Martin Kaymer Grip

Pros and Cons of Every Golf Grip Style

Best Grip? Overlapping vs Interlocking

Grip style: Vardon (overlapping)

Hand position: Neutral

Putting grip style / hand position: Reverse overlap / neutral

His unusual tennis ball drill created quite a stir when the big German claimed the 2014 Players Championship and U.S. Open – the latter by eight shots in dominating, wire-to-wire fashion – in the span of a month. But watch Martin Kaymer grip the golf club if you want an example of sound fundamentals.

Kaymer’s left hand is about as neutral as you can get – the strap on his glove points almost directly down the target line. His right hand mirrors the left, with the “V” formed by his thumbs and forefingers pointing just right of the center of his chest. To golf grip aficionados, it’s a thing of beauty.

While Kaymer prefers to fade the ball whenever possible, his neutral grip allows him to play a draw when necessary without making major setup or swing adjustments.

Martin Kaymer’s putting grip is properly positioned as well. The left and right hands are perfectly balanced, palms directly facing each other. The only slightly unusual thing about Kaymer’s putting grip is the position of his right thumb. It runs down the shaft, vertically, whereas most golfers place the thumb diagonally across the handle.

Tiger Woods shares Kaymer’s right thumb placement, so perhaps it’s worth a try.

Player Profile

Golf Grip Terms

Note: All descriptions are for right-handed golfers.

Vardon / Overlapping Grip: Method of holding the club by placing the right pinky finger on top of the crease between the left index and middle fingers. Named for British golf legend Harry Vardon.

Interlocking Grip: Method of holding the club by wedging or locking the right pinky finger between the left index and middle fingers.

Neutral: Position in which the hands are directly aligned with the clubface. The golfer with a neutral grip can typically see two full knuckles on the back of the left hand when addressing the ball.

Weak: Position in which the hands are rotated left (toward the target) on the club’s handle. The golfer with a weak grip can typically see one full knuckle on the back of the left hand when addressing the ball.

Strong: Position in which the hands are rotated right (away from the target) on the club’s handle. The golfer with a strong grip can typically see more than two full knuckles on the back of the left hand when addressing the ball.

Reverse Overlap Putting Grip: Conventional putting grip style with the left hand above the right and the left index finger extending downward, on top of the fingers of the right hand.

Cross-Handed / Left Hand Low Putting Grip: The right hand is placed at the top of the handle, above the left hand, the opposite of a conventional grip.

Claw Putting Grip: The left hand is placed in the conventional position, at the top of the handle, with the right hand lower on the handle and holding the club between the thumb (on the grip’s underside) and fingers.