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The Pros - hand positions when putting versus normal swing hand positions.

Luchnia

Luchnia

You will never conquer golf.
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Watching some of the PGA pros the other day and watching their hand positions while putting got me thinking about how many of us use that hand position for putting. First, what you will notice is that a lot of the pros that swing right handed use a normal grip for all the other clubs with the left hand toward the end of the club and right hand down the shaft in whatever grip style they use - overlap, vardon, baseball, etc.

When using the putter though, a good number of them use the left hand down the putter shaft and the right hand up near the end of the putting shaft. Of course they putt fantastic, yet watching them is just seems unnatural to putt this way because they don't swing their other clubs that way. I wonder what is it that promotes this for them - maybe it is left hand guiding the stroke, or some other behavior with the putter they are trying to accomplish?

I have tried it and it does not conform for me at all. I feel it is counter-intuitive. I am sure I could learn it, but not sure I would desire to. I don't find many amatuers, LPGA, or others using this type of putting stroke and certainly not the average golfers out there.

I am not sure what the statistics are for the number of pros that use it, but it sure seems like a lot do. Anyone have any insights on why some use this hand position when putting?
 
need some images. i can’t visualize what you’re describing.
 
I play left hand low and have for about 6 or 7 years.
 
i did left hand low for awhile. it’s supposed to quiet the right hand if it gets too overactive.
 
McLovin said:
i did left hand low for awhile. it’s supposed to quiet the right hand if it gets too overactive.
Click to expand...

Its the reason I switched. Overactive right hand that was killing distance control and when I tried to freeze the wrists, I would push/pull due to the tension. Going left hand low really quieted the hands and made it easier to keep the ball online.
 
I’ve been left hand low for a bit over a year and it’s led to better putting and speed control. The feeling of it being unnatural fades after about a week of practice.
 
Very interesting - so it seems there is a tendency to quiet the stroke down when putting left hand low and possible "twisting" the putter head as much. I would imagine some folks are too intense using the right hand which leads to the left hand low and leading. You learn something every day :cool:
 
I tried left hand low a few times over the years, but just couldn't feel comfortable with it and my putting suffered when I did try it so I have stayed with a conventional grip

My usual playing partner switched to left hand low earlier this year and feels it has helped him, and I know a few other people who putt that way but it isn't for me
 
Luchnia said:
Very interesting - so it seems there is a tendency to quiet the stroke down when putting left hand low and possible "twisting" the putter head as much. I would imagine some folks are too intense using the right hand which leads to the left hand low and leading. You learn something every day :cool:
Click to expand...

Less about twisting and more about break down of the wrist. In a 'normal' hand position, subconsciously its like your other golf grip/swings. In a wedge or driver, your right hand naturally releases through the ball and the left hand becomes the guide. When you put a putter in your hand, you may ( not always and everyone ) get the same subconscious feel and without even thinking about it, release the right wrist through the putt. Left hand low for me at least made it different enough that I could focus on it as a different swing feel/muscle memory. My left hand drags and the right hand stabilizes which is the inverse.

At least that's how I justified making the switch. :D

Just as a side note, I tried the claw grip as well and although I had the most accuracy within 5 feet with it, my speed control anything outside of that was pure garbage. :D
 
I tried left hand low for awhile. Could never get 100% comfortable. My favorite putting stroke on tour is Rickie. He doesn't do left hand low but I really like his stroke. Jordan is a left hand low guy and I think after the success he has had a lot of people started trying it. It is suppose to quiet the hands and give a more level shoulder plane at set up.
 
Something that has helped my putting has been making sure I grip the putter through the palms and not the fingers.
 
I tried left hand low for a few months. Short putts were good, but my distance control on longer putts sucked. It's supposed to quiet the hands/wrists, but for me it just killed my feel.
 
I don't think I've even ever tried it fooling around. Seems all wrong to me. I'd feel closed, or pulling across if I wasn't.
 
Years and years ago, before it became as popular as it is now, I used to putt Left Hand Low. I don't know why I got away from it but I have been using a reverse overlap with pretty good success. One thing I do with that reverse overlap is make sure the left index finger is "relaxed" and not extended straight as being "relaxed" it takes tension out of the equation.
 
Whatever works and is consistent.
 
Left hand low has been around for a few decades that I know of.

It does quiet the right hand, and at one time (still is ?) was a decent fix for some golfers, dealing with the putting yips.

The idea has been tossed around, that in any normal right handed grip, the left hand guides the club through the impact zone, while the right hand supplies the power. Be your own judge on that theory. Sound plausible to me.

I have also read it worked better for a straight back, straight forward putting stroke. I tend to agree with this after using it a few times.

I have also heard it worked well for those golfers who use a mallet type putter. Not sure about that myself, but maybe.

It's not my normal grip for putting, but on occassions I will use it when I get a glitch in my putting back stroke that is caused by my right hand. Sometimes my right hand will take the club head back, out side my back stroke line, which on the forward stroke will cause me pull putts. (An outside to in stroke) LH low seems to be a good temporary fix for that, when I need it.

I have also seen the left hand low grip used for chips, and pitch shots. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that some golfer, some where is using it for all their full swings to.
 
McLovin said:
i did left hand low for awhile. it’s supposed to quiet the right hand if it gets too overactive.
Click to expand...
Yep this is why I do it. It improved my putting almost immediately.
 
Luchnia said:
Watching some of the PGA pros the other day and watching their hand positions while putting got me thinking about how many of us use that hand position for putting. First, what you will notice is that a lot of the pros that swing right handed use a normal grip for all the other clubs with the left hand toward the end of the club and right hand down the shaft in whatever grip style they use - overlap, vardon, baseball, etc.

When using the putter though, a good number of them use the left hand down the putter shaft and the right hand up near the end of the putting shaft. Of course they putt fantastic, yet watching them is just seems unnatural to putt this way because they don't swing their other clubs that way. I wonder what is it that promotes this for them - maybe it is left hand guiding the stroke, or some other behavior with the putter they are trying to accomplish?

I have tried it and it does not conform for me at all. I feel it is counter-intuitive. I am sure I could learn it, but not sure I would desire to. I don't find many amatuers, LPGA, or others using this type of putting stroke and certainly not the average golfers out there.

I am not sure what the statistics are for the number of pros that use it, but it sure seems like a lot do. Anyone have any insights on why some use this hand position when putting?
Click to expand...

If you look at the best putters on the PGA Tour, about half of them use an unconventional grip(not just the normal reverse overlap that was the standard for so many decades). Here are the top 12 this year in strokes gained putting and off the top of my head I see at least six that have an unconventional putting grip/style. I’ve tried most of them - long putter, belly putter, left hand low, claw, pencil, arm lock, etc. and all have their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately none have made me a great putter. I’m better than your average golfer but definitely worse than the norm for my index. A sports psychologist is likely my next step, lol.

DE2A4461-40D4-49F1-B10A-6D09F8E71A70.jpeg

DE2A4461-40D4-49F1-B10A-6D09F8E71A70.jpeg
 
tahoebum said:
If you look at the best putters on the PGA Tour, about half of them use an unconventional grip(not just the normal reverse overlap that was the standard for so many decades). Here are the top 12 this year in strokes gained putting and off the top of my head I see at least six that have an unconventional putting grip/style. I’ve tried most of them - long putter, belly putter, left hand low, claw, pencil, arm lock, etc. and all have their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately none have made me a great putter. I’m better than your average golfer but definitely worse than the norm for my index. A sports psychologist is likely my next step, lol.

View attachment 8959828

View attachment 8959828
Click to expand...
Surprising to me to see Bryson there. I mean when he’s on he’s on, it just seems like he is really off at times as well.
 
tahoebum said:
If you look at the best putters on the PGA Tour, about half of them use an unconventional grip(not just the normal reverse overlap that was the standard for so many decades). Here are the top 12 this year in strokes gained putting and off the top of my head I see at least six that have an unconventional putting grip/style. I’ve tried most of them - long putter, belly putter, left hand low, claw, pencil, arm lock, etc. and all have their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately none have made me a great putter. I’m better than your average golfer but definitely worse than the norm for my index. A sports psychologist is likely my next step, lol.

View attachment 8959828

View attachment 8959828
Click to expand...
I think that shows how highly personal it is. Like most things with putting, whatever works for you is ultimately what's best for you.
 
Like what @tahoebum posted, tour pros use various techniques. Left hand low isn’t a magic grip as it’s all dependent on the player. And many of the tour pros cycle through various grip techniques/putters over the years.

If you start experimenting, be mindful that different grips may require a different putter fit. Some grips help produce more of a straight back/straight through stroke which typically requires a face balanced putter. Other grips tend to produce various degrees of an arcing stroke which typically works best with putters with various amounts of toe hang.
 
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