Have you ever heard of the reverse overlap putting grip? Though it may sound a bit complicated, the reverse overlap is one of the simplest putting grips in golf. When it comes to putting, the reverse overlap is considered a conventional grip.

The reverse overlap grip has been around a long time and it has become the most popular grip on the PGA Tour. In fact, according to this poll, 68.5% of PGA players on the Top 70 FedEx Cup standings in 2019 used the reverse overlap grip.

This putting grip style is giving some golfers a huge advantage. Find out how it works and if you should use it here. After reading this, you’ll be able to decide if the reverse overlap putting grip will help you shoot lower scores.

What is The Reverse Overlap Putting Grip?

Perhaps you have heard of the famous overlap grip for full golf swings. Do you know how the overlap grip requires you to take your right pinky finger and lap it over your left index finger?

This putting grip works in a similar, albeit opposite fashion. Here’s a quick guide to how to use the reverse overlap putting grip:

1. Grab the putter shaft with your right hand first
2. Place the golf club into your right palm and make sure your right thumb points straight down the shaft
3. Loosely grip the club with the fingers of your right hand
4. Now place your left hand on the club
5. Curl your left index finger over your right pinkie finger

Why Some Golfers Use This Putting Grip Style

1. More Control of the Clubface

Most golfers love the reverse overlap putting grip because it keeps the putter more in the palms. This gives the golfer much more control of the putter’s clubface. 

More control usually leads to more stability and consistency on the greens. All of this adds up to a more confident putting stroke and more birdies on the golfer’s scorecard.

2. Prevents the Hands from Rolling Over

Another big reason golfers prefer the reverse overlap grip is because it helps prevent the hands from rolling over at impact. Golfers who roll their wrists during their putting stroke often struggle with finding the correct ball speed on the greens.

3. Simplicity

Other golfers like the reverse overlap grip because it’s a simple putting technique that has a long history of success. In golf, simplicity means a great deal to both amateurs and professionals alike. 

Not only is the reverse overlap easy to learn, most golfers feel it is incredibly comfortable. Comfort means everything, especially on the greens.

4. Grip Pressure

Lots of golfers get super nervous while on the putting green and they end up gripping the putter way too tightly. This makes it more difficult to sink any putt, especially a long one. 

The reverse overlap grip makes it easier for the golfer to lighten their grip pressure on their dominant hand. This leads to better accuracy and a more pure stroke.

Pro Golfers Who Use The Reverse Overlap Grip

Tiger Woods

We can’t leave the greatest golfer of all time off this list. Woods has used the traditional reverse overlap grip his entire PGA Tour career. 

Woods prefers to lap his left index finger over both his right pinkie and right ring fingers. The 15-time major champion is known as the best clutch putter of all time so the reverse overlap grip has worked exceptionally well for him.

Rory McIlroy

McIlory has been one of the best players on the PGA Tour for quite some time. The 4-time major champion switched to the reverse overlap putting grip back in 2011 and it has served him well.

Shortly after McIlory made the putter grip switch, he won his first major title at the 2011 U.S. Open. The reverse overlap grip allows McIlory to keep his left hand in perfect alignment with his target line. Though it seems as if McIlory has been on Tour forever, he’s still only 32 years old and should be able to win a few more major championships.

Jason Day

Though Day’s putting has declined a bit in recent years because of a whole slew of back injuries, he’s still one of the best putters on Tour. The 12-time PGA Tour winner uses the reverse overlap grip and it helps him keep his grip pressure light on the putter. This grip style also allows Day to keep his left forearm aligned with the putter face.

Day won the 2015 PGA Championship and, if he can stay healthy, should be able to make a run at another major soon. The 34-year old Australian has remarkable touch on the greens and the reverse overlap grip is a big reason for his putting acumen.

Other Common Putting Grips

Have you tried the reverse overlap grip and didn’t like the feel of it? Here are 4 other common putting grips for you to explore. Practice with each grip style to see which one works best for you.

Vardon Grip

The Vardon Grip was made popular by pro golfer Harry Vardon and is also known as the overlapping grip. With the Vardon grip, the right pinkie rests on top of the left forefinger. 

Though lots of golfers utilize this grip for a full swing, not as many use it for putting. Many golf instructors feel that the Vardon putting grip allows for too much wrist movement at impact.

Saw Grip

The saw grip is a popular choice for some golfers, but it is considered unconventional. With the saw grip, the left-hand holds the club in a normal, neutral position.

The right hand, however, forms a saw shape with the four fingers. The right thumb grips the underside of the golf club. PGA Tour phenom Collin Morikawa has improved his putting quite a bit since switching to the saw grip.

Claw Grip

The claw grip is similar to the saw grip, so much so that some folks use the terms interchangeably. With the claw grip, the left hand is also neutral. PGA Tour stars like Justin Rose, Tony Finau, and Tommy Fleetwood use the claw grip.

The right-hand forms a cupped claw, but the right forefinger points straight down the shaft instead of across the shaft like with the saw grip. Lots of golfers who have struggled with the yips have found relief by using the claw grip.

Cross-Handed Grip

The cross-handed grip is also known as the left-hand low grip by lots of folks in golf. PGA Tour golfers like Rickie Fowler use the cross-handed grip whenever they are in the midst of an awful putting slump. Fowler claims the cross-handed grip helps him get back to basics and helps him regain his feel on the greens.

As its name implies, the hands swap positions when using the cross-handed grip. With the non-dominant (left) hand lower on the golf club, the golfer’s shoulders are more likely to stay aligned properly throughout the entire putting stroke. Jack Nicklaus never used the left-hand low putting grip, but he famously said he wished he would have learned to do so during his epic pro golf career.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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If you’ve been around the game of golf for any length of time, you are probably familiar with the overlapping grip (also known as the Vardon grip). 

However, most folks have never heard of the double overlap grip, the overlapping grips cousin. Though it’s not as popular, there are a few golfers that feel like the double-overlap grip is the best grip for them.

There are several reasons why golfers adopt a double overlap grip. We describe the pros and cons of this grip here along with how it can help your game. After reading this, you’ll be able to decide if you want to try out the double overlap grip for yourself.

What is the Double Overlap Golf Grip?

As you might have guessed, the double overlap grip is similar to the Vardon grip. However, the double overlap grip takes things to a whole new level. Here is how it works:

Instead of simply resting the right pinkie on top of the left index finger like in the Vardon grip, with the double overlap grip, the right pinkie rests on top of the left middle finger. Also, the right ring finger laps over the top of the left index finger.

This grip may be uncomfortable at first but don’t give up on it too quickly. Dave Pelz, one of golf’s best short game instructors, recommends using the double overlap grip during pitching and chipping drills to get a better feel for it.

The Benefits of This Golf Grip

Now let’s review some of the benefits golfer’s notice when switching to this grip…

Makes the Golfer’s Hands Act As One

Many club golfers struggle with their dominant hand taking over the golf swing. Surprisingly, some golfers on the PGA Tour struggle with this same problem. The double overlap grip helps remedy this problem because it makes the hands act as one unit.

For example, if you are right-handed, your right hand may tend to take over your entire swing at times. With the double overlap grip, the right hand is forced to simply act as a guide for the left hand. 

Gives the Golfer Better Feel

The double overlap grip gives the golfer a better feel and much more control at the top of the backswing. Since the golfer no longer has to worry about his dominant hand taking over, he is free to let the leading hand do its job. 

The better feel and increased control lead to a more effortless, fluid golf swing. This is because the double overlap grip makes the golfer let the club do the work.

Fewer Hooks and Slices

The double overlap grip can be a great option for folks that have directional problems like hooks and slices. Those annoying duck hooks off the tee box are usually caused by the right hand taking over and flipping the golf club just before impact. Since the double overlap grip minimizes the right hand, this is less likely to happen.

Most of the time a slice is caused by overswinging and too much grip pressure. How many times have you tried to kill the golf ball and ended up slicing it into the next fairway? The double overlap grip makes you lighten your grip pressure, which may help straighten out your slice.

Pro Golfers Who Use The Double Overlap Grip

Curious which pro golfers actually use this grip? Here’s the list…

Jim Furyk

Furyk has used the double overlap grip his entire career and it has helped him achieve 17 PGA Tour wins, including the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk’s nickname is “Mr. 58” since he is the only person to shoot a 58 in a PGA Tour event. 

The double overlap grip gives Furyk a high amount of control over all his golf shots. Furyk, now 51, plays on both the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. His unique, figure-eight swing is highly entertaining to watch.

David Leadbetter

Leadbetter did not play on the PGA Tour but he did play professionally on both the European and South African Tour. Leadbetter is known as one of the best golf instructors in the world and he’s worked with some of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars like Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, and Greg Norman.

The 69-year old Englishman is a big proponent of the double overlap grip. He says the double overlap grip helps reduce tension in the wrists and hands, which leads to a more fundamentally sound golf swing.

Other Common Golf Grips

The double overlap grip style has a ton of benefits but it’s not for everyone. Some folks just aren’t able to get fully comfortable with the double overlap. Fortunately, there are several other golf grips that they can try.

Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip was made famous by two PGA Tour megastars, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. With the interlocking grip, the right pinkie interlocks in between the left forefinger and left middle finger. 

This keeps the hands together throughout the entire golf swing, which is why many golfers prefer it. The only downside of the interlocking grip is that it may not be very comfortable for golfers who have larger hands.

Baseball Grip

The baseball-grip, or ten-finger grip, is a good grip for kids or beginners. Those who are used to gripping a baseball bat will find the ten-finger grip comfortable. 

With the baseball grip, the right pinkie and the left index finger touch, but there is no interlocking or overlapping. The main downside of this grip is that it makes it too easy for the golfer’s dominant hand to take over.

Reverse Overlap (Putting)

This is the most common putting grip in the game of golf. Lots of golfers feel this grip style gives them a ton of control of the putter. With the reverse overlap grip, the right index finger laps over the left pinkie.

Claw Grip (Putting)

Golfers who aren’t comfortable with the reverse overlap putting grip often switch to a claw grip. One of the main benefits of using a claw grip is that it makes the shoulders lead the putting stroke instead of the hands. This often results in better ball speed on the greens and more accurate putts.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Did you know that the overlap golf grip was made popular in the late 1800s by a golf legend named Harry Vardon? 

That’s why lots of folks refer to the overlap golf grip as the Vardon Grip. Before the overlap golf grip came around, most golfers used the baseball grip (also known as the ten-finger grip).

Our goal with this article is to give you more information about the overlap grip. Learn more about the pros and cons of the overlap golf grip to understand if it’s the right grip for you.

What is The Overlap Grip in Golf?

To use an overlapping grip, place the shaft of the golf club in both of your hands. Make sure that the handle is more in the fingers instead of the palm of each hand. Regardless of whether you use a strong, neutral, or weak grip, take the right pinky finger and rest it between the left middle finger and left index finger. It’s called the overlap grip because the right pinkie overlaps the left hand.

The overlap golf grip is highly popular amongst amateurs and beginners because it’s so comfortable. If you were to purchase a lesson from a golf instructor, the odds are he or she will teach you the overlap grip. This grip itself is considered easy to teach and learn.

Popular PGA Tour legends like Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer both achieved a high level of success with the overlap golf grip. Both Hogan and Palmer were able to bomb the ball off the tee while using this grip.

Pros and Cons of The Overlap Grip

There is no one size fits all approach to finding the right grip for your unique golf swing. Each golf grip has its own set of pros and cons and the overlap grip is no different. Just because a certain grip style works for your playing partner doesn’t mean it will work for you and your swing.

Here’s a brief list of the advantages and disadvantages of the overlap grip. Hopefully, this list will help you decide whether or not to try out the overlap grip.

Pro #1: Works Well for Golfers with Large Hands

Some golf grips are hard for golfers with large hands to execute properly. This is not the case with the overlap grip, as it unites the hands together as one unit but still allows the wrists to have plenty of freedom. 

More wrist freedom can lead to more power and distance off the tee. Who doesn’t love hitting the golf ball further?

Pro #2: Comfort Level

The overlap grip provides golfers with a high level of comfort, which is vitally important to creating a smooth golf swing. Some golfers feel that the 10-finger grip or the interlocking grip creates too much tension in the hands. 

Any unnecessary tension in the wrists or hands can lead to reduced clubhead speed and less distance. Many golfers find that the overlap grip helps to keep the tension in their hands to a minimum.

Con #1: Too Much Wrist Freedom

Wrist freedom in the golf swing is a good thing, as long as the golfer doesn’t overuse the wrists. Golfers with exceptionally strong hands may be tempted to over-rotate the wrists in an attempt to create more distance. When this happens, the golfer tries to whip the club through the hitting zone instead of simply making a smooth swing.

This can lead to lots of inaccurate shots and some mounting frustration. If you are using the overlap grip but experiencing lots of wayward tee shots, consider using an interlocking grip to calm your overactive hands down a bit.

Con #2: Less Control for Golfers with Small Hands

Golfers with smaller hands may not like the overlap grip as they may feel like it doesn’t give them enough control of the golf club. 

That is why lots of golf instructors advise golfers with small hands to use the interlocking grip instead of the overlap grip, as it provides a bit more control.

Is This The Grip That Most Pro Golfers Use?

Yes, the overlap grip is used by most PGA Tour pros. Some studies suggest that as many as 90% of golfers on the PGA Tour use an overlapping grip. 

The overlap golf grip has been the choice for most pros for several decades. We don’t see that trend changing any time soon.

Difference Between The Overlap Grip and Interlocking Grip

Outside of the overlap grip, the interlocking grip is the next most popular golf grip.

No one knows who invented the interlocking grip but it has been around the game of golf for quite some time. Some folks say that the interlocking grip first came onto the golf scene way back in the 1930s. 

The Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus used the interlocking grip while winning his PGA Tour record 18 major championships. Nicklaus is only 5-10 and he has small hands so it makes sense that his golf instructor taught him the interlocking grip as a young kid. Nicklaus has said that the interlocking grip gave him a greater sense of security while swinging the golf club.

Tiger Woods, the winner of 15 major titles, also uses the interlocking grip. Woods idolized Jack Nicklaus when he was younger so that’s why he decided to use the interlocking grip. Woods has said that the interlocking grip gives him more control of the club head at impact.

PGA Tour phenom Rory McIlroy also uses the interlocking grip. The Northern Ireland native has won 20 PGA Tour events including four major championships. 

The main difference between the overlap grip and the interlocking grip is the placement of the pinkie finger of the right hand. With the overlap grip, the right pinkie simply rests on top of the left hand between the index and middle fingers.

However, with the interlocking grip, the right pinkie locks in between the index finger and middle fingers. This keeps the hands locked together throughout the entire golf swing. Some golfers feel like they have more control of the golf club with this grip.

So… Which Grip is Better?

This is a very difficult question to answer. The overlap is the most popular choice for PGA Tour players but the interlocking grip has been used by the two of the best golfers of all time. Both grips can be considered a proper golf grip.

Think about what you need to do to improve as a golfer. Do you need more wrist freedom and power? Use the overlap grip. Do you need more control over the golf club? Go with the interlocking grip.

Do you have a hard time keeping both hands on the golf club throughout your swing? If so, try out the interlocking grip for more control. Since the two hands are locked together, holding onto the golf club with each hand will be much easier.

Are you a golfer with large hands who finds the interlocking grip to be too uncomfortable? If that is the case, try out a different grip like the overlap golf grip to give your hands a little more freedom during the swing. This little bit of extra freedom may end up giving you a few more yards with your driver.

We hate to say that one grip is better than any other because so much of golf comes down to personal preference and comfort. If you are just starting to play golf, the best thing you can do is try out each golf grip on the driving range and stick with whichever one gives you the best results.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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