Anatomy of the putting grip – How to Hold the Putter
How you hold the putter can be the difference in making putts or missing them. Holding your putter in an anatomically balanced position will greatly improve your putting and ability to make more putts more often, while holding it with an upcock will do the opposite.
What is anatomical balance?
This is where the arms and hands are hanging naturally and in a neutral position. This allows for the most efficient movement and enhances your ability to improve the putter path, face angle and contact point. From your shoulder socket to your elbow, your upper arm hangs vertically and in almost a straight line. From the elbow joint to the wrist joint, there is an angle (often at 74 degrees – or 16 degrees off vertical). From the wrist joint to the finger tips the hand hangs very close to vertically again, similar to the upper arm. It is important that your arm and hand is in the same, or very similar position, during the putting setup and stroke. Failing to do so, opens the body up to moving in excessive ways; too much flexion and extension of the wrists during the stroke, which will negatively effect the putters face and path and leave you making less putts.
How to hold the putter
To ensure you are holding the putter correctly it is advised that the grip run through the lifeline of the lead hand. For many using a ‘standard’ lie angle putter (71 degrees) this will likely lift the heel off the ground and require you to have the putter bent more upright. When holding the putter in this fashion there will be a straight line upwards from the putters head to the elbow; i.e. there will not be differing angles of the putters shaft and the forearm. If you are experiencing the latter, there is an increased chance you are upcocking your wrists where the thumbs are moving closer to the top of your forearm (radial bone). When this happens there is more play in the wrists and an excess of the wrists flexing and extending during the stroke. When this happens you are highly reliant on proper timing and without it run a great risk of missing putts.
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