Putting Fundamentals Lesson One: Overview & Grip

Putting can be one of the most challenging parts of any golfer's game. Often, it can mean the difference of winning or losing strokes to your score. Or, even winning or losing a major championship for a professional golfer.

We are going to take a look at some basic putting fundamentals in a four part series here on Pro Golf Insider. We're going to begin with an overview of what it takes to help better prepare you to be a better putter and the beginning of every golf stroke no matter the club -- The Grip.

Putting fundamentals begins and ends with a good, solid setup to the ball on the green. A golfer who has a good and easily repeatable setup, can implement them on each and every putt. Providing them with a consistent base, rather than the golfer who does not know the correct fundamentals.

A solid setup position in your putting consists of a few components:

          - Grip
          - Stance
          - Ball Position
          - Alignment
          - Stroke

It is very important for a golfer to begin with a proper and easily repeatable setup position, in order to maximize the chances of success on the putting green.
 
So many faults (and strokes) in the putting stroke can be fixed with a simple correction or adjustment in your setup position.
 
With a proper setup, a golfer can develop a much more efficient and consistent putting stroke. The four fundamentals listed below will help you build, practice and repeat the same solid setup position for every putt. And start shaving strokes off your score.

 
PUTTING GRIP
 
Now of course, this is where a lot of golfers begin to fight a change in their game. Everyone does not like change. Though a change has to be made to start shaving those strokes off your score cards. And we begin with the putting grip.
 
Your grip is the beginning of building a solid setup and address position on the putting green. All golf swing motion needs to start with a solid and proper grip to be consistent. By building a and maintaining a proper putting grip, it allows you to feel confident from the beginning to the end of each stroke.

The key to a solid putting grip is to hold the putter in the palms of your hands. Meaning both your left and right palm will be facing each other. Your thumbs should both be pointing straight downwards, so that the lines between your thumbs and forefingers are also pointed straight down and not on an angle.

The grip position I use also utilizes an overlapping grip of the right pinky (for right hand players) over the left index finger.

The grip pressure should also be monitored here as it is easy to grip the putter too loose, or too tight under pressure. I tend to favor my left hand (for right handed players) with my grip pressure, with the right hand guiding the putter through the stroke. With this technique, grip pressure is one of the most important keys in my putting stroke. Allowing my left wrist to stay parallel down the line throughout the stroke. Helping to build a solid and consistent putting stroke every time I am on the green.

The next putting fundamentals we will look at will be; Ball Position & Alignment.