Paul Casey 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)

From “Next Big Thing” to the “What Happened to That Guy” file, Paul Casey’s grip on golf stardom has been somewhat shaky.

In fairness, Casey’s career has been marked by setbacks. He tore a rib muscle in 2009 and had trouble shaking a case of turf toe in 2011. The next year, Casey dislocated a shoulder while snowboarding.

Through it all, the Englishman maintained the compact, powerful swing that drove his ascent. His grip is a fine one, too.

Casey sets up with his left hand neutral, the glove’s logo directed toward the target. His powerful right hand is perhaps a touch strong, rotated right so that the thumb and forefinger “V” points at his right collarbone. This is the preferred right hand position of many – if not most – modern pros.

Casey’s neutral grip allows him to squeeze plenty of power from his thick forearms – his nickname is “Popeye” – without sacrificing too much accuracy.

While he’s occasionally employed a cross-handed style, Paul Casey’s grip when putting is usually conventional and neutral. In fact, for all the publicity generated by belly putters, long putters and newfangled grips like the “Claw,” most of today’s pros continue using the tried-and-true reverse overlap grip with a standard-length wand.

When healthy, Casey has proved to be a steady putter. He’s finished on the plus side in the PGA TOUR’s “strokes gained putting” stat more often than not. That’s no surprise, really. You don’t win 14 international tournaments, make three European Ryder Cup teams and reach No. 3 in the World Golf Ranking without a solid stroke.

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.