Brendon Todd 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

Brendon Todd’s grip is nothing like the super-strong holds of his fellow Georgia Bulldogs Bubba Watson and Harris English. Todd does, however, share the neutral position of another young Dawg, Russell Henley.

The PGA TOUR is full of former UGA stars, and Todd can match talent with any of his schoolmates. The lanky pro, who actually hails from Pittsburgh, claimed his first victory at the 2014 Byron Nelson Championship.

Known for his smooth, compact swing, Todd starts off with a sound grip. The back of his left hand is nearly square to the target while his right hand “V” – formed at the base of the thumb and index finger – lines up ever so slightly toward his right side. This is a low-maintenance grip that allows Todd to swing freely, with no complicated movements needed to square the clubface at impact.

The downside? Todd struggles to keep up with his peers off the tee. With so many tour players using strong grips to boost their power, Todd ranked 148th in driving distance for 2014 with an average poke of 280.3 yards. Consider that he’s 6’3” and it appears he’s sacrificing some pop.

What he lacks in power, though, this Dawg makes up for in putting prowess. On the greens, Brendon Todd’s grip complements his fluid, pendulum stroke. His arms hang naturally from his shoulders, forming a triangle which Todd moves effortlessly, back and through. His neutral grip assures that the blade stays square throughout the stroke; the method works so well, Todd ranked sixth on tour in strokes gained putting for 2014.

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.