Ernie Els Teaches the Fundamentals of Putting Starting with The Grip
Over the next several weeks, Ernie Els is going to break down the elements of any successful putting stroke into five key areas and how they each relate to each other.
This week, Ernie discusses The Grip.
“I’m about to give a lot of attention to the grip and I make no apologies because it is more important than amateur golfers realize. Remember, your hands are the only contact with the club. It’s not the sort of thing you can afford to get wrong – even in a stroke as short as a putt.
The best way to position your hands on the grip is in a neutral fashion – just as it is in the full swing. You have to try and make sure the palms are facing one another, ideally with the thumbs pointing down the center of the shaft.
My grip is fairly orthodox. I adopt what’s known as the reverse overlap grip, where my left forefinger drapes along the knuckles of my right hand. The palms are facing, and the thumbs are pointing down the center of the shaft. The only slightly unorthodox part about my grip – and it’s not really that drastic – is the high left wrist position. I like this because it gives me a feeling of locking that wrist in place and therefore keeping the putter face square to the path of my stroke, back and through.
If you’re unsure about how best to grip the putter, this is the method I suggest you try. It offers the best possible chance for you to develop a putting stroke you can trust, one that can stand up to those nervy three- and four-footers you always seem to get towards the end of an important round.”
Thank you, Ernie!
As we mentioned, a couple weeks ago, April is Autism Awareness Month, and Bloodline Golf has created a limited-edition putter to help support the Els for Autism Foundation. The putter features blue sight lines and accent colors to match the blue color associated with autism awareness. Bloodline is donating a percentage of the revenues from the sales of the limited-edition putter to the Els for Autism Foundation.
Autism Awareness Month, which was first held in 1972, emphasizes the need for public awareness to promote acceptance, celebrate the differences, and be more inclusive towards autistic individuals around us.
Els for Autism Foundation offers innovative, evidence-based programs for individuals across the life-span in six focus areas: Education, Research, Global Support, Recreation Services, Adult Services and Therapy Services. The Els for Autism Foundation serves families around the world and offers in-person programs and services at The Els Center of Excellence, a 26-acre campus in Jupiter, Florida. For more information about Els for Autism, visit https://www.elsforautism.org/.
To order a limited-edition Bloodline putter to support the Els for Autism Foundation, please visit https://bloodline.golf/products/els-for-autism-vale-putter-hpp