K.J. Choi 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

To be precise, K.J. Choi’s grip might be best described as having a neutral left hand and a strong right hand.

Just before he takes the club back, Choi’s left hand is in textbook position: thumb extended down the right center of the handle, back of the hand almost square to the target line, two knuckles visible from a face-on view.

The Korean pro’s right hand is in a slightly strong position: back of the hand nearly flush with the wrist, “V” between thumb and forefinger aimed just inside the right arm and through the shoulder.

When the golfer’s hands are in opposing positions – for example, one strong and the other neutral or weak – it’s called a “mixed” grip. Other pros who exhibit this style include Angel Cabrera and Jamie Donaldson, and it’s not recommended for amateur golfers.

Obviously, Choi gets by with his mixed grip. But for most players, combining a neutral left hand with a strong right could cause a “flipping” release where the right hand rolls too forcefully over the left at impact. Result: a nasty hook.

On the greens, K.J. Choi’s grip with the putter has garnered plenty of attention. Not so much his hand placement, but the grip itself – a super-sized, square-shaped model. Increasingly popular among pros and everyday golfers, oversized grips ease tension in the arms and inhibit wrist movement, two big benefits for players who struggle with standard grips.

Choi surely got some odd looks when he began using the big-handled putter, but not as many as he did when trying the side-saddle style earlier on.

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.