Have you ever considered what impact the putter grip can have on your ability to sink as many putts as possible? Even though the putting swing is not a full swing with a lot of force, it can have a big impact on your putting what grip you use. We will show you how to choose a putter grip.
Many golfers will just putt away with the stock grip already mounted from the factory. While this might be fine for some people, some will benefit from thicker grips, thinner grips, non-tapered grips or whatever types there are available. Read on to learn more about the five major points on how to choose the best putter grip for you.
Table of Contents
Why Is It Important To Get The Right Putter Grip?
“Driving is for show, putting is for dough”, “The putter is the money-club”, there has been a lot of putting quotes through the years, and most of them come down to the fact, that putting is where it all matters. It’s where you make or break your round. If you’re not good at putting, you will never be a good golfer.
Since putting is such an important part of the game, why not enhance it where you can? There are many factors to a good putt; reading the green, getting the pace right, aiming where you want the ball to go, etc. These are all factors that are hard to master. What’s not that hard is finding a grip that fits you, and with a little bit of experimenting, you might be able to find the grip, that will help you aim correctly and get the correct pace on the ball.
The importance of the right putter grip cannot be stressed enough. As with grips for the other clubs it matters that the size fit your hands, the feel of the grip is what you prefer, it has the features you’re looking for, and some people also find price to be important.
It requires some thought to find the correct grip, and below we will help you make the decisions easier.
Size – Does It Matter?
Every golfer has a preferred grip. When it comes to putting, there are quite a variety of different gripping methods, and depending on which one you prefer, it might be beneficial to have a look at the grip size.
Traditional Grips
The traditional putter grip will be of standard thickness and thickest at the top, with a tapering profile towards the bottom. Depending on which hand is on the top and which is on the bottom you will apply different pressure to the grip and this might or might not have an impact on your stroke. Most putters will come with a traditional type grip, and so you have a chance to try that out before going for another type of grip. Be sure to read the next section before deciding whether to go traditional or venture into the more special putter grips.
Taper Or Not
A manufacturer like SuperStroke came out with non-tapered grips to make grip pressure on both hands equal. Some of the world’s best putters use traditional grips, so it’s not possible to say that one is better than the other.
For beginners and intermediate golfers, the non-tapered grip might offer benefits, in that you don’t have to be so aware of your grip pressure. It will take some things out of the equation in the putting stroke. Thick grips will however make it harder to judge the speed of the swing and therefore the length of the putt.
So you should think about it an extra time if you’re struggling with getting the right length on your putts. For the golfers who’s in control of the length of the putts, it might be worth it to try a non-tapered grip, for accuracy.
Material Composition
Firmness
With a gentle stroke like the putter stroke, firmness should have less to say for most golfers. It can however be of preference to have a firmer or softer grip. Most putter manufacturers will have models of different firmnesses, so it should be quite easy to find something to your liking.
Surface Texture
With the evolution of the grip industry, surface textures have come to play a bigger and bigger part. Naturally, these new materials and manufacturing methods will also apply to putter grips. It is possible to get extra tacky grips if that’s what you prefer, but most also make the good old rubber grips with the feeling that we’re used to. The pattern in the surface can vary from loads of dimples to none at all.
Features
Like with club grips, there are many possibilities when shopping for a new putter grip. The pistol type resembles the handle of a pistol, hence the name. They go way back, several hundred years, and most players consider these the traditional grips.
There is a great article on MyGolfSpy where they tested pistol grips vs straight grips.
In essence, the pistol grip promotes a more closed clubface at impact, while the straight grip delivered a slightly open clubface. Depending on your putter’s center of gravity and what you’re struggling with, you might want to look into which of the two grip types could benefit you. If you have a putter with CoG closer to the toe and you have a tendency to push the ball right of your aim (for right-handed players) the pistol grip might be for you.
In the latest years, the thick non-tapered putter grips have made an impression on many weekend golfers and even pros. Actually thick putter grips have some wins on tour, so they must not be that bad. The single greatest thing about the thick putter grips is the fact that they have the ability to lock your wrists more than traditional grips during the stroke. This results in less unintended movement of the clubface and thus a truer putt. In turn, this leads to better accuracy, but the thick grip also comes with a downside. The thickness means reduced feel during longer putts, the amount of material simply dampens the stroke.
In addition to different shapes of grips, there is a possibility to experiment with the weights. Swingweight can have a massive impact on your distance accuracy, so it can really be worth it to dial this in. Some grips come in light or heavy versions, and some grips will even come with built in counterweights, so you can customize it on the go. SuperStrokes version of interchangeable weights is called CounterCore, check out the video below.
Quality
The quality of the putter grip will become less important since it is not exposed to the wear and tear of normal grips. Some may argue that quality and comfort come hand in hand, and that might be true in some cases. But with putter grips, it really doesn’t matter if it’s one of the top quality brands, as long as you’re happy yourself. I’ve seen players who putt like a dream with an old stiffened and cracked Pingman grip – so anything goes. In our Best Putter Grip article, we’ll be reviewing putter grips and also take quality into account. So if you’re interested, be sure to check it out.
Price
As with anything else in this world, price can vary a lot. You can go for the cheap option and that might be the best for you. So don’t just assume that going expensive will improve your game. You’ll see the guy with the cool BMW, perfect clothing (and hair), and the newest most expensive equipment. But when it comes down to it, golf is a game of skill, and money can’t buy you that – it takes hard work. So you’re just as likely to beat the BMW-guy, even though you don’t have the expensive stuff, because you put more hours in at the training grounds.
That being said, putter grips range around $5 to $30 depending on make and features. So it’s not something that’ll break the bank, and it might just do the trick for you and eliminate most of those 3-putts 😉 On top of the grip cost, there will be a regripping cost, but you should do it yourself if you want to save some $$$.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Which Is The Best Putter Grip?
That will be impossible to answer specifically. The best putter grip is the one that feels best in your hands. It will eliminate wrist movement or better your distance accuracy. It all depends on what you’re struggling with. Check out our review article, for some suggestions and comparisons of what we believe is the best putter grips out there.
What Are The Best Golf Grips?
This is also a very subjective matter. The grips on the clubs are a little more demanding, than the ones on your putter. They are subject to more wear and tear, and it is imperative that you have a good grip on the club in all weather conditions. We’ve put together an article about what to look out for when buying new grips, and some specific examples in this article.
How Do You Hold A Putter Like Tigers Woods?
Tiger Woods have been considered one of the best putters in the world at the peak of his career. He’s done some tweaks to his grip during the years, but many consider it to be a “conventional” type grip.
If you are right-handed you can grip like Tiger by taking you left hand and placing it highest on the putter grip.
Then take your right hand and place it below the left. Both palms should be parallel to eachother with the thumbs running down the grip.
The left forefinger now goes on top of the fingers on the right hand. This way he kind of interlocks the hands and both hands are as one unit.
Featured Photo by Morgan David de Lossy on Unsplash
