Jack Nicklaus made the interlock grip famous, and as a result, it became one of the most trusted grips in golf.
But not all golfers use the grip as Nicklaus intended, says GOLF Top 100 Teacher Andrew Park.
Park explains that most amateurs who incorrectly use an interlock grip make the mistake of linking their fingers too tightly when placing their hands.
“We asked Jack Nicklaus how did he hold it,” Park says. “He said, ‘It’s not where the fingers are strangling each other. They’re barely touching.’”
Using lighter pressure, Park says, can change everything.
How to grip it like Jack
While studying Nicklaus’ grip, Park made an interesting discovery.
“He gripped the club where the index finger of the left hand and the pinky of the right hand actually don’t even touch the club,” Park says.
To copy Jack’s grip (for right-handed players), keep your fingers relaxed as you interlock your right pinky and left index finger. As they come together, your fingers should link together lightly — no squeezing.
This allows the interlocked fingers to keep the hands connected while the other fingers and thumbs control the club. This also means that any pressure in your hands should be in the remaining fingers. If you’ve nailed it, your hands should feel secure, not tight.
“That frees up the grip. It makes the club a lot looser,” Park says. “That’s what we need to get the club releasing.”
In other words, Jack’s grip isn’t about locking the hands together — it’s about connecting them. Ease the tension instead of squeezing, and you’ll give the club the freedom to move the way Nicklaus intended.
