Boo Weekley Grip

Pros and Cons of Every Golf Grip Style

Best Grip? Overlapping vs Interlocking

Grip style: Vardon (overlapping)

Hand position: strong

Putting grip style / hand position: Reverse overlap / neutral

Colorful characters usually march to their own beat, and Boo Weekley’s grip – especially with the putter – certainly fits his personality profile.

First, let’s look at Weekley’s full-swing grip. It’s strong – really strong, up there with the likes of Zach Johnson and Ryan Palmer. Viewed face-on, Weekley’s left hand shows four knuckles (two showing represents a neutral grip) while the thumb and forefinger “V” shoots toward his right shoulder.

His right hand is in an even stronger position. Like Palmer, Weekley displays a distinct outward bow in the right wrist while the “V” aims outside his right shoulder.

Unlike his strong-gripping peers, Weekley doesn’t fight off hooks with a “blocking” action through impact. Instead, he sets up with his hands well ahead of the clubface and returns to this position at impact, which prevents the blade from closing too soon.

Weekley is widely regarded as one of golf’s best ballstrikers. His putting is another matter. Boo Weekley’s grip may or may not be part of the problem… But it’s definitely unique.

Using a standard length putter, Weekley places his left middle and right ring fingers side by side on the handle. (A conventional putting grip has the left middle and right pinky fingers adjacent.) He places the left forefinger, reverse overlap style, over the right ring and middle fingers. His right pinky finger overlaps the left middle and ring fingers.

Let’s call it an “overlap / reverse overlap combo grip,” and marvel at Weekley’s creativity. If not his putting prowess.

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.