Pablo Larrazabal 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

Here’s a genuine oddity among modern-day pro golfers: Pablo Larrazabal’s grip is neutral, bordering on weak.

With practically every golfer chasing maximum driving distance, the strong grip currently rules the roost. It wasn’t always so. In fact, Ben Hogan made the weak grip downright fashionable in the 1950s and beyond.

Perhaps Larrazabal was inspired by his fellow Spaniard, two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal – along with Corey Pavin, one of the rare weak grip proponents among recent greats. Whatever the case, Larrazabal displays a left hand that’s basically square to the target, the thumb and forefinger “V” directed toward his sternum, in the traditional neutral position.

He pairs this with a similar right hand grip where the “V” aligns with the club’s handle. Sometimes, in fact, Larrazabal appears to roll the right hand a little farther onto the top of the club into a weak position.

While he’s played very little in the United States, Larrazabal has been a European Tour fixture since 2008. He’s not particular long nor straight off the tee, though he’s an excellent iron player. And he really shines on the greens.

When he putts, Pablo Larrazabal’s grip is a thing of beauty. His hands appear to melt into the putter’s handle, facilitating a silky smooth stroke that routinely pushes him toward the top of Europe’s putting stats.

Larrazabal certainly shares this prowess with his countrymen. Olazabal and the late Seve Ballesteros were wizards with the wand.

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.