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The ways golfers grip their putters varies widely because playing well with this particular club depends a great deal upon "feel." Some players find more scoring success if the right or left hand has a more dominant role in guiding the ball to the hole. Others putt best when their hands are placed in a more neutral position, with their shoulder pivot playing a more dominant role in how far and how fast the ball rolls toward the cup.
Paying close attention to the ways professional golfers grip their putters, as well as monitoring their putts-per-hole ratios, can aid in the assessment of which putting grip style you should choose. However, there is no better method in choosing a grip style than practice and willingness to alternate between styles to find the ideal fit. For starters, try some of the most basic putter grip styles and gauge your scoring progress accordingly.
The "Basic" Facts
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Standard putter grip techniques remain true whether the golfer is left- or right-handed.
The vast majority of golfers (professional and recreational) were taught to rely on a putting grip where the lead hand is positioned higher than the trailing hand, and the index finger of the lead hand is cupped between two fingers of the trailing hand. The key to success with this grip style, commonly called the "reverse overlap," is keeping both hands close together with the thumbs pointed straight down.
The "Claw" Technique
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Increasingly, golfers are finding success on the putting green using a grip technique called the "Claw." This putting grip style only employs the palm of the leading hand, while the trailing hand grips the putter with only the thumb fingers. And it relies on the trailing hand to strike the ball with the desired speed and direction toward the hole.
The "Cross-Hand" Technique
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Some golfers fail to putt well because their trailing hand plays too dominant a role in their stroke. To correct this, the cross-hand grip technique can be employed. With the lead hand positioned below the trailing hand, the pivot of the golfer's shoulders guides the balls movement toward the hole more than the wrists and hands.
eHow Article: Ways to Grip a Putter
