How a Cross-Handed Grip Can Improve Your Putting (Video) - Lesson by PGA Pro Pete Styles
How a Cross-Handed Grip Can Improve Your Putting (Video) - Lesson by PGA Pro Pete Styles

So most all the different ways of gripping the golf club or gripping the putter, it’s really important we start to look at the cross handed method as we describe it or left hand low for the right handed golfer. This is actually how I personally putt. I changed to this putting stroke 15 years ago and I’ve putted this way ever since. So my right hand takes presence at the top of the club, my left hand sits nice and low down below. Then from there is some normal rocking action with the shoulders. The reason why I chose this method and why I feel it works well for me is it stopped my left wrist breaking down. I was always prone to having a little bit of a scooping action and cupping action here. It also helps me just get my shoulders a bit more level because the ball is slightly forwards. If I have my left hand at the top as well, left hand at the top and left and ball forwards, the shoulder pops up a bit too high. So I feel that by having my left hand forwards but the ball, sorry, left hand low but the ball forwards, my shoulders are a lot more level. So my shoulders are level, my left hand forwards, trying to avoid the left wrist breaking down. I feel like my right wrist kind of a nice pushing stroke, pushing the club through nice and easily, keeps the club nice and low to the ground, running in a nice straight line and it just avoids the left wrist from hinging and cupping and scooping this way. Keeping the shoulders nice and level is quite important too.

So if you found that you’re struggling with your normal putting stroke particularly prone to scooping that left wrist, why don’t you have a go in left hand low or cross hand it? It will feel a bit alien to start with and again it might take you about a week just to consistently put the ball around the house until it starts to feel anything like comfortable. But if you’re prone to scooping that left wrist like me, you might feel more comfortable going cross handed and hopefully that will save you a few shots in the golf course as well.

2012-06-07

So most all the different ways of gripping the golf club or gripping the putter, it’s really important we start to look at the cross handed method as we describe it or left hand low for the right handed golfer. This is actually how I personally putt. I changed to this putting stroke 15 years ago and I’ve putted this way ever since. So my right hand takes presence at the top of the club, my left hand sits nice and low down below. Then from there is some normal rocking action with the shoulders. The reason why I chose this method and why I feel it works well for me is it stopped my left wrist breaking down. I was always prone to having a little bit of a scooping action and cupping action here. It also helps me just get my shoulders a bit more level because the ball is slightly forwards. If I have my left hand at the top as well, left hand at the top and left and ball forwards, the shoulder pops up a bit too high. So I feel that by having my left hand forwards but the ball, sorry, left hand low but the ball forwards, my shoulders are a lot more level. So my shoulders are level, my left hand forwards, trying to avoid the left wrist breaking down. I feel like my right wrist kind of a nice pushing stroke, pushing the club through nice and easily, keeps the club nice and low to the ground, running in a nice straight line and it just avoids the left wrist from hinging and cupping and scooping this way. Keeping the shoulders nice and level is quite important too.

So if you found that you’re struggling with your normal putting stroke particularly prone to scooping that left wrist, why don’t you have a go in left hand low or cross hand it? It will feel a bit alien to start with and again it might take you about a week just to consistently put the ball around the house until it starts to feel anything like comfortable. But if you’re prone to scooping that left wrist like me, you might feel more comfortable going cross handed and hopefully that will save you a few shots in the golf course as well.