Which Putting Grip Style is Right for You

Why Your Putting Grip Style Matters

The type of putting grip you use has the most direct influence on your putting and is one of the most important elements of equipment and also of technique when it comes to playing golf. How you hold your putter can affect your mechanics, feel and confidence on the green and on the scorecard. Varied putting grips can help coerce varied hand positions, reduce wrist action and therefore dictate just how well you can control distance and direction once on the green. Whether you’re traditional or experimenting with golf putter grips, it’s important to know how different putting grips styles influence your stroke.

The feel from your hands to the putter grip which a good quality golf putter grip can provide is the proper feedback for you to develop touch and feel. Your putting grip should also correspond to the same physical attributes or tendencies that occur when you are physically holding a putter in your hands, the same as when your hands come together on a putter the dominant hand is a strong factor in distance control, alignment, and overall confidence on putts. Professional golfers often experiment with different grip styles throughout their careers when they're struggling, understanding that even small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in their putting performance.

6 Most Popular Putting Grips Explained

1. Conventional Grip

The traditional putting grip continues to be the most popular among golfers of all skill levels. Your left hand is above the putting grip tradition and your right hand sits below in a snug and comfortable position. The one defining element of this old-school grip is that your left index finger curls over the fingers of your right hand, to create a unified connection, in order for the putter to swing in a pendulum as you hit the ball.

This traditional putting grip enables the hands to work as a team as the left wrist is kept nice and stable, the right hand supplying feel and control. Good, quality golf putter grips will compliment this type of approach by offering consistent grip pressure and traction that give you the type of feedback necessary to retain the right pressure during your stroke. 

Cross-Handed Grip

The cross-handed grip, also called the left hand low grip, just shifts the traditional hand position but creates a smoother putting stroke doing so. It’s as though your left hand goes down the club and your right hand goes up the club, and those opposite directions can lead to less wrist action occurring. This left hand low putting grip may be one that could work for you if you struggle with an overactive right hand, or if you don't feel comfortable with a traditional grip.

Many pros have switched to the cross handed grip because of the control it gives your left wrist and for the solid putting base it provides. Provides a more stable position for the left hand which helps the shoulder to move on the correct path which reduces face rotation. When paired with the right golf putter grip for your hands, wrist, and stroke, this putting grip can lead to better distance control and improved accuracy and is especially great for players that push or pull with a traditional grip.

3- Claw Grip

The claw grip represents one of the most distinctive putting grips styles, featuring a unique right hand position that resembles a claw-like hold on the golf grip. In this putting grip style, your left hand maintains a relatively conventional position while your right hand grips the putter with your thumb on top and fingers wrapped around the grip in an almost vertical orientation. The claw grip eliminates excessive right hand dominance and creates a more stable stroke for improved consistency.

4- Arm Lock Grip

The lock on arm has been a great way for golfers to find that ultimate stability and confidence in their putting stroke. This putting grip consists of an extended left arm against the shaft pointing to a locked position with no hand or wrist action, encouraging a stroke with shoulders. The arm lock position is dependent on putters that have been designed for a specific face configuration and a corresponding golf putter grip that is designed to fit with the special hand and arm placement which are required for performing this putting technique.

When used correctly the arm lock grip gives you a very stable putting stroke which is more of a shoulders putting stroke and not a hands and wrist putting stroke. This putting grip style works particularly well for golfers who struggle with distance control or have difficulty maintaining consistent tempo under pressure. The arm lock position requires practice to master, but many golfers find significant improvement in their putting statistics once they adapt to this unconventional but effective grip style.

5- Prayer Grip

The prayer grip, sometimes called the cathedral grip, positions both hands in a parallel fashion that resembles hands pressed together in prayer. This unique putting grip style places both palms facing each other on opposite sides of the golf grip, creating equal pressure and eliminating hand dominance issues. The prayer grip promotes a pure pendulum motion that relies on shoulder and arm movement while minimizing wrist action throughout the putting stroke. This alternative putting grip style works exceptionally well for golfers who struggle with one hand overpowering the other during their putting stroke.

6- Pencil or Forearm Grip

The pencil or forearm grip is very different from traditional putting grips styles, involving a unique hold that extends well up the forearm for maximum stability. In this putting grip style, the putter grip extends up your left forearm, creating a stable connection that virtually eliminates all wrist and hand action during the putting stroke. This technique requires specialized equipment, including extended golf putter grips designed specifically for this unconventional but effective approach.

While not commonly seen among recreational golfers, the pencil grip has proven successful for players who struggle with traditional putting methods. This putting grip style creates a completely different stroke that relies entirely on body rotation and eliminates the timing elements associated with hand and wrist action. The extended grip position requires specific putter specifications and considerable practice to master, but can provide remarkable consistency for golfers willing to commit to this unique approach.