Few equipment options have as significant an influence as your putter grip when it comes to short game perfection. Stroke consistency, distance control and confidence on the greens are directly related to how you hold your putter.
Nowadays, there are two fundamental types of golf putter grips available to golfers: oversized and standard golf putter grips, both of which have their own advantages and disadvantages depending on your type of stroke and comfort. Knowledge of the significant differences will allow you to decide on which grip will help you to improve your putting.
Understanding Golf Putter Grips
Golf putter grips are made to be more stable and to offer control over putters as you swing. They have a different shape, size and texture than regular club grips, with a more pronounced flat front to position the hands correctly with the clubface. The contemporary grips are available in many types and sizes, and their designs are aimed at enhancing the feel, minimizing the wrist movement and facilitating the smooth strokes.
There are two main models, the standard and oversized, which differ in terms of the diameter and weight of the putter; each of which determines your control of the putter. Although a standard grip has a more traditional and tactile feel, an oversized grip has greater hand stability and reduces undesirable wrist motion.
The Standard Putter Grip: Classic Feel and Control
The golf grips for putters have long existed as a means of gripping in putters and have been popular amongst golfers who prefer a high level of feel and hand control. Their thinner shape also enables the players to be more sensitive so that they can better estimate the distance and speed of longer putts.
This form of grip allows more of the wrist to work, and this can be good when a golfer has a natural, unrestricted, flowing stroke with putting. The use of standard grips by many professional players who favor a feel-based method of putting is still in use due to the ability to make minor adjustments and to provide feedback through the hands.
The increased wrist action, however, is another issue that can bring inconsistency unless the action is controlled. Golfers with unsteady hands or those with inconsistent contact might not be comfortable with regular grips, particularly during challenging moments.
The Oversized Putter Grip: Stability and Reduced Wrist Action
Large golf putter grips are now also gaining more and more popularity among golfers who want more consistency and even a more stable swing. The increased diameter causes less tension in the hands and wrists, thereby enabling the golfers to use a pendulum action putt. These golf grips for putters reduce the possibility of twisting or flicking the wrists by distributing pressure equally across both hands.
Among the greatest benefits of the oversized grips is that they calm the hands, and the shoulders and the arms take the lead in the movement. This results in an easier roll, better alignment and enhanced distance control, beneficial to golfers with problems of the so-called yips or hyper-active hands.
Also, the increase in size and weight can be used to stabilize the putter head and minimize unwanted motion and balance. Large grips are also popular with those players who like a lighter feel or with larger-handed players seeking a more natural grip.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Grip to Your Game
The choice between the oversized and standard golf putter grips eventually depends on your way of putting, the size of your hands, and personal comfort. A standard grip might be the best to use, provided you rely on touch a lot and that you feel better gripping the ball without the face. In case you want to minimize hand movements, become stable, and have problems with consistency, an oversized grip is the right product.
Experimentation is the most effective method of making a decision: by trying out the various forms of grips in actual playing conditions. It can be right in your hands and prove to be right on the green.
