Everyone remembers the old saying “Drive for show, putt for dough.” Advanced analytics have proven that cliche isn’t quite as accurate as once thought, but that doesn’t mean putting still isn’t important.
Putting is something that you need to be proficient at if you want to be an elite golfer. Ball striking and scrambling are important skills, too, but when it comes to carding birdies, you’ve got to be able to roll the ball in the hole at a consistent clip.
Just like with the full swing, everyone has their own unique flair when it comes to putting. And one of the ways by which golfers differentiate themselves is through their grips.
If you flip on the PGA Tour every weekend, you’ll see quite a few different grip techniques used by the pros. But which one is the most common? We took a look at the putting grips of the top 50 players in SG: Putting for the 2024 season.
Check out the breakdown below — and learn the benefits of each.
Traditional
No. of pros: 37 (74%)
Notable users: Jason Day, Zach Johnson, Viktor Hovland
How it works: Ah, the traditional putting grip. Ol’ reliable. This is by far the most common grip technique on the greens for pros who ranked inside the top 50 in SG: Putting, with 37 using a traditional grip. With the trail hand lower on the grip than the lead hand, it mirrors the way you place your hands on the club for a full swing and offers a comfortable and natural feel for many golfers. This is likely the putting grip you see most often at your local course, too — and for good reason. It’s been used for as long as the game has been played, and many of the game’s greats have used it, including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Left-hand low
No. of pros: 8 (16%)
Notable users: Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman
How it works: Also known as the cross-hand grip, the left-hand low grip is exactly what it sounds like: with the left hand lower than the right on the grip. (For lefties, this would be right-hand low.) This grip gets your shoulders more level at address and helps take your dominant hand out of the stroke as much. The grip has become increasingly popular in recent years, with major winners such as Schauffele and Clark using the technique in their major triumphs.
Broomstick
No. of pros: 3 (6%)
Notable users: Adam Scott, Akshay Bhatia
How it works: Broomstick putting used to be seen as a crutch for bad putters, but the style has become more en vogue over the last decade — even as the rulebook has eliminated the ability to anchor the club. With a long shaft that reaches up near your chest, the broomstick putting stroke is much different than a typical stroke, but it can offer plenty of benefits for a certain type of player. The putter is designed to swing exactly like a pendulum and forces you to rock your shoulders back and forth to hit the ball. It takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of the motion, it produces a satisfying roll.
Claw
No. of pros: 2 (4%)
Notable users: Russell Henley, Taylor Pendrith
How it works: Scottie Scheffler made headlines late last year as he switched to the claw grip for shorter putts. And while it might have looked a little unconventional, it seems to have helped out his stroke from short range. With the trail hand holding the grip in a “claw,” this putting technique helps quiet the dominant hand during the stroke. Hey, if it works for the top-ranked player in the world, it could work for you, too.
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