The overlapping (Vardon) grip step by step: finger placement, thumb position, grip pressure and the most common mistakes – so you hold the club steady.
In the overlapping or Vardon grip, the little finger of your trail hand rests lightly in the gap between the index and middle finger of your lead hand. Both hands work as one unit. More important than the name, though, is the hand position: neutral or slightly "strong" works best for most players.
The grip is your only connection to the club. Everything your body creates in the swing runs through these two hands. One study with 28 recreational golfers rotated the grip in 15-degree steps from strong to weak. Result: with neutral and stronger grips, balls flew straighter and farther, while a weak grip clearly hurt accuracy and distance [1].
And the honest answer to whether the overlap is better than the interlock or the baseball grip: I found no solid comparison study. The overlap is the classic grip of many pros (named after Harry Vardon), but it is not a law. Try it, and if your hands are small or you get blisters quickly, look at the interlock.
A good grip feels like nothing: firm enough to guide, loose enough to swing.
Note: all descriptions are for right-handers; left-handers mirror them. The "lead hand" is the left hand, the "trail hand" the right.
Lay the club diagonally across the fingers of the lead hand, from the end of the index finger to the pad under the little finger. Not deep in the palm. Close the fingers; the thumb sits slightly right of the shaft's center. Looking down, you should see two to three knuckles.
Milestone: you can hold the club horizontally with the lead hand alone without it tipping.
Place the trail hand so the palm faces the target and the lead thumb disappears into the palm. The lifeline of the trail hand covers the lead thumb.
The little finger of the trail hand slips out of the grip and rests in the gap between the index and middle finger of the lead hand. The Vs between thumb and index finger of both hands point roughly to the trail shoulder.
Milestone: you can build the grip with your eyes closed and your mirror image looks the same every time.
Imagine a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being "crushing the club". Aim for about 4 to 5. This is a rule of thumb from coaching, not a measured number. What has been measured: in good players most pressure comes from the last three fingers of the lead hand, and it fluctuates a lot during the swing, but at impact it is very consistent [3].
Make three small swings to hip height without a ball. Then check whether the grip has slipped.
A grip is harmless but not consequence-free. A review of golf wrist injuries names a very strong grip, over-gripping and worn grips as frequent contributors. The lead wrist is the most vulnerable [2]. Replace worn grips, rest after wrist pain and have it checked by a doctor. This guide does not replace a lesson with a PGA pro or certified coach: a coach sees in two minutes what the mirror does not show you.
Take a rubber band or hair tie and put it on the shaft where the lead thumb tip should land. It is only a marker for the first weeks. When you build the grip blind and the thumb lands right at the band, it is correct.
The Vardon grip, also called the overlapping grip, is a two-hand grip in which the little finger of the trail hand rests on or between the fingers of the lead hand. It is named after Harry Vardon and played by many pros because the hands work closely together.
No grip is proven best. Hand rotation is what matters: in one study, neutral or slightly strong grips gave better accuracy and distance than a weak grip [1]. Test overlap, interlock and baseball and choose the one that feels stable.
Lightly but under control. As a rule of thumb, 4 to 5 on a scale to 10. If your forearms harden or your knuckles go white, it is too tight.
There is no convincing study. The overlap leaves the hands more mobile, the interlock locks them together more firmly and often helps with small hands or little hand strength. Choose by feel and stability.
Look down at your lead hand: if you see about two to three knuckles, it is neutral to slightly strong. One or none means rather weak. Four means very strong.
Golf Alignment: How to Aim Correctly (Clubface, Feet, Shoulders)