Putting is a feel shot, so to make more putts you need a great putting grip in order to control the speed and distance of the golf ball. Find the putting grip that’s comfortable. Some teachers suggest a grip in which the palms of each hand face each other, with the thumps of both hands on top of the club. Most teachers will teach a grip that they have found to be most successful. However, there are lots of effective putting grips.
Here are a few grips to play around with. Begin with your standard golf grip, the one you use from tee to green. Next, try a reverse, overlap grip. Put the little finger of your bottom hand on the club and drape the index finger of your top hand over the fingers of your lower hand. Then try a cross-handed grip: take your top hand and put it bellow, and place your bottom hand on top.
There are excellent putters using variations of all three of these grips. Don’t be persuaded that only one grip is the correct way, the most comfortable grip is the right grip for you. Although there is one common thread in every grip, it’s the light touch, so do hold your putting grip as lightly as possible.
Any grip that allows you to maintain a putter head square to the line of the stroke, helps you to maintain a stroke on the target line, and helps you to control the speed of the putt.
Once you have established your putting grip, the actual stroke, or putting motion comes from rocking the shoulders. Your arms, coupled with the shaft of the putter, unite to become the arm of a pendulum. The head of the putter is the weight at the bottom of the pendulum. Your shoulders should provide the energy to swing it. Your wrist should not come into play, just a rocking motion back and through, with your arms shoulders and hands moving as one unit.
Putting drills are great for improving your putting. A great putting drill to use is to take 25 balls from 5 feet and attempt to sink every putt. If you miss the 19th putt then you must start over again! Then move back a couple of feet and try another 25 putts. Over time you will be sinking putts blindfolded! Your confidence levels will be so high you will be looking to make every putt you see from any distance. Putting drills are also great as you can do them at home during the winter months, or in the office whilst the boss is away!