Alright, let’s talk about putting grips. My putting was really getting frustrating, you know? Felt like I tried everything. Then I kept seeing Lydia Ko on TV, just rolling everything in, and I noticed her grip. Looked kinda different, that split-hand thing she does sometimes, or variations of it.
So, I thought, why not? My old way wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire. I decided to actually try and copy what she was doing, or at least my interpretation of it from watching videos and pictures.
Getting Started with It
First step was just getting the feel at home on the carpet. It felt super weird. My left hand went low, kinda standard reverse overlap style to start, but then the right hand… instead of joining up, it felt more separated, kinda stabilizing the top part of the handle. Almost like a modified claw grip, but not quite. It took a while just to figure out where my fingers were supposed to sit comfortably.
My initial thought was, “How can anyone putt like this?” It felt totally unnatural. My hands felt disconnected from each other, and I worried I’d have zero control over the putter face.
Taking it to the Practice Green
Next day, I took it out to the practice green. Dropped a bunch of balls about 5-10 feet from the hole. The first few putts were… well, they weren’t pretty.
- Some went way left.
- Some I pushed way right.
- Distance control felt like guesswork.
It really highlighted how much I used my hands and wrists in my old stroke. This grip felt like it forced my shoulders and arms to do more of the work, which is probably the whole point. But man, retraining that muscle memory is tough.
The biggest challenge was trusting it. My instinct was to get wristy, especially on longer putts, to try and generate power. But that just made things worse with this grip. I had to consciously focus on keeping my hands passive and just rocking my shoulders back and through.
Did it Actually Work?
I stuck with it for a few solid practice sessions, maybe an hour each time, over a week or two. Slowly, very slowly, it started to feel a bit more normal. Not totally comfortable, but less like I was holding an alien object.
Here’s what I found, for me anyway:
- Short Putts (inside 6 feet): This is where I saw the biggest improvement. My stroke felt much more stable. The ball started rolling end-over-end more consistently, and I felt way less likely to jab or push those crucial short ones. It calmed my nerves down a lot on these.
- Mid-Range Putts (10-20 feet): Direction improved here too. Less face twisting seemed to happen through impact. Speed control took longer to dial in, but the misses were closer to the hole.
- Long Putts (20+ feet): Still the hardest part. Getting the distance right consistently is taking time. It feels like I need to make a bigger shoulder turn than I’m used to, and trusting that bigger stroke without adding hand action is the main hurdle.
Final Thoughts For Now
So, am I sticking with the Lydia Ko-inspired grip? For now, yeah. The improvement on short putts alone makes it worth continuing. It quieted down my overly active hands, which was my main problem.
It wasn’t some instant fix. It felt weird, took dedicated practice, and I almost ditched it several times. Long putting still needs serious work. But it forced me to use my bigger muscles, and that seems to be helping overall consistency, especially under pressure.
It might not work for everyone, grips are super personal. But if you’re struggling with twitchy hands or face control on your putts, maybe give it a look. Just be prepared for that awkward phase at the beginning. It definitely takes some getting used to.
