Grip - full swing and putting

[jgferr]

Not sure if this is a question or simply just me stating my personal preference.....

However, please feel free to comment constructively!

If a (so-called) stronger grip promotes a squarer club-face at impact for a full swing, then why is it thumbs on top of the club for putting?

[glk]

Don't see a strong grip promoting a squarer face - lots of folks have strong grips yet can't square the face. On swings other than very short chips, the forearms in the swing are going to pronate and supinate - doing this is putting is a death move - and people certainly do this regardless of grip - they under or over twist the club Be the good kids not the bad kids, lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPucI-rhSPE.

[jgferr]

Thanks!

I look at a lot of golfers including good ones- the tendency is for a right handed golfer to have them turned to the right.

I understand that forearm rotation is not wished for in a straight back, straight through motion but what about a motion that has a slight (or stronger) arc? Then some rotation is required....?

[glk]

watch the video. a money training aid for putting is the vizio putting template.

On full swings, over rotating the arms early is usually what creates problems before the club is beyond parallel - the planemate, an alignment stick in the butt end of the grip, and various other drills can help reduce early forearm rotation. But in a full swing one also has to twist the shaft in the downswing - again a complete no no in putting.

[wagolfer7]

This is stated in very general terms.

The posture in swinging and putting is very different.

The posture we are in, when swinging, promotes more of an arc, as well as more forearm rotation. This is why, in my opinion, most amateurs or average joes use the stronger grip. It takes less forearm rotation to get square or closed. This is also how we can get in trouble. Too strong of a grip, doesn't really allow your forearms to rotate correctly. Instead of the closing the face, it'll be more pointing to the sky because of how you are holding the handle. If you were to rotate your forearms with too strong a grip, it's hook city. So we start holding off the rotation to try to hit it straight.

Now in putting. You don't want the face of the club rotating as much, as well as not swing on as much of an arc. Yes with most putters you still need an arc, it's just not as much. You are also standing in a posture that promotes less arc, by being closer to and eyes over or close to the ball. Now the GRIP. It's ideal to grip it in the palms of the hands. Opposite of your normal grip (more in fingers). Right in the lifelines of both hands. It feels like a super weak, terrible grip. But by putting the handle in the palms - you are now making it so your forearms won't rotate very easily. This is what you want. Less face rotation.

Good luck.

 

[jgferr]

I do appreciate the replies!

Being a slight devils advocate, then one of the best ever putters Bobby Locke who used a long, flat putter and advocated more of a finger grip as that is where the feeling is (also George Low advocated this) and both of them rotated quite a bit.

I get the more upright club = a straighter arc; in that case why don't more have a putter at 89° ?

Am not trying to be awkward, just trying to improve my knowledge.......

[glk]

Putters are already at 69* to 72* which is plenty upright. Plenty of pro's have something unorthodox in their swing - but are you Bobby Locke? To me, best to find a middle ground that suits that person rather than attempt to copy some pro. And best to find a good teaching professional to help cause going on one's own is likely to lead to wandering in the desert. A good reference book would be Tyler Ferrell's The Stock Tour Swing.

[jgferr]

Not, am not Bobby Locke-have putted with one of his putters though...

You're of course right, must find what works for the individual - just reading Hogan and there it states that '...most versatile putter and that was not so upright that it would prevent an inside-stroke for long putts, yet not so flat that would prevent a more square stroke....'.

 

 

[wagolfer7]

Sounds like he's describing a slight arc motion. But hard to say from a cut up quote from a book I haven't read.
Knowledge is great. But just be careful trying to figure out the anomalies. As @glk was pointing out, best to find what works for you and not force something a few pro players do. I can make putts and putt straight with all kinds of grips, postures, putters, etc. But the setup and grip I use now, is what feels the easiest and most consistent for me to repeat many times in a row. I'm sure you've seen that any golfer, at any level, can have a hot day putting. Whether it's the fact they were 2 inches closer to the ball, or they gripped it slightly different, or they had the speed down really well, or they had a double instead of single shot of coffee that morning. You can play golf or putt in many different ways. And have success at it, but at much varying degrees. The key is to be consistent. And to do that, I think you need to look at what the majority of the best golfers in the world do. And not the odd quirky things that a few of them do.
Good luck with your research.

[dpb5031]

Your body pivots/rotates open with hips/chest/shoulders in a good golf swing so a stronger grip is necessary for the face to be square at impact without tons of supination or flipping.

Putting is a very different motion and a stronger grip isn't required. You mostly rock shoulders rather than pivot the body open. Legs and lower-mid core are entirely static in a putting stroke, nearly the opposite of a regular swing.