Bernd Wiesberger 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)

Austrians are a famously tidy people, and Bernd Wiesberger’s grip is about as clean as it gets. There’s nothing messy or unkempt about the way this European Tour standout holds the golf club; his hand positioning is picture perfect.

Wiesberger, who learned the game from his father, places his left hand in a beautifully neutral position. The “V” between thumb and index finger is aligned with his chest, the wrist nice and supple, with a beautiful blend of palm and fingers on the handle.

Wiesberger’s right hand hold complements the left. It may be ever so slightly strong, with the “V” pointed a hair to his right, but this likely boosts Wiesberger’s power. He’s one of Europe’s longest drivers, typically ranking among the top 25 in distance.

Bernd Wiesberger’s grip with the putter, well, it’s not quite as orderly as his full-swing grip. In fact, it’s rather unusual. He begins with a standard cross-handed positioning, then curls the right index, middle and ring fingers around his left hand fingers. In previous years, Wiesberger overlapped just his right index finger across the left hand.

The change was likely intended to further unify Wiesberger’s hands and eliminate any wrist movement. However, the 6’2”, 189-pound pro might want to consider changing back. After a solid year on the greens in 2013, he slipped to 145th on the European Tour in putts per green in regulation the following season.

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.