Putting cross-handed.

delc

delc

Blackballed
Banned
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
5,375
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
Following the examples of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, I have been putting cross-handed for the last few weeks, Whilst my putts generally go off in the right direction with this method, it feels a bit clumsy and I have little feel for distance, often leaving long putts 6 feet short or 6 feet past. I am also prone to over hitting short putts. Can I ask anybody who uses this method for any tips on distance control? Or is it just a case of practice and perseverance?
 
delc said:
Following the examples of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, I have been putting cross-handed for the last few weeks, Whilst my putts generally go off in the right direction with this method, it feels a bit clumsy and I have little feel for distance, often leaving long putts 6 feet short or 6 feet past. I am also prone to over hitting short putts. Can I ask anybody who uses this method for any tips on distance control? Or is it just a case of practice and perseverance?
Click to expand...

Practice I guess. I changed to this method a couple of weeks ago but I instantly felt more comfortable with it and my distance control was actually better.

If after a few weeks you still dont have the hang of it then maybe it isnt the grip for you.
 
I've putted cross-handed for years, and yes there is a trade-off with feel for distance putts. It does take time to bed in though, when I first went cross-handed I had trouble with overhitting shorties, but the feel for short putts will develop in time.

As for distance putts, for putts > 20 feet or so, I tend to use the conventional putter-grip to get the ball up to the hole and only switch to cross-handed for putts inside that distance.
 
Cross handed? Is that Left Hand down? If so, I started doing it after watching Speith do it at the masters and it has honestly revolutionised my putting. I need to ensure the right hand takes control and the left is very passive, but shorter putts are much easier and even longer putts tend to get closer than when I had a conventional grip. Much happier and won't be changing back.
 
I changed to left hand down(used to putt the normal way for probably the first 3 years of playing and since been left hand down).

Took quite a while(at least half a dozen rounds at a guess) to get used to it and for it to feel almost normal. Now the normal putting grip feels really weird and strange!!

I always look at the hole whilst having a couple of practise strokes, imagining if I was rolling the ball at the flag with my hand, effectively feeling the putt/rhythm of the putt stroke and try to feel that on my real stroke.

I would have thought you are not fully feeling the putt at the moment, hence why you are massively over or under.

Give it time, any change takes time.
 
Delc I switched last year. Go out and find a flat bit of putting green. First off put down a tee peg then another 3 feet away. Try and putt all three balls so they just reach the tee peg. Then move back a foot at a time to ten feet away and keep trying to putt three consecutively the same pace.

Then have a tee peg 10 feet away another 12 feet and another 14 feet and try and putt one ball to each tee

Final game I play is to putt one ball to about thirty feet and then try and putt the next one to just kiss it and repeat with the final one.

As your brain gets used to understanding the length of the backswing for short mid and longer distances it will start to improve your on course feel :) Have fun 👍
 
If I'm having a bad time with putting I will change my grip for a few weeks. I have no intention of keeping the new grip. The period away from 'conventional' tends to fix it. Once I return I always putt way better
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Another week and another thread trying something different on the greens. Get a grip and set up and stick with it. Practice. It's not rocket science
Click to expand...

I changed over to cross-handed putting after having a bad day on the greens with the claw grip. It seemed to work OK on the practice green so I tried it on the course for several rounds. This confirmed my previous experience that it's good for direction, but not so good for distance. In another thread I bemoaned a very poor round which was partly down to too many 3 putts. I changed back to claw grip today and putted pretty well with it, so maybe it's the best grip for me. Watching the WGC Matchplay tournament on TV, I noticed that Phil Mickelson was using the claw grip again and seemed to be holing everything. Lee Westwood putting cross handed was missing everything!
 
Tried this the other week, looks like there's a common theme as my aim got better but distance judgement was way off. I think trying it has helped with my normal technique so I'll continue to practice with it now and then.
 
Try practising working on taking the putter back then going through twice as far.

It helps tempo, pace control, acceleration into ball and many other things.
 
delc said:
I changed over to cross-handed putting after having a bad day on the greens with the claw grip. It seemed to work OK on the practice green so I tried it on the course for several rounds. This confirmed my previous experience that it's good for direction, but not so good for distance. In another thread I bemoaned a very poor round which was partly down to too many 3 putts. I changed back to claw grip today and putted pretty well with it, so maybe it's the best grip for me. Watching the WGC Matchplay tournament on TV, I noticed that Phil Mickelson was using the claw grip again and seemed to be holing everything. Lee Westwood putting cross handed was missing everything!
Click to expand...

But this is my point. Surely chopping and changing every few weeks and not sticking with one or practicing regularly, is going to just add inconsistency in terms of pace and feel. Just my opinion
 
HomerJSimpson said:
But this is my point. Surely chopping and changing every few weeks and not sticking with one or practicing regularly, is going to just add inconsistency in terms of pace and feel. Just my opinion
Click to expand...

I went back to the claw grip today, and despite minimal recent practice my distance control (and direction) was very good. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Putting Meltdown
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
Bratty
Bratty
N
Putting Drills
Replies
9
Views
1K
clubchamp98
clubchamp98
O
Cack-handed/cross-over grip/‘Hurling’ grip
Replies
16
Views
5K
banterranger
B
M
Right hander now putting left handed
Replies
15
Views
6K
larmen
L
B
Putting woes!
2 3
Replies
42
Views
5K
garyinderry
garyinderry
Top