Comments on: Is the Next Putting Grip the Best Putting Grip?

By: Double Eagle

Double Eagle — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:21:24 +0000

Thanks, Paul.

I hope you don’t mind, but I just made the correction to your comment instead of just publishing both.

By: Paul Meyers

Paul Meyers — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:07:27 +0000

Interesting enough. Last time I switched grips it threw me off to the point of missing my initial putts. This puts things in a different perspective. It actually lowered my confidence but then after I made a slight adjustment to compensate the changed grip, it finally worked. I enjoy reading your blog and keep the great tips coming!

- Paul Meyers

By: mark

mark — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:06:40 +0000

Thank for the great putting grip tip.I never paid attention to putting
grip articles in the past.A slight change once a year probably does
give your mind and body a different way to putt.

Even something as simple as a putting grip.

Thank you

Mark Grove

By: Double Eagle

Double Eagle — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:40:11 +0000

Thanks, Joe, glad you enjoyed it. It’s interesting to note that in the year since I wrote this, I returned to my original grip and my putting is now (again, really) easily the strongest part of my game.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:33:32 +0000

Excellent article! I am using the same putting grip I have always used. I did experiment some with others but, just like my trusty driver, I always come back to the way I have always done it. I believe the reason so many do return to their original style of putting is the “comfort factor”. Its a matter of preference. Watching golf on t.v. or at the course or range, you see many ways to “get it done”. Granted, some look better than others. But hey, as long as it works for you, so be it.

By: Double Eagle

Double Eagle — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:57:21 +0000

I forgot to mention that in his Putting Bible, Pelz mentions some great putters over the years that have putted with a pendulum stroke: Bob Charles, Greg Norman, Dave Stockton, Andy North, Loren Roberts, and Phil Mickelson.

He also points out that during a 20 year period when he played against Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Watson, Crenshaw, Ballesteros, Faldo, and Norman, that George Archer holed a higher percentage of putts with a pendulum stroke.

By: Double Eagle

Double Eagle — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:59:31 +0000

Nick, Dave Pelz advocates a pure, in-line, square putting stroke. The hallmark of that is the pure-pendulum motion. The setup simply requires that the eyes are over the ball, the hands hang freely, directly below the shoulder line, and that the stroke be employed with shoulders only, with no aid from the hands or forearms.

If this is done correctly the putter will stay square to the line. Further, if it is square to the line at address and a PILS stroke is properly employed, then the grip cannot have an effect on either the putter path or on keeping the putter square throughout.

In fact, the grip is so unimportant, Pelz hardly covers it in his Putting Bible, other than to say that a player should employ a dead-hands grip, much like his finesse wedge technique.

Now, with the “screen door” method, the grip may factor in *slightly* more. But the putter path should still originate from the shoulders with no influence from the hands, wrists, or forearms. The only difference between that approach and the PILS approach is that the hands are not directly below the shoulders. When this happens, it is impossible to keep the face square without making compensations with the hands and/or forearms so it opens and then closes naturally throughout the stroke. Pelz showed this in his book using his putting robot.

By: Nick Fogelson

Nick Fogelson — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:30:47 +0000

Have to say I don’t really agree with you on this one. There is a right way to hold a putter. There are good putters that hold it all kinds of funky ways, but they have practed long and hard to make up for deficiencies in their grips. The right grip promotes a good stroke.

There are two types of grips –

!) grips that allow the putter to swing along the proper arc when the shoulders rock

2) grips that don’t.

In order for #1 to be true, the putter shaft has to lie as an extension from the shoulder to the ground. This is typically accomplished by holding the putter in the palms of the hands, preferably with both hands opposed to each other. This can be accomplished by lots of different grips (left hand low, claw, conventional, etc.), but this fundamental must be followed.

If this fundamental is not followed, the putter head will _by necessity_ leave the proper arc during the swing. As such, the player will be forced to manipulate the putterhead with his/her hands in order to keep the putterhead in the position perceived to be the proper arc.

A lot of people inadvertently hold the putter in their fingers like they would hold an iron or wood, and create a situation where the shaft of the putter is at a flatter lie than their shoulders. This does not promote a proper plane, as by necessity the putter will swing on a flatter plane than the shoulders.

Now this all assumes that you want the putterhead to be on an arc. If you want to swing straight back straight through, you should hold that thing as upright as possible and have a really short putter to allow yourself to be right on top of the ball. To me that’s crazy, but it seems to be what Dave Pelz promotes, despite the fact that almost all great putters (faxon, crenshaw, woods) swing the putter on an arc.

By: Scotty Cameron Putters

Scotty Cameron Putters — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:53:52 +0000

Hate to say it, but I’m one that has two different putting grips depending on the greens and how I’m putting.

If I’m having a good day and not pulling, I will have a traditional (conventional) grip.

But, if the greens are tough or I’m pulling it, I’ll switch to a crosshanded.

By: Hole High

Hole High — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:42:07 +0000

Hi Guys,
first post from across the pond.
Played against our club Pro last summer and although he said that I had a sound swing he thought that my putting grip was a bit unorthodox. I immediately changed to a more conventional grip. The new grip felt strange and uncomfortable and within 2 weeks I returned to my old grip.
I changed putters about 4 years ago from a Ping Zing to a Scottsdale nickel and the result probably didn’t convert to a lower score, but I felt a new sense of confidence in my putting stroke. Like you say it’s all in the mind. Even putting with a strange ball (we play a few foursome comps at my club) is enough to have an effect on my ability to feel fully comfortable over a putt.