The Claw Grip: Have you tried it?

Practiced with the claw during the winter (closest comp to style is probably Fleetwood) and actually started the year with it. Easier to start the ball online and my distance control wasn't awful, but had a hard time putting a good roll on the ball -- putts seemed to skid on me.

Switched back to cross-handed after two or three rounds and I think I'll stay there. Much more confidence on long and short putts.
 
I switched to the claw about 6 months ago for any putt under about 15 feet. Much better control for me as I was getting a little wristy. Longer putts I'm still left hand low, I haven't has too much success with the claw on long putts.
 
Switched to it a couple of years ago and haven't looked back.
 
I took lessons using the claw last year, didn't help and was off more on long putts. Switched to left hand low, and get compliments on my accuracy. Now if I could just master fairway woods...
 
Yep, absolutely hated it. Only different grip I have tried with any resemblance of success was going cross handed, and even then it wasn’t great.
 
Been using it for around six months myself. Mine is probably a little closer to the saw grip. Patterned it after Chris Dimarco's version. I have fooled around with other ways to rest by right lower hand and having it move horizontal just seems to work better for me. Distance control was the hardest thing in the beginning.
 
I’ve only experimented with it at home but am intrigued to try again now. I couldn’t get comfy with it but I will take a closer look at the technique and see if I was even doing it right
 
Enjoying this discussion. I have not tried a "claw" styled putting grip for any length of time.

Sometimes doing something unfamiliar with my putting grip helps, but this help has always been short lived. Left hand low is something I changed for over a year and, while my alignment improved, it took a while before I became comfortable with distance. Then, about the time I had confidence in my touch; I stopped seeing the alignment benefits.

Having tinkered with different styles and returned to more familiar ways: I'm interested in who has tried and stayed with the claw grip.
 
I putted claw for over 5 years straight back in the late 1990's early 2000's. I don't putt as well with it over 20 feet butt I do sometimes switch to it on shorter putss if I've been struggling a bit inside of 15 feet.
 
Used it a lot before mainly inside 20ft. Its a weaker hit as one wrist is locked up. I have found the putter length needs to be a tad longer to get into the same posture with the lower right hand. The grip needs to be bit wider and flatter front to hang on to. If you go 'slightly' longer you can do this with a 10-20g heavier grip and slide it on, then pull it back a tad off the end of the shaft cheating a +1/4 to 1/2 inch without reshafting. the slightly heavier grip should bring your sw back. Suggest sw d2-d4... heavier gets wogly if that's a word. Ideal would be 1/2in longer and 1 sw point less.
 
I used the claw grip for 3 years, quite awhile ago.
I found that shorter putts were ok with the claw, but for the life of me I couldn't get the feel for longer putts(15ft and out).
After struggling with switching grips for longer putts, I went to the reverse overlap and the SuperStroke Slim 3.0 and never looked back.
I have become a very good putter with the switch and working on the stroke.
 
I've messed around with it on the putting green but much like left hand low it just doesn't feel comfortable to me and I think I would struggle on longer putts.
 
I have messed around with it alot, but it just does not feel natural, so I never stuck with it.
 
I've got 27 holes of golf this weekend, and I think I'm going to break out the claw for at least 9 holes of them. Spent some time with it in the office, and I was amazed at how many putts I had on line. Looking at the arc on putts, it seemed way more consistent as well.
 
I've got 27 holes of golf this weekend, and I think I'm going to break out the claw for at least 9 holes of them. Spent some time with it in the office, and I was amazed at how many putts I had on line. Looking at the arc on putts, it seemed way more consistent as well.

Slippery slope you’re about to go down. You start and you’ll be like oh no.. This feels way more solid. Have I been that bad a putter the conventional way?
 
Slippery slope you’re about to go down. You start and you’ll be like oh no.. This feels way more solid. Have I been that bad a putter the conventional way?

I think I have been a bad putter the conventional way? It’s been a while since I really feel like I’ve putted well. Current putter has helped a ton but still comes in great stretches and terrible ones
 
I think I have been a bad putter the conventional way? It’s been a while since I really feel like I’ve putted well. Current putter has helped a ton but still comes in great stretches and terrible ones

This is how I feel too. I've been practicing with the claw at home all wee after reading this thread and plan on putting it in play this weekend to see how it goes.
 
I have and some of my best putting streaks have been w/ the grip. Much better at keeping the head online esp inside 15 feet. Struggles came in the longer putts keeping speed. I do go back to it from time to time.
 
I have used it quite a bit. Nowadays it's more of a corrective grip. If I start getting a little handsy in my stroke, I'll switch it up for a round or so and it seems to quiet everything back down.
 
I have and some of my best putting streaks have been w/ the grip. Much better at keeping the head online esp inside 15 feet. Struggles came in the longer putts keeping speed. I do go back to it from time to time.

That’s where I have the most issue too. Sometimes it just has to due with the feel of the putt coming off more solid, that I don’t need quite as much oomph on it? And that’s 100% lack of practice
 
So I've tinkered with it here and the for a few putts on the putting green over the last year or so, but never really practiced it and certainly never tried it on the course, until recently.

Been putting pretty poorly for about a year now and enough is enough. Finally put a few solid sessions of practice in with the claw grip over the past few weeks and tried it out for the first time in a round. Been shooting high 70s to low 80s over the past year but this past Wednesday I shot a 73. Best round since about this time last summer, right before my putting had gone south.

I putted the ball really well, once I got over the "self conscious" factor of it all. Made everything 5 feet and in. Chipped better, knowing I didn't HAVE to get it within inches. Clearly translated to my whole game,. Amazing how confidence in making putts can really take pressure off the entire rest of your game!

This was just one round though, but I feel like I may be on to something...

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Good thread. Have tried a few different ways with the claw. Have found the best (for me) to be the Webb Simpson/Jim Furyk style with the arm lock putter and the low hand across the top of the grip. I get the grip all the way into the crotch between thumb and forefinger and put 3 fingers on top of the grip, making sure that the pinky finger touches the right side of the grip. This gets my hands into the same position every time.
Have found that distance control is much better and short putts (within 8 or 9 feet) are almost automatic. Have had some of my better putting rounds with this combination. Didn’t think I had the yips, but just didn’t have a smooth swing path with a more “conventional grip.
Also tried the claw with a counter-balanced putter that is about 39” with some success.
 
Have tried it in my basement before for 6-10 putts from time to time, roll does feel smoother, but still feels weird to my hands.
 
I just looked up Tommy Fleetwood's grip on YouTube. I think I'll give it a go when I play Friday and see what happens!
 
I started using this my last two rounds with an oversized pistol grip & it's amazing at how much I like it. 🤯
 
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