Henrik Stenson Grip

Pros and Cons of Every Golf Grip Style

Best Grip? Overlapping vs Interlocking

Grip style: Vardon (overlapping)

Hand position: Neutral

Putting Grip style: (overlapping)

Big, strong guy. Big, strong hands. Look at any image of Henrik Stenson’s grip and the first thing you’ll notice is his powerful mitts. No wonder the 2013 FedEx Cup champion controls the club – and his shots – so well.

You might also spot a small oddity in Stenson’s right hand. His thumb is on top of the handle, pointing down the shaft, instead of running across the grip and pointing to his left. While this is fairly common with golfers’ putting grips (a la Tiger Woods), you don’t often see it with a pro’s full swing grip. It’s likely a position Stenson adopted as a young player and never had a reason to change. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke…

Also slightly unusual is Henrik Stenson’s grip with the putter. Where most pros and many amateurs prefer the reserve-overlap style, he sticks with his standard full-swing overlap. This is actually a change from past years, when Stenson employed a double overlap. His right pinky finger sat atop the notch between his left ring and middle fingers; the right ring finger rested on the groove between the left middle and index fingers.

While Stenson has never been the most consistent putter, his tee-to-green excellence puts him in position for a high finish more often than not. When his putter is on, he’s invariably in contention.

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.