And Now, Deeper into the Putting Grip

I talked about my putting grip change a couple posts ago on why the putter in the lifeline of the left hand is a good idea. This, of course, was from my personal point of view, that is, my personalcrosshand point of view.

I don't think the grip I advocated would work for most people that putt conventionally tho. The left can't be very dominant in the stroke if held this way as the last three fingers cannot hold strongly enough to maintain constant firmness through the forward stroke.

(I read somewhere that Arnold Palmer did use the lifeline left hand grip but his case was different from what we do today. He actually anchored his left hand to his left thigh then dominated the stroke with the right hand only. And, according to Jack Burke Jr, so did others, including Bobby Jones.)

The reason I'm bringing this up is because I came across a Milas Filmater article where he talks about a putting grip being a palm grip and that "A good grip will significantly enhance your chances to achieve these goals (direction, distance). He doesn't say why. Here is why.

For proper direction, proper distance control and consistency of contact, the wrists should remain constant during the stroke. This means any bending, or side to side breakdown, should be eliminated. Shoulders (the 'engine' of the move), arms and hands working together. Gripping the club in the palms helps with this wrist firmness.

You will return the putter from its set-up position to impact position more consistently by applying this exercise and gaining its unique feel. Notice in the above exercise the club is held upside down. Do not grip the shaft, merely press the hands together. Retain this feel when you putt normally.

This will, as an added benefit, ensure that the shaft always extends into the body center, good for a pure swinging action of the putterhead.

Putting Grip Awareness

As winter has made its arrival in Minnesota, and my move to a warmer climate has been postponed, I've been practicing and experimenting with the putter on the living room rug, 30 - 45 minutes a day, is all, to keep the touch.

I've been putting crosshanded for 30+ years and I'm comfortable with the left hand low style. There have been good and bad putting days, of course, but overall I'm satisfied and would never use right hand low again. The yips that preceded the left hand low change over im-mediately disappeared and are 99% gone to this day. Other than reversing the hands vertically on the shaft, grip positions are exactly like my standard right hand low grip style of years earlier. 

The left hand grip position on the set of 2 pictures on the left is a replica of my right hand low days. The shaft is tucked under the heel pad ensuring the last three fingers kept a firm left side ahead of the right coming into the ball. For me my right hand was becoming too active and the left hand weaker. Other pros kept telling me to "...firm it up, grip harder with the last three fingers". But this was awkward. 

So I changed to left hand low but kept the old left hand grip.

30+ years ago.

I recently remembered advice I had heard or read somewhere years ago that the shaft should embed in the lifeline thereby aligning the shaft more inline with the forearm (right). A couple putts was all I needed to feel Square and Path like never before. Balls are struck more solidly and the sound of solid contact is great! And it seems very repeatable, simple; the club is literally locked in. And I don't get the feeling that I have to watch the club so much during the stroke. 

This is a huge change.

My putter: RayCook M1-X

Phil