Baseball grip
The baseball grip is a grip style in which all ten fingers hold the club, without interlocking or overlap.
With the baseball grip, both hands lie directly next to each other on the grip, as with a baseball bat. It is also called the ten-finger grip, because in fact all ten fingers have contact with the grip. In contrast to the interlocking grip and the Vardon grip, it dispenses with any connection of the hands. That makes it easy to learn and comfortable for golf with small or not very powerful hands. Beginners, children and many seniors grip this way instinctively correctly.
In practice the grip shows its strengths in play with little hand strength. An example: a newcomer to golf who has blisters on their fingers after twenty balls on the driving range holds more relaxed with the baseball grip and swings more freely. Anyone with joint pain also benefits from the even pressure distribution. The grip often produces a bit more hand action at impact, which can bring additional clubhead speed at moderate tempo. Some long hitters use it deliberately to release the ball actively.
A typical mistake is dismissing the baseball grip as a “kids' grip” and switching to interlocking out of obligation. No grip is per se better; what matters is whether both hands work as one unit. It only becomes problematic when the hands work against each other and the clubface twists at impact. If the baseball grip produces a slice, a more neutral hand position often helps more than a different grip type. Feel free to try out all three variants and stay with the one with which you control the clubface most reliably.
FAQ
For whom is the baseball grip particularly suitable?
The grip is ideal for beginners, children and all golfers with small or not very powerful hands, because all ten fingers hold the grip and no interlocking is necessary. With joint pain or arthritis in the fingers, it also distributes the pressure pleasantly evenly. Anyone who gets blisters after twenty balls on the driving range should definitely try this grip style.
Is the baseball grip worse than the Vardon grip?
No, no grip type is per se better than the other. What matters alone is whether your two hands work together as one unit and you control the clubface at impact. The Vardon grip is more widespread among professionals, but that does not make it the benchmark for your game. Stay with the grip with which you strike most consistently.
Can the baseball grip cause a slice?
The grip itself is not the cause, but it can make a problem visible: if your hands work against each other and twist the clubface at impact, a slice results. In that case a more neutral hand position on the grip usually helps, not switching to a different grip type. If in doubt, have your grip checked once by a pro before doubting the system.