Putting Grip 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Your Grip

on 06/15/2023 at 12:30 PM

Having the right grip is one of the most important aspects of being a successful putter. A proper grip will help you strike the ball accurately and give you more control over your putts.

In this guide, we will discuss the fundamentals of a proper putting grip and how it can help improve your performance on the course. By the end, you will better understand how to hold a putter to achieve optimal results.

What Is The Putting Grip?

The putting grip is how a golfer holds their putter when addressing the golf ball. It is essential to correct your putting grip to ensure consistent and quality contact for more control over the ball.

The most popular putting grip is either the reverse overlap or the crossed-handed grip. Both of these grips involve overlapping all your fingers or one finger of your lower hand on top of your upper hand.

The overlap helps provide balance and support for the wrists as you transfer power from your body to the club head. This type of grip also promotes consistency by locking both hands into one set position through impact with less chance for wrist action.

The reverse overlap works by overlapping approximately 1 inch of your little finger on top of your upper hand. Whereas the crossed-handed grip has you overlaying all four fingers and palm onto some part (or all) of your upper hand.

It’s important to note that neither grip works better than any other; it just comes down to personal preference, style, comfortability, and whatever helps you find more golf balls in the bottom of the cup.

Benefits Of Mastering The Putting Grip

Having a proper, consistent grip is a fundamental aspect of golf and one that can greatly impact your putting performance. While there are a variety of grips, the putting grip is the simplest to learn, and mastering it can give you a range of benefits.

The most obvious benefit is improved control over your shot. With a better grip on the club, you’ll have more stability when hitting tough putts. This means better accuracy, steadier shots, and less chance of mis-hitting or pushing the ball offline.

Also, proper grip technique will help you generate more power and precision behind your shots.

You can improve your short-game performance by mastering the fundamentals of putting grip. With practice and experience in handling different grips, you can adjust on the fly during games, even if you play on challenging surfaces or courses with different conditions from what you’re used to.

Grip Types

How you hold your putter can significantly impact the accuracy and distance of your putts. There are several different styles of grips available to choose from. This section will discuss the two main types – interlocking grip and reverse overlap grip – to give you an idea of the different options and help you find the one that’s best for you.

Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip is the most common type of putting grip. This style utilizes both the index finger and pinky finger from the lower hand to interlock with one of the fingers from the upper hand. The club is held between these fingers, forming what looks like a “V” shape when looking down at your hands on the club. Most golfers find this to be the most comfortable, secure, and accurate option for a putting grip.

To achieve this grip, follow these steps:

Line up your two hands on the club so that knuckles point upward away from you.

Place your lower hand directly over your upper hand, but rotate it slightly so that your palms face each other more than they face you or away from you.

Interlock both the index finger and pinky fingers of your lower hand with one of those same two fingers in your upper hand while keeping all other fingers engaged around the club (do not create a claw-like grasp).

Finally, adjust as needed until both hands feel firmly in place on opposite sides of the putter shaft – this will give you good contact with the clubhead and promote ultimate stability through impact for a solid roll to result!

Overlapping Grip

The overlapping grip is the most commonly used in golf and likely the grip taught to beginner golfers. It is also sometimes called the “Vardon grip” – named after Harry Vardon, one of the game’s greatest champions, who popularized this type of grip. To make an overlapping grip, place your left hand on your club first (for right-handed players), then place your right thumb on top of your left thumb and wrap the rest of your fingers around the club. Your right hand will be sitting directly on top of or overlapping with your left hand.

The benefit of this grip is that it enables players to keep both hands connected throughout their swing by giving their hands a secure point from which to pivot. This secure point helps generate consistency for all shots and can help reduce slices for players with a weaker golf swing. Furthermore, this type of grip generally allows for more power and distance than other grips for straight-hitter golfers, as well as allowing for more control over spin when chipping or pitching around the green.

One downside to this type of grip is that it can be difficult for bigger players with wider hands to get comfortable with it due to its limited flexibility compared to other types of grips. Additionally, because this type of pinch puts pressure mainly onto two fingers (the two pointer fingers) throughout the shot, it may put too much pressure on those two points, leading to injury over time if not monitored carefully.

10-Finger Grip

The 10-finger or “baseball grip” or traditional grip is the most common way to hold a putter. This grip involves positioning all 10 fingers on the putter’s handle in line with each other. This can give the player more control and accuracy, but it doesn’t always provide the power needed to make long putts.

First, to set up this grip, determine your dominant hand and place it at the bottom of the handle with your palm facing downward. The non-dominant hand should then be positioned near the top of the handle with a gentle interlocking of fingers. Both hands should press against one another throughout all strokes; using only one hand will not allow for control, particularly on long-distance shots.

The best way to practice this type of grip is by using an old golf ball or slightly deflated soccer ball in a controlled environment, such as in your living room or garage. Aim at targets from varying distances within that environment until you begin to feel comfortable with this technique before heading out onto the greens.

Basic Steps

Perfecting your putting grip is the foundation of having a great golf game, whether you’re a novice or a skilled player. Learning the basics of how to hold a putter is easy and can make a big difference in how your shots feel and look. That’s why it’s important to get the basics right before you start to focus on putting stroke mechanics.

Let’s go over the basic steps of how to hold a putter, so you can start to improve your golf game:

Position Your Hands On The Putter

Positioning your hands on the putter is one of the most important steps in getting a proper putting grip. Making sure that your hands are in the right position will give you superior control over the putter head and help ensure that you make consistent contact with the golf ball.

To ensure that your hands are properly positioned, start by holding the putter’s grip with your left hand just below the center. Since most people are right-handed, you can rotate your left wrist and get your left palm facing up.

Next, place your right hand on top of and slightly ahead of your left hand on the grip. Move it toward the end so it rests comfortably but not too tightly on top of your left hand. Arrange both hands so that their respective thumbs rest naturally beneath each other – as if they were shaking hands with each other – and adjust them as necessary until they feel comfortable. This gives you an ideal amount of even pressure between both hands, creating a firm yet relaxed grip with confident control over swing speed and direction.

Once both thumbs are in their appropriate positions, it is time to focus on connecting them with all ten fingers intertwined for greater unity between them. Letting all ten digits interlock allows for greater stability and control through impact while also providing feedback on how both wrists move throughout a stroke – it’s perfectly fine to practice multiple times until you find one comfortable set-up routine where everything falls into place just right!

Place Your Thumbs On The Grip

Taking a correct grip on the golf club is one of the most important elements of a good golf swing. To master your grip fundamentals, start by having all of your fingers touching, including your thumbs. Ensure that your hands are positioned around the club properly – pointing at your back ear on the left side and the right chest if you’re right-handed, and vice-versa if you’re left-handed. At this point, place one thumb at the top of each side of the grip. This will set up your positioning and make completing each step in the proper sequence easier.

Align both thumbs behind the grip so they are parallel with each other, pointing away from you, towards what would eventually be your target line – this will ensure that the shaft comes down squarely in the center of the hands when it’s time to swing. Fitting both thumbs securely into their spots will allow for a secure hold on any club you obtain during a round of golf – even those silly hatchet putters!

Place Your Palms On The Grip

When you’re beginning to learn the game of golf, the proper grip is essential to mastering your swing. Your grip can impact your ball’s flight, distance, and accuracy, so practicing getting it right is important. Here’s a step-by-step guide on getting a strong grip on your golf club.

Begin by lifting both hands so that your palms face one another and wrap them around the club’s handle. Place the little finger of your left hand just below the ring finger of your right hand, ensuring a gap between them equal to approximately one golf ball width.

Your hands should be in a neutral position at this point. Remember that as your grip pressure increases throughout the shot, this gap may reduce or increase depending on how hard or soft you grip it – but don’t try to make that happen yet!

Adjustments

Having a proper putting grip is an essential part of the golf swing. Understanding the different adjustments you can make to your grip to maximize accuracy and power is important.

From adjusting the pressure of your grip to angling the putter face, this section will discuss the different adjustments that you can make to your grip to get the most out of your putting stroke.

Adjust Your Grip Pressure

Adjusting the pressure of your grip can make a huge difference in the accuracy and consistency of your shots. Too little pressure, and you may tug or pull the cue; too much, and you could apply too much power and hit the shot far harder than you intended.

When developing your technique, practice adjusting the amount of grip pressure on each shot until it feels just right. To start, experiment with varying degrees of pressure using both palms of your dominant hand. Notice how it affects the movement of your stroke. Feel for that delicate balance between control and comfort, staying mindful to not press into your palm too hard.

A tighter grip can lock in consistent aiming speeds on all shots regardless of length; however, it can also cause jerkiness to enter when executing longer strokes. A loose version may be preferable for these kinds of shots – just be sure not to overdo it!

Experimentation is key here, so feel free to explore for yourself what works best for a particular situation or type of shot.

Ultimately, you want to find a balance between comfortable grip tightness that allows maximum control during every part of your stroke.

Adjust The Angle Of Your Wrists

Adjusting the angle of your wrists is critical to developing a solid, consistent putting grip. The right angle allows you to make better contact with the ball and keep your arms in a stronger, more natural position. It also helps prevent excessive wrist rotation when you go to make your stroke.

The ideal angle for your wrists is 45 degrees when you look down at your grip from address. This means that when you put both hands on the club in the address position, your thumbs will be pointing straight down and slightly inward at about 8 o’clock position on each hand. If you’re having trouble achieving this wrist angle, some players find it helpful to use an alignment stick along the shaft of their club as a reference tool.

In addition to adjusting the angle of your wrists, pay attention to their relative positions to each other when setting up for a putt. Your left wrist should sit higher than the right (remember: if lefty – opposite). This helps create natural loft and additional power and provides stability through impact with the ball and follow-through.

Finally, focus on keeping both hands in contact with each other throughout stroke execution – like they are glued together – maintaining consistent pressure throughout that connection point is key to settling into a repeatable rhythm and making successful shots!

Adjust The Angle of Your Elbows

Ideally, you want your wrists and arms to be aligned at a 90-degree angle for the most stability during your stroke. Your elbows should be bent and slightly away from your body, with the hands fairly close together. You’ll want to make minor adjustments to your grip as needed.

Begin by angling your elbows in toward the ball so that when you bend your wrists at impact, the clubface remains square. If there is too much deflective spin on the ball this way, gradually increase the angle of your elbows while lessening the degree of wrist bend (which will naturally cause more loft). Be sure not to increase it too much, as this can impart too much side spin on the ball.

Practice

Practice is key when it comes to mastering your putting grip fundamentals. Establishing the right habits early on can help you become a better and more consistent putter, regardless of skill level. The more comfortable you become with the basic putting grip fundamentals, the more successful you will be on the green.

Practice With A Drill

Drills are useful for getting into practice habits and improving specific elements of your golf grip. Most drills focus on breaking down the motions necessary to achieve a consistent golf grip, such as ensuring the use of all four fingers, proper placement of the thumbs, and feeling ideal pressure.

One simple practice drill involves taking a regular four-finger grip on your club and then turning the hands using a “hinge and hold” motion. Begin with each hand independently hinging your wrists about one inch in either direction. Then hold the pose for several seconds before repeating the motion in opposite directions with each hand.

Another drill is to try addressing an imaginary golf ball in the correct form, holding it for five to 10 seconds before releasing it. Repeat this process twice regularly while focusing on how your hands should feel while gripping.

Finally, different clubs will require slightly different gripping techniques (especially putting grips). Experimenting with various clubs can help familiarize yourself with the correct technique for all possible types of manipulation. Grip drills can help identify any potential issues or allow you to concentrate on minor details that could lead to lower scores in future rounds.

Practice With A Putting Mat

Practicing with a putting mat is an effective way of diagnosing and maintaining the right grip. It will give you direct feedback on your alignment and enable you to quickly adjust your positioning if necessary. Position the ball perpendicular to the line on which you intend to stroke it, making sure that when you stand over it, your arms form a “V” from your chest to the golf grip handle. Ensure that your arms are slightly bent and your wrists are angled ever-so-slightly towards the ground to get maximum power from the stroke.

Practice using an interlocking or overlapping grip (ideally, both). This can help prevent any twisting motion during putting strokes, leading to greater distance control and accuracy. Start by placing the little finger of each hand onto the intertwining fingers, and then place your thumbs directly behind the top part of each thumb for them both to be in one straight line. This will help maintain maximum stability during putting strokes.

Be gentle but firm – don’t squeeze too hard, as this could restrict movement in your wrists when swinging back and forth and hamper flexibility.