The daily article yesterday threw out the concept of using your playing grip for your putting grip. The article did not say this was dogma, but rather said we 'advocate' the grip. Webster's dictionary defines the verb advocate, as to speak or write in support of. The point is this is another good grip alternative to try if you are searching for good information to try in the quest to improve your putting. This was not written and given as a, 'you have to do it or you are wrong,' but as another alternative that does fit the requirements of a square and balanced grip to deliver the putter to the ball square to the aiming line.
One questioner asked, 'What does 'the hands mirroring the clubface' mean?' An answer given said that when the back of the left hand (for right handed golfer) and the clubface are square to the target/aiming line, then they are mirroring each other. This is correct. I also will add that I prefer to include the bottom right hand palm as the mirroring hand as we hold things in our palm to throw or hit. Since we are holding the putter to hit the ball and the right palm is facing forward as the club face is, I like to focus on that as the mirror for the clubface. My other main reason is that for putting, as well as hitting all the clubs, whatever the right (bottom) hand palm does, the clubface does exactly the same. This to me is a powerful visual connection that is mirroring at its best.
David's comment below, with his description of his open setup, forward ball position and stroke are all good points and very acceptable to developing a quality and successful putting stroke. David does not elaborate on his grip, but since he says his setup and swing method duplicates the pitching motion of the right hand, his right hand has to be square, facing the target line, to be pitching down the line. I am a strong believer in and putt from an open setup. Ken and Jack also putt from at least 30 degrees open as David recommends. I really like his reference to the open stance helping see the line and work with the hands more efficiently and effectively. But for some, a little more or less open than 30 degrees may work better. Another big issue to putting from an open stance is that putting has no swing through impact with the body standing up to the T-finish, square to the target. Putting with an open stance allows not only seeing the line better, but also swinging the arms, especially the right (lower arm), down the line and releasing the putter since there is no T ' Finish. So, here's DAVID'¦
David says:
'On the issue of good putting: I practice what I believe is the best method. I have shown it to many people and it has helped them a lot (from beginners to low handicappers.)
'This involves standing about 30 degrees open to the putting line, playing the ball off the toe of the front foot. The putter is drawn back no more than a foot from the ball and accelerated through the ball with an upward motion through the ball and down the target line. This method duplicates the pitching motion of the right hand (which just happens to have the putter in it) making the distance the ball goes automatic! It lets the natural brain-hand-eye coordination work as nature intended.
'I promise you if you use this method you won't leave putts short and will probably never three putt again providing you read them correctly!'
My last point on David's comment is that each and every one of us can take what he recommends to a tee, which is correct. What is more correct is for each of us to take it as our starting point and do some testing of trial and error, finding what is the best degree of open that matches our eyesight and hand coordination. We should also test ball position as I feel his off the toe of the front foot suggestion is again good, especially hitting the ball with an 'UPWARD MOTION,' may be the farthest forward it should be played. For some, playing it farther back may prove to be a better position for vision in seeing the line and making a solid on line 'upward motion' square impact. My point is, David's recommendations are good but don't be afraid to test slight adjustments or modifications as we all do not see the same and a slight adjustment may bring even better results.
The next comment or suggestion came from Nolan, who first gives a little background on his putting grip. He concludes by asking me what I thought about the 'Two Thumbs Grip.' He also provided a link to an article so we could all check it out.
Nolan says:
'This is one of the first articles that actually doesn't make me feel like a freak. Since starting PPGS six months ago I have used the same grip for all my shots, especially PUTTING. Even before starting PPGS I tried loads of different swings but they were just not comfortable. My playing partners all used to laugh about it. NO I HAVE PROOF THAT I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG.
Don, have you heard of the two thumb grip? I saw it when I went down to my local store last week. Have a look at this link:
http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/videotips/searchresults/Putting2/Two-Thumb-Putting-Grip/
The Surge says:
I like it, the two thumb grip. Both hands/palms are perpendicular to the ground meeting the standard of square to the aiming line. It is quite different, but I think will surely give one the feeling of both hands working as one unit and will provide a solid and square impact once one can work with it and develop the touch and feel.
I will say and stress here that many points of the PPGS setup and swing are open to testing slight variations of what is recommended for improved performance as I mentioned in reference to testing David's 30 degree open setup and ball position.
When something in the setup and swing are dogma I will positively make reference and point out that point as being absolute and should be followed closely.
Most everything else in the PPGS is open to testing and finding the optimum setup and swing positions for each of us individually. I wrote the PPGS MISSION STATEMENT last week and will do so again as I believe it says it all as regards this subject of fitting the instruction to you. The PPGS Mission is 'to help all golfers build the best setup and swing they are physically and mentally able to do for their ABILITIES and LIABILITIES to maximize the laws of physics and physiology.'
The PPGS works because it is 100 percent based on physics and physiology as the human body is designed to conform to the laws. The PPGS works for 95 percent plus of all golfers who embrace it with an 'open mind' and 'try it' as the blogs show. For those who feel something else works better for them that is great and stay with it. For those who like the PPGS, I am here to stay. And I will continue bringing you quality golf instruction on the body friendly PPGS.
The Surge!
Comments
I do know a couple of left
I do know a couple of left handers that putt right handed. I never asked them how that came about.
I putt right handed for one reason and that is someone gave me a right handed putter.
I can putt left handed very well but when I do I use the right hand low.
If I ever got the yips I wouldn't hesitate to get a left handed putter.
It actually started for me
It actually started for me when my English teacher couldn't read a paper and suggested that I either type it or print it legibly and since I couldn't type way back then,the rest is history. :)
@80steve55:disqus, pretty
@80steve55:disqus, pretty much everything you've said there matches me to a tee! (excuse the pun)
I'm genuinely amazed
Have you ever heard of a
Have you ever heard of a right handed golfer putting left handed to avoid putters twitch?
I put equally with both left
I put equally with both left and right hands..poorly.
Something for me to take a big look at
It has happened. Here is an
It has happened. Here is an interesting point. Watch which hand a player picks the ball out of the hole with. Likely this is the true handedness.
Sounds like you are left
Sounds like you are left handed and right eye dominant. That is the case with me. Also interesting is 95% of all people have the right side of the body stronger than the left. As with faces, the two halves are not symmetrical.
That's interesting.I don't
That's interesting.
I don't really know if I'm left handed or right handed.
I write, eat, shoot, shoot a bow, play pool, weld, and most things that require skill and precision left handed.
I throw, hit (a baseball or a golf ball), kick, fight, and anything that requires great strength right handed.
Some things are almost perfectly equal like throwing darts or playing table tennis.
Some things that should be equal, and are for most people like dribbling a basketball or shooting a lay up, I do right handed and am not very good left handed.
All that said I would definitely get a ball out of the hole with my right hand. I just figured it was because I put the ball in my right pocket because I have things in my left pocket like ball mark fixer and coins, that require a little more skill to get out of the pocket.
Edit: Oh, here's the real kicker. I write on paper with my left hand but I write on a blackboard with my right hand.;-)
Hey SGW,No I am very left eye
Hey SGW,
No I am very left eye dominant. That's the main reason I shoot left handed and I am even more uncomfortable shooting right handed than most right handed hunters are when shooting left handed.
You are right that the halves are not symmetrical. I am like two different people with each side. Even the things I do very well with either hand I do in different ways.
In table tennis I use a skill game and play by controlling spin when I play left handed. I use a power game when I play right handed.
P.S. When I played tennis I could never serve left handed but I could hit left handed forehand shots very well and often changed hands during a rally if there was a shot far to the left that was going to be hard to get to with a right handed backhand.
and here I thought I used my
and here I thought I used my right hand to retrieve the ball from the cup because someone eons ago taught me to always carry my clubs in my left hand. I believe that thought came from Harvey PenickÃÂ originally. I am right handed and about the only thing I could do with either hand was shoot lay-ups or hooks shots way back in the day.
Steve, your writing skills
Steve, your writing skills top mine, lol. My long hand was so bad I gave it up in the 10th grade, so my papers and such would be readable. The only thing in cursive I do is my signature on legal documents and the like.
I never really thought about
I never really thought about what hand I would carry a club with. Thinking about it now I am pretty sure that I carry any of my clubs with my right hand except my putter, which always seems to be in my left hand.
Maybe subconsciously goes to my using my left hand for precision.
(Although I putt right handed).
D, I haven't heard of one
D, I haven't heard of one that switches strictly (only for) his putting stroke but I would believe cross-handed putting would be used in a similar fashion and there seems to be a lot of that around.
You would fit right in with
You would fit right in with the kids today. Ha ha!
Even my own kids drove me crazy with their lack of penmanship.
They don't even have to learn to be good at it, and get to type most of the things they do in school on a computer.
Of course they are all getting by just fine.;-)