Who here putts with their pointer finger pointing down?

[A.Princey]

Occasionally when my putting feels off, I'll try gripping the putter differently. Last summer I putted for a few weeks with my pointer hooked on the edge of the grip (SuperStroke)

 

No argument from me here as I putt with index down, but I can already see what some of the haters are going to say about this take on an already 'questionable' style grip. Instead of hooking your finger under the edge, I would first shorten the putter, unless your grip is too short. By this I mean too small to accommodate your hands, plus an extended index finger.

[philly2kuk]

My father does it and he's a damn good putter. I've tried it previously and it didn't work for me. Putting is a very personal thing and if it works for you don't change it.

[2putttom]

This was one of the first things my coach pointed out to me. He said everyone he has seen us this grip, flips their wrists or does weird hand movements when putting and it throws everything off.

A decade ago, I had an instructor whack my finger and say "the over forty finger...don't ever let see you use It again".

[Sir edward of putternut]

I do but its not along the shaft, i putt left hand on bottom and pointer finger on right hand ends on wedding ring. I consider myself a pretty solid putter. I do have numerous differences to my stroke than most people since i suffered from an elbow, tendon injury after striking a root with a four iron.

I also look at hole, not ball, but im not sure how common that is

[justwellsy]

I used to putt this way.... until I really learned how to putt.

 

I guess it's comfortable for some people, but know this... you look like a two bit hack!

 

I wanted to add one more sentence... that also utilized ellipses

[BillyZ2]

I used to putt this way.... until I really learned how to putt.

 

I guess it's comfortable for some people, but know this... you look like a two bit hack!

 

I wanted to add one more sentence... that also utilized ellipses

Lol, really? What a foolish and arrogant comment.

[justwellsy]

I used to putt this way.... until I really learned how to putt.

 

I guess it's comfortable for some people, but know this... you look like a two bit hack!

 

I wanted to add one more sentence... that also utilized ellipses

Lol, really? What a foolish and arrogant comment.

 

I thought for sure the last sentence would make it clear that I was being facetious/sarcastic.

 

Is your real name Sheldon Cooper?

[BillyZ2]

I used to putt this way.... until I really learned how to putt.

 

I guess it's comfortable for some people, but know this... you look like a two bit hack!

 

I wanted to add one more sentence... that also utilized ellipses

Lol, really? What a foolish and arrogant comment.

 

I thought for sure the last sentence would make it clear that I was being facetious/sarcastic.

 

Is your real name Sheldon Cooper?

I am similar to him only in the IQ Department!

[justwellsy]

I used to putt this way.... until I really learned how to putt.

 

I guess it's comfortable for some people, but know this... you look like a two bit hack!

 

I wanted to add one more sentence... that also utilized ellipses

Lol, really? What a foolish and arrogant comment.

 

I thought for sure the last sentence would make it clear that I was being facetious/sarcastic.

 

Is your real name Sheldon Cooper?

I am similar to him only in the IQ Department!

 

Touché! Cheers

[Sean2]

Yes, I use that finger...along with another one occasionally...

[j.a.]

Me and if someone tells me that my grip is weird, I switch the index for the middle finger and then I putt much better :taunt:

[A.Princey]

Me and if someone tells me that my grip is weird, I switch the index for the middle finger and then I putt much better :taunt:

 

I wish I could 'LIKE' this post more than once! ha!

[jslane57]

Me and if someone tells me that my grip is weird, I switch the index for the middle finger and then I putt much better :taunt:

 

I wish I could 'LIKE' this post more than once! ha!

This thread must have made it to page 3. Doh! My fav: the over forty finger!

[Scottie68]

While I have tried putting without the finger down, I always go back, as I do have a more stable feeling (actually, both index fingers down feel best to me).

 

I would think it's not a matter of the finger being down, but what you do with it (for example, applying lots of pressure causing the right hand flip).

[jslane57]

While I have tried putting without the finger down, I always go back, as I do have a more stable feeling (actually, both index fingers down feel best to me).

 

I would think it's not a matter of the finger being down, but what you do with it (for example, applying lots of pressure causing the right hand flip).

Correct. The argument against the finger down is that pointing the finger down inherently applies more pressure. Your stable feeling comes from the added pressure. If one believes that added pressure can lead to poor results at opportune times, it is best to find a stable feeling elsewhere...

[Pigems]

I putt with both pointer fingers pointing down and both on the handle. But, I'm Also a lefty lol

[ws6]

I have always putted with my right finger down the shaft. I did stop in 1986 when the pro at the course I worked at said no great putters putted that way. Then Bob Tway burst on the scene (4 wins including PGA in 1986). I went back to right finger down the shaft for good.

[ignitewvu]

I have putt like that from day 1.

 

It helps on a straight back & through stroke with a face balanced putter but, it will destroy an arcing stroke.

[scagnetti]

The main thing regardless of what ever anyone else thinks of it is that your hands are comfortable on the grip. ANY discomfort at all will cause tension and tension in the hands will cause trouble on ANY golf shot not just putting

 

BTW I grip my putter the same as all my clubs and drop the right index finger down some as in Ray Floyd's "Trigger Finger" I also tape my finger like he does. I copied it from him because I was around him some when I was young and my old man and a lot of those old timers did the same thing

 

For the record I will state I could care less what Hank Haney says of course he has made a lot of money shooting folks a line of BS. But I can look at myself in the mirror when I shave every morning too!

 

Remember there is no one set in stone way to play or execute this game. If you are relaxed putting the finger down the club like that by all means do it!

 

My question in all this.... WHY SHAVE EVERYDAY?!

 

Life is hard enough, the beard is the easy part!

[scagnetti]

Shaking my head at this post and also agreeing with many people. A couple years ago I played in a ProAm and watched a mini tour guy putt this way. He did very well and was fun to watch. After observing his success I started messing around with this grip.

 

Before then my main thought was to have the back of my right hand (I'm left handed) point and lead the putting stroke toward the target. I found having my left index down the grip while simultaneously/equally thinking about a right hand leading the stroke gave me great stability. Like two opposing forces on the grip that made the shaft stay put and the face very stable. That feeling clicked something into place in my brain and is very comfortable for me now.

 

Everyone is going to have a different key and feeling for their stroke. Try something new once in a while and challenge yourself to get better.

 

Yes, very much, I'll take two of those please....

 

For the record, my right index finger is down (I'm a righty) but curls a bit as a trigger with the tip on the right rear 'corner' of my Lammy (picture below), where the middle section of my index finger acts as a kind of forced pendulum release when it starts my forward press...

 

Incidentally, about the back of your leading hand, I also have found a bit of honest control when I 'cup' that hand ever so slightly, and the tips of my last three fingers of my right hand sit on the extended left index finger. with the tip of the middle finger resting on the thumbnail of that left index...

 

too much detail? well, it goes to show that both comfort and THOUGHT goes in to players who use their index fingers down -- in whatever fashion -- in their putting stroke.

 

Sometimes the arrogance of some of the members on this board remind me of the festering arsewholez you'll meet at private clubs...

 

 

 

 

[scagnetti]

"Strangling the putter puts the wrists into the stroke." I cannot understand this theory. I have always been taught a tight grip keeps the wrists from breaking in a golf swing. Oh, well I know how I putt and am not changing anytime soon. Have a Happy New Year!

 

how about experimenting and thinking for yourself once in a while?

or are you someone that has to be told what to do?

 

well here's what I am telling you to do, RELAX.

[XLee2000]

 

 

Sometimes the arrogance of some of the members on this board remind me of the festering arsewholez you'll meet at private clubs...

 

 

 

I agree but at least we don't have to ever deal with them in real life! I feel sorry for whoever got cursed with THOSE jobs.

[leec4571]

I putt that way, never really thought about it. I'm over 40 so I guess it is fine.

[BIG STU]

The main thing regardless of what ever anyone else thinks of it is that your hands are comfortable on the grip. ANY discomfort at all will cause tension and tension in the hands will cause trouble on ANY golf shot not just putting

 

BTW I grip my putter the same as all my clubs and drop the right index finger down some as in Ray Floyd's "Trigger Finger" I also tape my finger like he does. I copied it from him because I was around him some when I was young and my old man and a lot of those old timers did the same thing

 

For the record I will state I could care less what Hank Haney says of course he has made a lot of money shooting folks a line of BS. But I can look at myself in the mirror when I shave every morning too!

 

Remember there is no one set in stone way to play or execute this game. If you are relaxed putting the finger down the club like that by all means do it!

 

My question in all this.... WHY SHAVE EVERYDAY?!

 

Life is hard enough, the beard is the easy part!

LOL I can answer that for you and it pertains only to me. I have enough Native American in me that I can not grow what I call a nice beard. If I let my beard grow out it looks like a dog with the mange. So I have to shave :taunt:

[A.Princey]

New purpose in life, watch tour golf and WATCH for guys using this grip and report back....

[Double Mocha Man]

I'd rather see 100 golfers with their finger down the grip than one claw grip proponent.

[jeffc]

done this all my life and I'd consider myself a pretty good putter. I find it helps me keep my wrists flat and offers a little more control of the putter head, especially on shorter putts. I also interlock my hands. I could care less what anyone else thinks. I use a baseball grip for my other clubs.

[2putttom]

"Strangling the putter puts the wrists into the stroke." I cannot understand this theory. I have always been taught a tight grip keeps the wrists from breaking in a golf swing. Oh, well I know how I putt and am not changing anytime soon. Have a Happy New Year!

 

how about experimenting and thinking for yourself once in a while?

or are you someone that has to be told what to do?

 

well here's what I am telling you to do, RELAX.

easy there pard.

[bulls9999]

Gee, I putt like that and thought you were talking about me, lol. I consider myself a very good putter, making putts from 15-20 feet often, no sweat from 8-10 feet. I also forward press and that finger helps me feel/maintain cognizance of the press. I might as well add that I use a jumbo TigerShark putter grip and grip it down by the bottom 'cone' which fits perfectly into the space between my hands which form a 'cone' and my fingers are essentially touching that black bottom lip. The long length of shaft/grip that extends above my grip acts as a nice balance and I use the 'hinge and hold' (don't break my wrists) and my hands move forward through the ball trying not to break those wrists forward, although they probably end up from a forward press to a straight down position. Saw a few episodes of "Shell's Wonderful World of Golf" today and couldn't believe all the old timers (Palmer and about 4 others I saw) using this stationary positioning of the hand and simply hinging the wrists backwards and forwards. I would never do that.

 

 

So I was watching The Haney Project 3-4 years ago, and it'll always stick out to me that he said "I've never seen a good putter use the grip where your low hand pointer finger points down toward the club head". So that day I switched away from that and never went back. Does anyone here putt like that? I see tons of guys at my local course who do.

 

 

[bulls9999]

Probably the best advice on this entire thread.

 

My father does it and he's a damn good putter. I've tried it previously and it didn't work for me. Putting is a very personal thing and if it works for you don't change it.