Gripping the Putter

As you can imagine, good putting mechanics start in the grip and the movement of the hands. There are a couple things to remember when trying to understand the putting grip, for starters there is no perfect grip or a universal grip that all the pros use that you don't know about. Second, the most important thing about finding a good grip is to be comfortable just like everything else. The putt is the shortest swing and the smallest target on the golf course, which means that good grip mechanics and pressure are critical to avoiding costly mistakes.

The best grips share a few of the same basic fundamentals, first the palms need to be parallel to each other and parallel to the face of the club. The second rule is that thumbs lie face down and point down the shaft, this keeps the putter head from wavering and makes for an on-line stroke. The third most important part of a good putting grip is having the palms go down and rest against the sides of the shaft with the fingers wrapping around it. The most common grip we see in golf putting is called the reverse-overlap grip.

This is called so because the left forefinger which is usually wrapped around the grip is now brought over the last couple of fingers on the right hand which allows for the two hands to work as a single unit. Some players even extend the right forefinger down the shaft for more control. Having the hands both facing the target helps keep the face of the putter square during the stroke. The reverse overlap really helps to provide a sense of unity in your golf swing, by keeping either hand from getting too much in the way of each other. Having the thumbs both facing down is key because they provide the most amount of feedback.

How tightly you grip the putter is also important to improve your putting mechanics. Now we want to find some nice middle ground, the putter cannot be held like a vice grip neither have hands get in the way of each other. What does help to remember though is the lighter you grip the putter the easier is it to feel the weight of the putterhead on the end of the shaft.

In a scale of 1 to 10 a five or a six should be the highest you want to go with your grip. Try the toothpaste trick by holding a tube of toothpaste as you would a putter and squeeze just until the paste shows itself, if it is squirting out then you need to turn it down a notch Rambo. Remember it is all about being comfortable, finding the best grip for you to really keep the putter face straight and keep control of the ball.