Changing your grip style (baseball grip!?)

[johngschulz]

Stop me if I sound insane here… but I think I’m switching to a baseball grip style.

For reference Cadet Small gloves fit my hands the best, interlocking always feels like I get my hands out of position, but has usually been recommended to me. I settled on using the overlapping grip for the majority of my time playing golf ~20 years now.

The baseball grip certainly feels weird, but it seems like I can feel the club head more and my forearms are staying connected a little better through the swing.

What about you all?

I’m curious to hear about the experiences for anyone else who’s made a switch to their grip style… especially after a long time using a different style.

Hit me up with your lessons learned, tips for getting used to the switch, and results!

[GolfSpy_BNG]

I went to the baseball grip a few years ago while working to correct my slice.  The grip didn’t necessarily help my slice but after a few swings it felt more comfortable. It has also allowed me to get a slightly stronger left hand while keeping my right hand closer to neutral.  Made a big difference in my consistency.  
 

I’ve messed around going back to the interlock and even the overlap but I either get too strong with the right or weaker with the left and I start push fading everything. 

[Dweed]

@johngschulz. Try it for awhile and see how you feel. I used to interlock, then I changed to overlap and that feels most comfortable for me. Go with what feels good and gives you the best results for you.

[Swood1994]

I actually did the opposite. I grew up playing the 10 finger (baseball) grip and made the switch 2 seasons ago to the overlap. 

It took an entire winter of just holding a club with the overlap grip and a lot of range sessions to get used to it compared to the baseball grip. I tried to make the switch a couple times before that and could never get comfortable with it. But now going back to the baseball grip feels weird  

The biggest benefits I noticed were in my driver and short game. Mainly because I felt more comfortable getting my hands to turn over with the driver helping me straighten out and work the ball right to left which I could never do. As well as getting a little more feel with the wedges by having the hands connected. 

That being said give a shot for a couple range sessions or even in a round on the course and see how you like it. There’s no same perfect grip for everyone in my opinion. 

[John W Sutch]

Been using the ten finger grip for almost ten yrs now. Went to it after reading "The LittleRed Book" Was looking for more consitancy and slice correction. Harvey said it works for those with small hands and the aged golfer. Am both (78 yrs old). Old grip was interlock. Glad I made the change.

[AndySP]

I’m small and have small hands too. I used interlock from the start (age 7) until about 30. a few years ago, I’m 35 now, I started trying baseball to get more speed and help with the driver.  While it worked ok on the range, I struggled with my wedges and other awkward finesse shots. Also during my speed training with the stack I saw that I wasn’t faster with baseball and tended to shut the face down too much. I feel my swing more with my left than right hand though, so that could be a reason for my preferences. Baseball grip brings back a little more of a slap shot hit feeling than I now prefer. The experiment was worth it though. 
 

 I now use an overlap grip for everthing and don’t see myself changing. 

[johngschulz]

23 hours ago, John W Sutch said:

Been using the ten finger grip for almost ten yrs now. Went to it after reading "The LittleRed Book" Was looking for more consitancy and slice correction. Harvey said it works for those with small hands and the aged golfer. Am both (78 yrs old). Old grip was interlock. Glad I made the change.

“The Little Red Book” is on my annual reading list before each spring. I always read it front to back and was thinking of that chapter when thinking of making the change!

[Vertical]

I have switched to a baseball grip and it has significantly helped my game. I started with overlap then went to interlock. I do have small hands and as I got older there was some pain with my left thumb and right pinky finger. My hands were “fighting” each other during the swing. To mitigate the pain, I switched to a true baseball grip…where my left hand is in a fist (the thumb is off the club and instead wrapped around the index finger). The bottom right hand is conventional but with the pinky on the club. I went from struggling with a snap hook on bad shots to a power fade. This grip allows for the left hand to become more dominant due to increased grip pressure and the right hand grip pressure to be lighter. Also, I get more hinge with my hands and therefore my swing speed has increased. My swing thought is to take the club back with my chest and go as wide as possible in the backswing. Then plant my left heel to start the downswing and “go hard” through the ball. The grip took a while to get used to, but boy has it been worth it! Greater distance especially off the tee but also better contact throughout the bag. My low left duck hook is gone. And most importantly, no pain in my hands. 

Edited February 20 by Vertical

[Tom the Golf Nut]

I use a 10-finger for all my woods but interlocking for hybrids and irons. I've been doing this for at least 10 years, and it works for me. Totally not the norm by any means but I have the most consistency using this approach. I have medium sized hands but longer fingers. At the end of the day, it is what works best for you, your hand and finger size, and comfort. If you are putting too much pressure on your fingers with an interlock, then over time your finger joints will start to hurt. Also keep in mind grip size really matters. Get fit for proper grip size for your hands! I have longer fingers, so I fit best into a mid-size grip. This now allows me to interlock with the irons. An interlocking grip with a standard grip size (for me) allows the club to twist if I don't over grip. Over gripping results in poor shot control.  

Some things to watch out for using a 10-finger grip. 

1) Make sure your hands stay connected. No gaps between the hands on the club. 

2) If you are right-handed make sure your left hand / arm is pulling the club through impact. Pushing the club through with the right hand/arm which is dominant for right hangers can lead to some unwanted results.

[johngschulz]

2 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

I use a 10-finger for all my woods but interlocking for hybrids and irons. I've been doing this for at least 10 years, and it works for me. Totally not the norm by any means but I have the most consistency using this approach. I have medium sized hands but longer fingers. At the end of the day, it is what works best for you, your hand and finger size, and comfort. If you are putting too much pressure on your fingers with an interlock, then over time your finger joints will start to hurt. Also keep in mind grip size really matters. Get fit for proper grip size for your hands! I have longer fingers, so I fit best into a mid-size grip. This now allows me to interlock with the irons. An interlocking grip with a standard grip size (for me) allows the club to twist if I don't over grip. Over gripping results in poor shot control.  

Some things to watch out for using a 10-finger grip. 

1) Make sure your hands stay connected. No gaps between the hands on the club. 

2) If you are right-handed make sure your left hand / arm is pulling the club through impact. Pushing the club through with the right hand/arm which is dominant for right hangers can lead to some unwanted results.

Good call outs and points! Been playing undersized grips off of a recommendation from Club Champion years ago, I’ve been messing with grip sizes and I’m actually going back to standard with a couple wraps underneath the right hand.

Thanks for the response.

[Golfspy_CG2]

I haven't switched styles, I've been using the interlocking pretty much my whole golf life. 

However, I've known for years I've had a pretty week grip, but instructors I've worked with all said, it was "fine for now"  I guess they thought I had bigger issues...ha

But last week on the range, a friend who I have golfed with for 7 years asked me if I ever tried a stronger grip...this was as I was hitting high weak fade after weak fade.  I told him the above about the instructors, and he said, give it a try just to see.  So I did and after one or two tops.   I started hitting drives on a straight rope.  

This was pretty constant for about 20 shots before I called it a day.   He thought it would add a few yards as ell since the ball will be landing going forward and not the the right.  

It was definitely a different feel and one I had to take extra notice of before the shot to make sure I was "seeing 3 knuckles"   I'll definitely continue to work with it and see where it goes from here. 

[CFreddie]

I hate to say this, but I've never tried the baseball grip - used to do interlock, but I'm now almost 100% overlap (with the exception of putting with LHL).  Curious what the benefits are here - my only sliceable club is my driver (for whatever reason), so I'm wondering if it could be an opportunity there. 

Off to the next rabbit hole I go....

[BStheTech]

Back to golf after a 25 year break. Had always interlocked but it was causing a nasty blister now (turns out glove was too large). I switched to the baseball grip and was comfortable with it in a couple days. Haven’t looked back. May go back to interlock “just because” but there is no actual reason to. 

[Big moose]

I use an overlap grip, I tried the interlocking grip and for some reason it made me hook the ball. I  use an interlocking grip when I putt because it keeps my wrist firm so I don't flip at the ball.

[TSauer]

Every year, at some point throughout the season, I experiment with a baseball grip, but only for my driver and sometimes my 3 wood. It does something for me that helps turn the club over, I don't really know how to explain it. Maybe my normal grip is all out of whack, who knows. I can never make the transition to using it 100%... it's usually "Hmmm.. let me drop another one and use a baseball grip" type thing. I am normally an interlock guy.

[johngschulz]

1 hour ago, TSauer said:

Every year, at some point throughout the season, I experiment with a baseball grip, but only for my driver and sometimes my 3 wood. It does something for me that helps turn the club over, I don't really know how to explain it. Maybe my normal grip is all out of whack, who knows. I can never make the transition to using it 100%... it's usually "Hmmm.. let me drop another one and use a baseball grip" type thing. I am normally an interlock guy.

I’ve played around with it on the range as well, but never committed to the change for playing. I’m also more conscientious about gripping the club more in my fingers vs palms which I think is helping the transition.

I’ll keep folks posted here after I get some rounds in, now that the thread’s picking up steam.

[Shrek74]

I started playing golf around 13, and I was never taught to hold a club. So I just held it the way it seemed best - like a baseball bat. Here 35+ years later, I still hold it that way. It allows for much more flexibility of weak/strong grip from either hand.

I've tried to switch to overlap or interlock, but it just feels like I'm less connected to the club and that it's not as firmly in my control (feels loose in the swing to me). I obviously don't want to strangle the grip, but I just don't like having fingers "off" the club which is how it seems with these other grip types.

I haven't had a swing coach tell me I had to switch, so that's good.

[TSauer]

1 hour ago, johngschulz said:

I’ve played around with it on the range as well, but never committed to the change for playing. I’m also more conscientious about gripping the club more in my fingers vs palms which I think is helping the transition.

I’ll keep folks posted here after I get some rounds in, now that the thread’s picking up steam.

It's pretty much the same for me, I think I just feel more connected... which makes sense. Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

[Rob Person]

I had missed this thread somehow, and now it's popped up after posting about it in the "how did you practice " thread yesterday. 

I won't repost everything,  but if you want to read it go  HERE TO READ

The short of it is I will be using the  baseball grip on Driver and Woods/Hybrids.  Once im comfortable with those, Then I'll move onto long irons (which I've never been able to hit well at all) 

For now ill keep interlock for 8i thru wedges, as I connect really well with them.

[Preeway]

It does sound a little crazy (to me) but in the end, whatever works for you is what you go with. I switched to an interlocking grip before I started playing high school golf and have never looked back. I use an overlap grip when putting and sometimes when chipping around the green. I'm surprised at how many people use a baseball grip. I guess I just assumed everyone was interlock or overlap. I'm keen to hear more about how switching works for you.

[Mr_BogeyPro]

I watched a video on YouTube where the 'pro' was gripping the club like a suitcase. Holding the club on the middle part of your fingers. I like it so far and have even begun to draw the ball slightly, which has given me more role and a bit more distance. 

I also remember something my father-in-law taught me when I began golfing 25 years ago. Grip the club like you are holding 'you know what'. LOL

[Stuka44]

I switched to 10 finger 25 years ago.  I had trouble, with club slip, and I just always felt like club was going to fly out of my hands.  I just found it much more comfortable, along with mid-size grips.  It is mostly about feel, and what gives you the most confidence.

[Preeway]

3 hours ago, Stuka44 said:

I switched to 10 finger 25 years ago.  I had trouble, with club slip, and I just always felt like club was going to fly out of my hands.  I just found it much more comfortable, along with mid-size grips.  It is mostly about feel, and what gives you the most confidence.

There is definitely something to using an interlock or overlap grip over a baseball grip but truly it does come down to what feels best and works for you. 

[johngschulz]

3 hours ago, Preeway said:

There is definitely something to using an interlock or overlap grip over a baseball grip but truly it does come down to what feels best and works for you. 

Can you elaborate? I really am curious what gives those two options an advantage. I’ve used both over the years, I kinda feel like I get a little less handsy/ flippy with the new change I’m working on.

[Preeway]

I can only speak to what I learned decades ago. Using an interlock grip, or overlap, is designed to keep the hands working together rather than separately and thus creating a less “handsy” motion and a swing more about arms and torso. Not sure if that was the best description but ultimately you don’t want the hands working independently from each other. You want them working in unison. 

[ballhawk]

We all concur with the "whatever works for you", but one has to try/experiment with a change and give it enough time to truly validate any merits. As I get older ( caddied for Moses once - big hitter but lousy putter) I found a complete separation between mind and body. Mind says  this is what we should do and the body says "please" ain't gonna happen! Any who, I went to the baseball grip to elevate hand/finger stress due to arthritis. Now able to keep a solid grip on the club and actually achieved more distance with the driver. While it's not what Ben Hogan did, but I remember him saying, after he found what ever he found, "I wish I had 2 or 3 right hands hitting the ball. I place my hands low at address and it allows me to swing (at least for me) a lot more freely at/through the ball. It results in a slight fade but it's a consistent shot pattern and one that offers a lot more confidence when standing over the ball. 

[Rob Person]

Actually practiced this today, and have to say from 7i up to driver was averaging 10 more yards, higher flight paths, and less skewed shots. The only downside was my backswing was a slightly higher ascent.

[buckpillar]

A long time ago on a course far far away, I used to play with the baseball grip, I hit it long and straight with the irons but with my driver I always had a fade. Went to my local PGA professional that I graduated with to get ride of my fade, he proceeds to tell me that we need to make a small change, He changed my grip(overlap with the pinky lock), had me move my from shoulder in front of my back shoulder, the grip screwed me up for about a month then it all clicked.

I miss the baseball grip, but if you use it make sure you get the grip out into the fingers, not in the middle of the palms, it will help give your swing a bit more flexibility in your hands and may produce some extra yardage.

Edited February 26 by buckpillar