
• An interlocking grip may make it more difficult to turn the club over when compared to a 10-finger grip.
• The interlocking grip is a good choice when playing with irons whereas it is easier to play woods with the 10-finger grip.
• Using an interlocking golf grip has often generated lesser speed than a 10-finger golf grip for many players.

 

How to Use the Interlocking Golf Grip

Interlocking their fingers help most golfers because they feel that this allows both their hands to work in unison and give them more power to play the game. The following are some ways you can use an interlocking golf grip effectively as a right-handed player to get the best results.

1. Entangle or interlock the pinkie of one hand with the index and middle fingers of the other hand. This helps in making sure that both the hands are close to each other. In other words, the pinkie of the right or trailing hand should just slide into the gap between the index and middle fingers of the left hand.
2. Wrap the right index finger around the golf club to prevent the left thumb from sliding downwards and the hands from slipping.
3. Ensure that your trailing hand does not go too much under the golf club when you bring both your hands together. Both the palms should always face each other.
4. Use this grip when you want to have a good feel of the golf club in your hands and lessen the chances of them getting separated when you do a backswing.
5. Make use of the interlocking golf grip when you want to have consistent swing motions in your play or lessen the chances of errant shots.
6. Players who find it uncomfortable to control this grip had better avoid using the interlocking golf grip.

 

Is the Interlocking Golf Grip Good for Small Hands?

The interlocking golf grip is generally recommended for golfers with small or weak hands. This is why the interlocking grip is considered to be a good choice for women players, although male professionals have also used it to play the PGA tour.

The grip applies pressure at the locking point between the left forefinger and the right pinkie. Moreover, the locking action is easier to establish with small hands as they usually have small fingers.

If you have small hands, they might experience pain if you have to apply extra pressure. With an interlocking golf grip, the pressure that needs to be applied to the golf club grip is minimal and makes the hands less painful.

Interlocking your hands also help smaller hands have better control over the golf club when the lead hand is placed first on the club and the other hand is interlocked with it.

 

Why the Interlocking Golf Grip Hurts your Pinky Finger

One of the most common complaints golfers have regarding the interlocking golf grip is that it tends to hurt their pinky. This could be for quite a few reasons as given below.

The pinkie could be having a tight grip over the golf club grip making it quite painful because of the added pressure as the interlocking grip by itself provides grip pressure. Consider keeping the finger in a more relaxed manner when positioning it on the club.

The knuckle often gets affected with an interlocking golf grip resulting in pain on the finger especially when you hit fat shots. To avoid this, position your right hand on the golf club grip so that its three finger base joint pads touch the shaft.

Sometimes, using the interlocking golf grip style on midsize and oversize golf grips can hurt your pinky because the knuckles may tend to rub against each other. You may consider changing the grip of your golf club to a more correct size.

Read More: 10 Finger Vs Interlocking Grip