Kim Hyung-sung 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

Korean golfers are known internationally for their sound fundamentals, and Kim Hyung-sung’s grip shows why.

A star on the Japan Tour, where he’s won three times, Kim boasts a model grip. Both hands are positioned neutrally, though his left may roll into a slightly strong placement at times. There’s very little that can go wrong with such a grip. It enables Kim to swing on plane without manipulating his hands, wrists or forearms during the swing. It allows him to work the ball in either direction with minimal adjustment, and won’t cause a rampant case of hooks or blocked shots the way a strong or weak grip might.

Like his compatriot K.J. Choi, Kim Hyung-sung’s grip with the putter wraps around an oversized handle. His left wrist is in a pronounced “uncocked” (aka “unhinged”) posture, which effectively locks the club in place and minimizes wrist movement.

A trait Kim shares with practically every tour pro is extremely light grip pressure with the putter. Far too many amateurs hold the putter with visible tension in the hands and forearms, which chokes their feel, inhibits rhythm and causes a short, jerky stroke.

While light grip pressure is recommended, the perfect amount varies by golfer. Some players putt best with the softest possible grip – a 2 on a scale of 1-10, for instance. Others get better results at a pressure of 6 or so. To find your optimum putting grip pressure, try this simple drill:

Grip Pressure Experiment

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.