This article was machine-translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
Hello, this is Choi Jong-hwan. Today, I will explain the basic concepts of putting that amateur golfers are most curious about, one by one.
First, let's look at the grip. You should think of tucking the edge of the putter's side into the lifeline formed by your folded index and thumb fingers. Position your right thumb slightly diagonally so that when viewed from the side, your arms are at the same height; this is the basic putting grip.
01The two torques a putter must withstand
Many people also ask how hard they should grip, but it is easy to understand if you know what you need to withstand.
Since a putter has a structure with a heavy head attached to the end of a rod, there is always a torque that tends to pull it downward in the vertical direction—that is, in the direction of gravity. Because the address position is not vertical but tilted by the lie angle, you have to constantly withstand this downward force. You don't feel it when addressing because it is supported on the ground, but the moment the head is lifted during the stroke, this force causes wobbling.
In addition to this, if you grip lightly, there is also torsional torque that causes the putter to rotate and try to open the face. To summarize, you need grip strength capable of withstanding both the torque trying to drop the head and the torque trying to open the face. The heavier the head and the more toe-balanced the putter, the stronger the grip is required; furthermore, since you need to move faster and harder on slow greens, you must hold the putter more firmly in those situations as well.
02Keep your shoulders and arms soft, and your hands firm.
When told to grip tightly, people often stiffen not only their hands but also their shoulders and arms; this makes it difficult to feel the weight of the club head and restricts movement. Therefore, you must hold the grip firmly while keeping your shoulders and arms flexible like ropes to feel the weight and move freely.
Conversely, if you grip too loosely, it cannot withstand the two torques mentioned earlier, causing it to wobble and resulting in twisting that opens the face during the stroke. You should intentionally try to keep the grip firm from the lower half between the elbow and wrist, from below the forearm to the hand, while keeping it soft from the middle of the forearm to the upper shoulder.
At address, try lifting and lowering the putter to feel the weight of the head, and practice keeping the sensation of keeping only the lower part of your forearm firm while moving slightly. At first, you may feel your shoulders stiffen as well, but if you repeat this a few times, you will be able to feel the stiffness in your hands and shoulders separately.
