Anirban Lahiri Grip

Pros and Cons of Every Golf Grip Style

Best Grip? Overlapping vs Interlocking

Grip style: Interlocking

Hand position: Neutral

Putting grip style / hand position: Cross-handed (left hand low)

You may not know his name, but you’d be wise to learn Anirban Lahiri’s grip.

First, a brief bio. Lahiri is an Indian pro who has primarily plied his trade on the Asian Tour. He’s won five times on that competitive circuit, including a pair of 2014 victories. He broke through for his biggest win yet in early 2015, beating Bernd Wiesberger to claim the European Tour’s Maybank Malaysian Open.

Lahiri is an exceptional driver of the ball, averaging 300 yards while hitting more than 65% of fairways in 2014. He’s a solid iron player as well.

Now about that grip. Lahiri holds the club in a generally neutral position, though his left hand – which is rotated slightly to his right – might be a touch on the strong side. His right hand “V” at the thumb-forefinger junction aligns nicely with the club’s shaft. Lahiri uses very light grip pressure as well.

While his full-swing grip is pretty conventional, Anirban Lahiri’s grip with the putter is the non-traditional cross handed style. It’s nothing fancy – left hand attached to the bottom of the handle, right hand above with a pronounced cock in the wrist.

The important part is, Lahiri maintains his address grip positions through the end of the stroke. The back of his left hand stays flat and pointed down the target line, which keeps the blade square through impact.

The cross handed method isn’t for everyone, but it’s got plenty of success stories to its credit. Jim Furyk, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler are among the fine putters who roll it this way.

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.