Your grip is the only contact point between you and the club — it controls everything. The direction your face points at impact, how much wrist you can hinge, how hard the ball goes, and where it goes. Getting your grip right before worrying about your swing is the single best use of a beginner's practice time.
Rate your grip pressure from 1 (barely touching it) to 10 (white-knuckle death grip). Most beginners instinctively grip at an 8–10, which kills club head speed and feel. The sweet spot is 4–6.
Think of holding a tube of toothpaste — firm enough it does not fall, relaxed enough you are not squeezing any out.
The 10-finger grip (baseball grip) is easiest for beginners because it feels like holding a baseball bat — all 10 fingers on the club with no interlock or overlap. It gives maximum control for new golfers. Once your hands are stronger and your swing more consistent, you can transition to the overlapping or interlocking grip.
In the overlapping (Vardon) grip, the pinky finger of your trailing hand rests on top of the index finger of your lead hand. In the interlocking grip, the pinky of the trailing hand hooks between the index and middle finger of the lead hand. Both work well — the overlap is slightly more popular on tour, while Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus both used the interlock.
On a scale of 1 to 10, most instructors recommend a grip pressure of 4 to 6 — firm enough that the club cannot be knocked out of your hands but relaxed enough that your forearms are not tense. A death grip (10/10) kills club head speed and feel. Imagine holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing any out.
Strong and weak describe how your hands are rotated on the grip relative to neutral. A strong grip has both hands rotated away from the target (left for a right-handed player), which tends to close the clubface at impact and reduce a slice. A weak grip has hands rotated toward the target, which can promote a fade. Neutral is recommended to start; adjust based on ball flight.
The grip is your only point of physical contact with the club. How you hold the club directly controls the clubface angle at impact, which determines where the ball goes. A grip that is too tight reduces clubhead speed (less distance). A grip that rotates during the swing causes inconsistent contact. Small grip changes produce large changes in ball flight.
For the lead hand (left for right-handers), the club should run diagonally from the base of the pinky finger across to just above the index finger — not in the palm. For the trail hand, the grip sits mainly in the fingers, not the palm. Gripping in the palm reduces feel and restricts wrist movement. Finger grip = more lag, more distance, better feel.
Most golfers wear a glove on the lead hand (left for right-handers) to improve grip, reduce blistering, and maintain control in wet conditions. It is not required, but most beginners find it helps. The glove should fit snugly like a second skin with no loose material at the fingertips. Replace it when the palm area wears through.
A slice usually comes from an open clubface at impact, which is often caused by a weak grip. Try rotating both hands slightly away from the target (for a right-hander, rotate left). You should see 2 to 3 knuckles on your lead hand when you look down at your grip. This stronger position closes the face through impact and reduces the left-to-right spin that causes a slice.
Related guides: Clubs for Beginners · Beginner Tips · Which Club to Use · Common Mistakes