Overlap Grip
The overlap grip is a way of holding a golf club in which the trail hand’s pinky finger rests in the small gap between the lead hand’s index and middle fingers. It is also called the Vardon grip, after the British golfer Harry Vardon, who made it famous in the late 1800s.
What is an overlap grip?
An overlap grip is one of three standard ways a golfer can join their hands on the club. The defining feature is the pinky finger of the trail hand. Instead of locking with another finger or sitting beside the other hand, the pinky simply rests on top of the lead hand, settling into the channel between the index and middle fingers.
The point of this connection is to make the two hands behave like a single unit during the swing. With the hands working together, the trail hand is less likely to dominate or twist the club at impact. That makes the overlap a setup choice, not a swing technique. A golfer decides on it at address, before the swing begins, and the connection stays in place throughout the shot.
The overlap is one of three common golf grips, alongside the interlocking grip (where the pinky and lead-hand index finger physically link) and the 10-finger or baseball grip (where the hands sit side by side with no anchor at all).
Where the overlap grip comes from
The grip carries Harry Vardon’s name because he was the player who pushed it into the mainstream. Vardon was a six-time winner of the Open Championship between 1896 and 1914, a record no one has matched, and he wrote about the grip extensively in his instructional books. His influence was so wide that the overlap and Vardon grip became interchangeable terms.
Vardon did not invent the grip, though. Golf historians generally credit Johnny Laidlay, a Scottish amateur who won the British Amateur Championship in 1889 and 1891, as the first prominent player to use it. Vardon simply popularised it and added the major-championship pedigree that gave it lasting authority.
Overlap grip vs. interlocking grip
These two grips solve the same problem (how to connect the hands on the club) in different ways. The difference comes down to the pinky finger.
| Feature | Overlap grip | Interlocking grip |
|---|---|---|
| Pinky position | Rests on top, in the channel between the lead hand’s index and middle fingers | Hooks under and locks with the lead hand’s index finger |
| Hand connection | Light anchor | Mechanical lock |
| Typical fit | Longer fingers, larger hands | Shorter fingers, smaller hands |
| Feel | More wrist freedom | More hand unity |
| Notable users | Harry Vardon, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson | Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy |
Neither grip is inherently better. They are different routes to the same goal, and most teaching pros agree the choice comes down to comfort and hand shape rather than performance.
Who uses the overlap grip
The overlap has long been described as the dominant grip on professional tours, often with claims that 90% of pros use it. Recent data complicates that picture. In May 2024, Golf Digest audited every player at the PGA Championship at Valhalla and found that 58.4% used an interlocking grip, 40.9% used an overlap grip, and a single player used a baseball grip.
So the overlap is no longer the runaway majority at the top level, but it remains the more common grip historically and is still used by many of the game’s biggest names. Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, and Francesco Molinari all play (or played) with an overlap. Among amateurs and club golfers, the overlap is still the grip most beginners are taught first.
When the overlap grip suits a golfer
Hand size is the most common factor. Golf Digest Top 50 teacher Tony Ruggiero notes that golfers with longer fingers tend to gravitate toward the overlap, because interlocking can cause the pinky to wrap around awkwardly. Players with shorter fingers often find the interlock feels more secure, since their pinky doesn’t reach as comfortably across the lead hand.
The overlap is also associated with golfers who tend to be too “hand-active” through impact. By keeping the trail hand’s pinky off the club, the overlap reduces the influence of that hand and lets the bigger muscles of the body drive the swing. Players who fight a hook (a ball flight that curves sharply away from the target side) sometimes find the overlap calms that tendency.
None of this is absolute. Plenty of golfers with small hands play with an overlap, and plenty with large hands interlock. The right grip is the one that lets a player consistently return the clubface to a square position at impact, regardless of which style that turns out to be.
Related Golf Terms
- Out of bounds — Areas outside the boundaries of the course, marked by white stakes.
- Open clubface — When the clubface points right of the target at impact for a right-hander.
- Outside-in swing — A swing path traveling from outside the target line to inside at impact, often causing a slice.
- Ostrich — A score of five under par on a single hole (virtually impossible, theoretical).
- Open stance — A stance where the front foot is farther from the target line than the back foot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the overlap grip?
The grip is credited to Johnny Laidlay, a Scottish amateur in the late 1800s. Harry Vardon popularised it shortly afterward, which is why his name became attached to it.
Does the overlap grip help with a slice?
Not directly. A slice usually comes from clubface and swing-path issues, not from the type of grip used. Some golfers find that switching grips alters their hand position enough to improve ball flight, but the overlap itself is not a slice fix.
Is the overlap grip better than the interlocking grip?
No. Both work at the highest level of professional golf, used by tour winners and major champions alike. The choice usually comes down to hand size and feel rather than performance.
Do all pros use the overlap grip?
No. Golf Digest’s 2024 PGA Championship audit found interlocking was actually more common at that event. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy all use an interlocking grip.
What is the reverse overlap grip?
The reverse overlap is a putting grip, not a full-swing grip. The lead hand’s index finger overlaps the trail hand’s fingers, the reverse of the standard overlap. It is the most common conventional putting grip on tour.
Sources
- Golf Digest. “Interlock? Overlap? We ran a golf grip audit on the entire 2024 PGA Championship field.” May 15, 2024.
- Golf Distillery. “Benefits of the Vardon, Interlock and Baseball Grip in Golf.” Accessed May 2026.
- The Left Rough. “Overlapping or Interlocking Grip: The Pros & Cons of Each.” August 14, 2023.
- United States Golf Teachers Federation. “A Closer Look At The Three Main Grips.” Accessed May 2026.
- Caddie HQ. “What Is the Overlap Grip in Golf?” November 2, 2025.
