The best way to go ‘left hand low’ – putting techniques – Brief Article
Todd Anderson
One of the hardest decisions in golf is whether to putt “left hand low.” It’s a bold move to go cross-handed, but the switch means nothing if you use poor technique.
Many golfers have overcome putting woes by going cross-handed. But several problems–such as misdirected putts and off-center hits–can occur by simply placing your left hand below the right and putting as if you were still using a conventional grip. I believe more cross-handers would benefit by using the method I’m demonstrating below.
In my “foolproof” cross-handed method, the hands operate together as a unit and, importantly, the bent right arm acts as the driving force–a piston–working the arms, shoulders and putter back and forth with a solid, compact feel.
Right arm drives the entire putting movement
Address:
Four key positions to make you good to go
1 KEY POSITION: Grasp the club with the left hand by letting the arm hang naturally. The puttershaft should align with the left forearm. The motion of the left arm controls the path of the stroke.
2 KEY POSITION: Be sure to have the back of the left hand in a square alignment with the putterface. This promotes square contact, provided you’ve put yourself in the other key positions.
3 KEY POSITION: After the right hand goes on, lean the club left so that the fingers of the right hand press against the inside of the left forearm. You want the hands to feel “locked in” together.
4 KEY POSITION: The right forearm needs to align with the puttershaft just as much as the left forearm does. Otherwise, you negate the right arm as the driving force behind the stroke.
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