7 Popular Putter Grip Styles Explained (With Pro Examples & Tips)

There are several popular putter grip styles used by both amateurs and professionals. Each style has pros and cons, and the best choice often comes down to comfort, consistency, and stroke style.

Below is a breakdown of the most widely used putter grip styles, including classic grips, modern variations, and unconventional methods, along with examples of pros who use or have used them.

1. Reverse Overlap Grip (The Traditional Grip)

Description:
The most common and traditional grip in putting. The left index finger (for right-handed golfers) overlaps the fingers of the right hand.

Key Benefits:

• Promotes unity between the hands.

• Helps reduce wrist breakdown.

• Familiar for players transitioning from their full-swing grip.

Pros Who Use It:

• Tiger Woods – Has used the reverse overlap for most of his career.

• Rory McIlroy – Uses a textbook reverse overlap.

• Justin Thomas – Also a traditionalist with this grip.

2. Cross-Handed Grip (Left-Hand Low)

Description:
The left hand (for right-handed golfers) is placed below the right hand on the grip. This reverses the traditional hand placement.

Key Benefits:

• Helps prevent the right hand from dominating the stroke.

• Can stabilize the shoulders and improve alignment.

Pros Who Use It:

• Jordan Spieth – Known for his deadly putting, especially early in his career.

• Billy Horschel – Switched and found success on the greens.

• Rickie Fowler – Has used it at times for consistency.

3. The Claw Grip

Description:
The left hand holds the putter conventionally, while the right hand rests lightly on the side, almost like pinching the grip with the fingers.

Key Benefits:

• Takes the right hand out of the stroke (ideal for those who struggle with the yips).

• Great for controlling the putter face through the stroke.

Variations:

• Standard Claw

• Saw Grip – Popularized by Sergio García.

• Pencil Grip – Where the right hand is positioned like holding a pencil.

Pros Who Use It:

• Justin Rose – Uses a claw variation.

• Tommy Fleetwood – Strong proponent of the claw.

• Phil Mickelson – Used the claw in later years.

• Sergio García – Switched to the “saw” grip to combat putting woes.

4. Arm Lock Grip

Description:
The grip runs up the lead forearm (left arm for right-handers), requiring a longer putter shaft. It’s an alternative to anchoring that remains legal under the rules of golf.

Key Benefits:

• Anchors the putter without violating the anchoring ban.

• Reduces hand and wrist movement, promoting a more stable stroke.

Pros Who Use It:

• Bryson DeChambeau – A huge advocate of the arm lock and science-based putting.

• Matt Kuchar – Helped popularize the method.

• Keegan Bradley – Has used it since anchoring was banned.

5. Broomstick Grip (Long Putter Style)

Description:
A long putter rests against the chest or sternum (previously anchored, now modified to comply with rules). The hands grip the putter far apart.

Key Benefits:

• Keeps hands quiet and stabilizes the stroke.

• Often used by players trying to overcome putting yips.

Pros Who Use It:

• Adam Scott – Now uses a modified, non-anchored version.

• Bernhard Langer – One of the best-known long putter users, even post-anchoring ban.

• Scott McCarron – Found tremendous success on the Champions Tour with this grip.

6. Palm-to-Palm Grip (Prayer Grip)

Description:
Both hands are placed evenly on either side of the grip, like praying hands.

Key Benefits:

• Promotes symmetry and unified motion.

• Reduces tension and hand dominance.

Pros Who Use It:

• Chris DiMarco – Helped popularize this style in the early 2000s.

• Rarely used on Tour today but still an option for certain amateurs.

7. Pencil Grip / Modified Claw

Description:
A variation of the claw where the right hand (for right-handed players) holds the grip as if holding a pencil. The fingers sit more underneath the grip.

Key Benefits:

• Enhances feel and face control without overactive hands.

• Great for players with excessive wrist movement.

Pros Who Use It:

• Alex Noren – Strong advocate of this grip.

• Tommy Fleetwood – Occasionally modifies into a pencil-style claw.

Summary Table

What’s the Best Grip Style for Amateurs?

Research & Expert Insight:

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, studies and coaching experience show that the cross-handed grip and the claw grip often provide the most improvement for amateur golfers, especially those who struggle with:

• Inconsistent distance control.

• Excessive hand/wrist movement (common in high-handicap players).

• The yips or nervous putting.

Stats & Findings:

• A Golf Digest testing panel in 2021 found that amateurs using cross-handed and claw grips reduced their average putting dispersion by 12% compared to traditional grips.

• Mark Broadie, author of Every Shot Counts, notes that poor green reading and excessive wrist action are among the biggest putting faults in amateurs—both of which are minimized by alternative grip styles like the claw and cross-handed.

• A Golf.com putting study with 100 amateurs showed that switching to cross-handed improved short putt success rates (inside 6 feet) by over 8% compared to their traditional grip.

Recommendations:

• If you’re new to putting or struggle with consistency, start with either the cross-handed grip or claw grip and experiment with feel and control.

• The reverse overlap is still the best choice for players who want to develop a classic stroke with proper fundamentals and minimal tinkering.