Speith this month in GM - cross hand putting

[TheCaddie]

Just got to the tips page by Jordan Speith in this months GM, and read through a few of his tip with a lot of interest. The cross hand putting grip in particular was a really interesting one as being a newb, I'd never heard of it.
So, does anyone do it? What is the difference? Can anyone vouch for it (apart from him obviously, which is a relatively good advocate! :rofl

By and large I feel my putting is quite good for where I am at, so not sure tweaking it would be the best option when I am currently struggling massively with my driver.....

 

[Dan2501]

Loads of pro's use left-below-right when putting. I've tried it and didn't like it, felt awkward and felt even harder to get a proper stroke on the ball. I've experimented with left-below-right, and a claw grip, but have gone back to a conventional as I feel I roll the ball more consistently that way.

[video=youtube;TC4rgtOa8OQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC4rgtOa8OQ[/video]

 

[azazel]

I often go left below right for short putts where feel isn't really an issue and the putt just needs to be hit "at the hole", if I'm having an off day with my normal stroke. I just don't feel comfortable judging the pace of longer putts with that method but maybe a serious amount of practice would sort that.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

I think I am going to practice left-below-right. It can't hurt, can it?!

 

[m10johnson]

In theory it should align your shoulders parallel to the ground and the forearms should be fairly in line too. This allows for a simple shoulder movement to create a very repeatable stroke.

I've tried it a few times and it certain gives a nicer roll, slightly hitting up on the ball.

 

[Jay1]

I went to left below right several years ago after struggling with short putts. After a few weeks getting used to the feel it improved my putting no end, even on distance putts.

However, a few months ago I started to really struggle to get the ball to the hole, and was missing the middle of the putter a lot, so went back to a conventional grip. My striking improved straight away and I started getting the ball past the hole again. I might go back to left below soon though, as I'm not holing as many putts as I'd like to and overall I feel I make less mistakes that way around.

 

[turkish]

Watched a Dave Stockton video yesterday on the golf channel and what he advocated more in spieths putting was the forward press he does and keeping the left wrist straight so you keep the putter low and don't come up out the shot...

Was quite interesting can be used for chipping too, then the opposite for height have a more active right hand

 

[bernix]

i read a very simlar article by padraig harrington in gm some 15 years ago. he strongly recommended putting left hand below right. i tried and ever putted this way since and i consider putting and bunker play as strengths of my game

 

[garyinderry]

I can't get on with it. I may aswel use a left handed putter. That is what it feels like.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't get on with it. I may aswel use a left handed putter. That is what it feels like.

You and me both. Tried it and hated it.

 

[Foliage Finder]

Tried it in my living room with GM open on the sofa next to me for guidance. Felt very awkward and I didn't hit it straight. So reverted back to normal for my round yesterday and holed out from 20ft. Rest of the round had another 1-putt, majority 2-putt, one 3-putt and a disastrous 4 putt. I'll accept two mistakes out of 18 as a novice!

 

[sportsbob]

I am just trying the switch to left below right. After one round, I certainly felt more comfortable over those short 3 ft putts but struggled with longer ones. Has given me the confidence to stick with it

 

[toffeelover]

Been going thru it with the short putts recently, so took the time to record Spieth putting this weekend, along with a couple of stills of his grip.

Got the putter sitting next to me by the PC, been practicing the grip and a smooth takeaway all week :thup:

Slightly tweaked the way he holds it, and it feels quite comfortable, so I've put the Odyssey Works Versa 1 purchase on hold 'til next week at least

 

[rickg]

Had a go and holed a 20 foot birdie putt first time out.....sticking with it as its giving me a better roll and the putts are starting on line more often.
Just got to sort out the rest of the game now as its gone South!

 

[AmandaJR]

Had a putting lesson today and tried it but felt so awkward we moved onto other options to try and quiet my right hand a bit. On the course I chatted to James, our county champ +2 player, and he said to try it for the next few holes. Par 3 7th was up next and hit a lovely 7i but 20' past the hole (boy do we need rain!) so putted cack-handed and nailed it! Persevered the rest of the round to try and get more comfortable and generally some positives for sure. I do wonder if some of it was that my head was so focussed on remembering what hand went where and what fingers then went where that I was more instinctive over the pace judgement.

Spent an hour or so on the practice green afterwards and found it imparted a more consistent roll and length of putt but did struggle to get the long ones past the hole. Could be I try what some do and that's use it for short, straight (knee trembler) putts!

 

[TheDiablo]

I'm a bad putter, tend to naturally push the ball right of target, so this has always been in my head when lining up which means I miss all over the place from within 10ft.

After some practice at home on the carpet, I found it really helped keep everything square, so I took this to the course last night (9 holes). Struggled with distance on anything over 20', but didn't miss a straight putt, of which I think I had 5 from around 5-8'. The ball rolled extremely well off the face and into the dead centre of the cup for each :thup:

Obviously a very small sample size for myself, but confidence is a huge amount in putting, so fingers (or should that be hands ) crossed that I've found something that works.

Off to the putting green tomorrow evening to see if I can figure out distance control!

 

[Hacker Khan]

I am just trying the switch to left below right. After one round, I certainly felt more comfortable over those short 3 ft putts but struggled with longer ones. Has given me the confidence to stick with it

I've putted with my left hand below my right for a long time now and it feels fine to me, helps with accuracy and I can judge distances no problems. OK I'm a lefty, but the point still stands.

 

[shortstuff]

Lead hand low is definitely good at straight putting. However I struggled to get any feel and therefore distance control suffered.

 

[MendieGK]

I moved to Left below right 5 rounds ago after 20years of not changing my grip. To start with it felt awful, but i was still making putts and starting the bal on the line that i had chosen.

Its now starting to feel fairly natural to me and i find that when i pick up the putter i am automatically holding the putter that way.

 

[alexbrownmp]

my putting is atrocious just now, for any putt any lenght, I can overshoot a 12 foot putt by 6 feet or leave it 3 feet short and 2 feet left or right

I am going to change to this, nothing to lose.

Is there a link to the article speith had?