Does anyone use a different grip on lag vs. short putts?

LPSISCO · March 1

I’ve traditionally been a fairly good lag putter, but I miss entirely too many shorter putts. I’m not referring to 6-10 footers; while I’d like to make most of those too, since PGA pros don’t that’s not realistic. But as an 11 cap who wants to get to 7-8 this year, I CAN’T miss as many 3-5 footers as I do.

So I’ve spent a good amount of the winter basement season practicing left hand low, which seems to make the short putts a lot less stressful. It remains to be seen how it will translate on the course, but so far so good. It seems a bit more challenging on the lag putts with the longer stroke, though. Since lags haven’t been a real issue anyway, I’ve been practicing those with a standard right hand grip.

Does anyone else do this on the course? Any “watch outs”? For reference, I’ve also transitioned to a LAB 2.1 as well. Why not change everything at once, right??

MattM97 · March 1

Before when I was a claw gripper I'd use a traditional grip for lag putts. I've now gone to a traditional all the time but the odd time if my hands are shaky usually when workouts have been heavy I may default to the claw grip up close as it just quiets the hands.

Some pros have done this too in the past mainly Morikawa.

dekez · March 1

I use left hand low on putts about 15 ft or less and right hand low on all others.

This is a defense mechanism. Several years back I went through a phase where I was dubbing and topping really long putts.

That's because left hand low has my forward shoulder a little lower than my back one and I was hitting down on it. It was a mechanical issue that turned into a crisis and this was the only way I got out of it. I've stuck with it since.

ballzo · March 1

Yes, for the last year or so I've fully committed to a claw grip on the shorter, could make stuff. Then when I get out longer and just looking to lag it, I go with a traditional grip.

skraly · March 1

I’ve recently switched to a L.A.B. Mezz. One of the drills they show on the L.A.B. site, to get used to the somewhat different balance of the Mezz, is to putt with the thumbs off of the grip. This quiets the hands and lets the putter work by momentum as intended. The drill worked so well that I’ve started doing the same thing on the course for putts inside about 10 feet. It’s working great so far. Might be worth a try for you.

sheepdawg · March 1

I putt cross hand on putts of 30 feet or less and reverse overlap on anything over.

shoot4par · March 1

YJS alternated between regular and cross-handed (I think) depending on length of putt. It’s not an unheard of practice.

Edited March 6 by shoot4par

Sean124 · March 1

I’ve done it in the past while trying claw or LHL.

I’ve gotten comfortable enough with LHL that I just use it all the time now.

Nickb333 · March 1

I use a very traditional grip for long or steep uphill putts.

Otherwise, I slide the trailing hand up and almost equal to the lead hand. That almost eliminates my trailing hand’s influence. Trying to make a pure shoulder rocking move.

SEP1006 · March 1

Cross-handed for me on putts over 30', other than that I use the claw grip.

LPSISCO · March 1

OK, I feel less idiotic….😂

All I want to do is get the ball in the hole, I don’t care how anyone views it. One of our pros saw my LAB the other day and said “do you know how much sh!t you’re going to get from the guys with this?” And I replied “I couldn’t possibly care less what they say if I make putts with it”.

vman · March 2

You’re in the good company of Fred Couples and Lydia Ko, two proven tour winners.

byoshio82 · March 2

On 2/29/2024 at 7:15 PM, LPSISCO said:

I’ve traditionally been a fairly good lag putter, but I miss entirely too many shorter putts. I’m not referring to 6-10 footers; while I’d like to make most of those too, since PGA pros don’t that’s not realistic. But as an 11 cap who wants to get to 7-8 this year, I CAN’T miss as many 3-5 footers as I do.

So I’ve spent a good amount of the winter basement season practicing left hand low, which seems to make the short putts a lot less stressful. It remains to be seen how it will translate on the course, but so far so good. It seems a bit more challenging on the lag putts with the longer stroke, though. Since lags haven’t been a real issue anyway, I’ve been practicing those with a standard right hand grip.

Does anyone else do this on the course? Any “watch outs”? For reference, I’ve also transitioned to a LAB 2.1 as well. Why not change everything at once, right??

I can lag putt great cross handed but miss too many short ones for it to be reliable. On really long putts sometimes I’ll go cross handed but inside 30’ it’s traditional.