Angel Cabrera 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

Look closely – very closely – and you may notice something unusual about Angel Cabrera’s grip: His left and right hands are in slightly opposing positions.

The two-time major champion from Argentina, affectionately called “El Pato” (“The Duck”) for his waddling walk, has nothing to apologize for when it comes to results. His grip, however, might leave golf instructors perplexed.

In theory, the hands should mirror each other’s positions on the handle. For instance, if the left hand is strong (rotated to the right), the right hand should be too. Cabrera, a rare self-taught golfer among today’s elite pros, defies this convention.

With his left hand in a somewhat strong position, Cabrera places his right hand on the club in a perfectly neutral manner. To illustrate, the “V” between his left thumb and forefinger points to the right side of his chest, while his right hand “V” goes straight up the shaft toward his chin.

Unorthodox? A bit? Effective? Undeniably. Cabrera’s free-swinging style makes him one of golf’s most powerful players.

While he’s never been the most reliable putter, Angel Cabrera’s grip with the flat-stick is nothing if not solid. His left and right hands form a perfect, neutral match on either side of the handle; his giant mitts appear quite soft as well, which speaks to very light grip pressure.

Holding the putter with a feathery touch is highly recommended, especially if you frequently play courses with fast greens. Cabrera conquered two of golf’s most feared sets of greens in winning the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, and the 2009 Masters at Augusta National.

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.