How to Grip a Putter Like a Pro

If you’re new to golfing, you may wonder if there are differences in the way you should grip different clubs. The answer is…maybe. It depends on the situation and your comfort level. Most people, however, find that the most difficult club to figure out how to grip is the putter, and with good reason. As a beginner, we usually start out gripping the putter the same way we grip our fairway clubs, with an interlocking grip, but that doesn’t always give us the best sense of control and confidence, and can feel quite awkward. I don’t know about you, but watching the pros creates more confusion, not less: All of these grips have their strengths and weaknesses and there is no one right way for every golfer or even every shot. You need to decide how to grip a putter based on your comfort level, sense of control and oftentimes even the circumstances (the lie of the ball, distance from the hole and/or direction of the green). Below I will show you how to grip a putter using the most popular overlap putting grip, which feels more comfortable, gives you more freedom, and is less restricting your movement.

TERMINOLOGY DEFINED

To best understand the explanation of the grip, you must first understand the terminology.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Choose Your Putter

Choosing your putter is a very important part of your comfort, control, and success in golf. There are several different types of putters, so you will want to look for comfort, and balance. Much will depend on your individual stroke, so do your research. One helpful video can be found below Whatever you do, be sure to try the putter in the golf store or ask a friend to borrow theirs for a round of golf to ensure that you like the feel of it.

Step 2: Place Club in the Lead Hand

Place the grip in the middle of your lead hand. Make sure the end of the handle is lined up with the heel pad of that hand, with the fingers facing down and the thumb outstretched Photo credit: www.wikihow.com

Step 3: Grip the Club

Fold your hand around the grip so that the fingers form a fist facing up, away from the ball, and the thumb is on top of the shaft in a straight line from the wrist, down the club (not wrapped around the club). Think about how you hold a remote control Photo credit: www.wikihow.com 

Step 4: Link the Trail Hand with the Lead Hand’s Pinkie

Place your trail hand over the lead hand with your pinkie in between the forefinger and middle finger of the lead hand. This should result in your trail hand being lower on the grip by about 3 fingers with the fingers intertwined Photo credit: www.wikihow.com

Step 5: Overlap the Hands

Grip the shaft with the remainder of the finger from the trail hand, this time with the fingers creating a fist facing down. Place your trail hand thumb over your lead hand thumb so that they both form a straight line down the shaft of the club, pressing down lightly. It’s very important that both of your thumbs are placed along the shaft of the club because this gives you a greater sense of control Photo credit: www.wikihow.com

Step 6: Align the Face Head

You will want to place the face head of the putter in line with the golf ball so that the club is at less than about a 30-degree angle from your belly button. Make sure the face head is open, rather than at an angle down or up. Such angles can change the direction of the ball

Step 7: Aim the Putter

Note that your instinct will tell you to aim your club head at the hole, but you will want to study the green. Learn how to judge the break and grain of the green and, if possible, watch the way the ball moves for other golfers

Step 8: Swing

The power and direction of your swing depend on many factors including distance from the hole, the break and grain of the golf green, and the incline. So study up on the best ways to swing the putter based on circumstances, grip and your own most common errors

CONCLUSION

Putting may be one of the most difficult parts of golf, but learning to putt well can shed strokes off your game and make the difference between an enjoyable afternoon of golf with friends and a game that will make you want to throw your clubs in the water hazard. If you follow these steps on how to grip a putter, you will have good control of your putt. But remember, always study your game, identify common errors, and research the best ways to correct those errors. If you try this style of putting for a while and notice problems, consider trying a different style for a while and see if it improves your game. Even the pros do this from time to time, even Tiger Woods Did you enjoy this tutorial?  If so, please like and/or share the article with your friends. Please leave comments if you have questions or concerns