Have you ever heard of the immensely popular golf phrase, “You drive for show, but you putt for dough”? That’s because over 40% of your strokes during a round are with the putter! Sadly, lots of golfers never seem to get around to practicing their putting and this costs them dearly on their scorecards.

When I first started playing golf, my PGA teaching professional told me that phrase quite often. He did this to remind me to spend just as much time on the putting practice green as I did on the driving range, if not more. Once I started heeding his advice, my overall golf game improved rapidly.

Is your putting stance keeping you from shooting your lowest score ever? Here are some quick tips to help you improve your putting stance. These are some simple things to remember when you are practicing at the putting green.

1. Find the Proper Stance Width

Two keys to hitting great putts are having balance and stability. In order to maximize balance and stability, spread your feet out slightly wider than your shoulders during your set-up. The best way to do this is to stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart, then move each foot one to two inches away from each other.

Why do we want a wide stance when putting? Not only will you stay more balanced throughout your putt, but a wide stance will help limit your head movement. Any type of head movement before or during your putt will decrease your accuracy.

How wide of a stance is too wide? Well, you never want to feel uncomfortable while putting. If your stance is putting unnecessary stress on your back, hips, or knees, consider standing a little bit more narrow. The ideal putting stance is wide enough to maintain balance but narrow enough to keep you comfortable.

2. Practice the Perfect Ball Position

To sink more birdie putts, you have to make sure you position the ball properly in your stance. The perfect position for the golf ball is right in the center of your stance. This will put you in the ideal position for sinking more birdies and eagles.

It may help to picture an imaginary line right in the middle of your stance. That’s exactly where you want the ball. Keeping the ball right in the middle of your stance will ensure that the golf ball is aligned right between your eyes. The most talented putters in the game keep their eyes directly over the ball.

When you line up with the ball in the center, you ensure that you’ll make contact with the ball at the bottom of your swing arc. This will get the ball started with the necessary amount of speed. Speed is the most important factor to having more success on the putting green. 

If you play the ball too far towards your back foot, you’ll often hit the ball with too much force and it’ll run by the hole. If you play the ball too much toward your front foot, you’ll catch the ball at the end of your putting stroke and it likely won’t have enough speed to get to the hole. Obviously, neither one of these results are what we’re looking for on the putting green.

3. Aim for a 50/50 Weight Distribution

When working on your putting posture, aim to keep your weight equally distributed. This means you want the same amount of weight on each leg. This will lead to better balance, increased stability, and less head movement. 

If you put too much weight on either leg, it will change your swing path and decrease your consistency. If you have too much weight on your right foot, the bottom of your swing arc moves too far back. If too much weight is on the left foot, the opposite is true.

Remember, we never want the swing arc to change. Try your best to maintain that perfect 50/50 balance throughout your entire stroke. Your scorecard will thank you for doing so! 

4. Don’t Forget to Practice Your Putting Grip

We’ve discussed in great detail how important your grip is when making normal golf swings. Having the proper grip is also crucial to reaching your full potential with the flat stick! Here’s a quick drill you can perform to make sure your grip is correct.

• Let your arms hang naturally out in front of your body
• Hold the putter shaft with both of your palms facing each other
• Practice hitting a few putts while making sure that the back of both your right hand and left hand are following through with a straight line toward your target 

Also, make sure your grip pressure is correct. Just as with your normal golf swing, you never want to grip the shaft too tight. If you can see white on either of your thumbnails, your grip is too tight. Loosen up and don’t choke your putter.

5. Check Your Alignment

Having the proper alignment is critical to putting success. If your alignment is off by the slightest of margins, you’ll find yourself pulling or pushing putts just outside the hole. Work on keeping the shoulders square towards your intended line.

The best way to make sure your shoulders stay square at impact is to putt cross-handed. Lots of players on the PGA Tour employ this method when they’re in the midst of a putting slump. If you’re right-handed, simply practice some putts with your left hand lower than your right hand on the shaft. (If you’re a leftie, it’s obviously the other way around)

It may feel a bit weird at first so it’ll take some time to get used to the feel of it. Once you feel more confident in your alignment, you can always go back to your normal putting stroke with your left hand on top. 

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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The saw grip is considered a bit unconventional by most golf enthusiasts, even though some pro golfers on the PGA Tour use it. Have you ever thought about trying the saw grip?

The saw grip is a golf putting grip that can help a person eliminate a putting hitch that occurs when a golfer makes a stroke. Keep reading to learn more about this putting grip style and its potential benefits.

What is The Saw Grip for Putting?

The saw grip is used by golfers that are not comfortable with a conventional grip while putting. If you struggle on the greens and aren’t making as many putts as you’d like, you may want to give the saw grip a shot. Here’s a quick guide to how it works:

1. Take the golf club in your left hand and use a standard neutral grip with the thumb pointing straight down the putter shaft. Keep the handle rested right in the palm
2. Make a saw with the four fingers on your right hand
3. Place those four fingers across the putter grip (they should be pointing towards the hole)
4. Grab the underside of the handle with your right thumb
5. For the putting stroke itself, use a pendulum type of motion

Why Some Golfers Use This Putting Grip Style

1. Golfers Who Have a Tendency to Pull Putts

Are your putts constantly rolling just left of the hole? If so, that means you struggle with pulling your putts. This happens when the putter face closes just before impact.

The saw grip makes it easier to keep the clubface square through the entire putting stroke. This leads to more consistency and a stroke that goes right to the target line.

2. Golfers Who Struggle With Their Putting Speed

Do you constantly find yourself using the incorrect amount of speed on your putts? Maybe your putts tend to end up too far past the hole and then you overcompensate and end up well short of it. 

The saw grip may be the perfect solution to help you find the correct ball speed on the greens. The pendulum, back-and-forth swing often gives golfers more control over their ball speed. 

3. Folks Who Want to Improve Their Touch on Fast Greens

Many golfers find that they have better touch on the greens after switching to the saw grip. This is especially true if the greens are extremely fast.

PGA Tour legend Phil Mickelson claims that the saw grip helped him improve his touch and accuracy on fast greens. This is probably due to the extra control that the saw grip provides. More control usually leads to more birdies on the scorecard.

4. Golfers Who Want to Use Their Shoulders More in Putting

The most consistent putters in the world use their shoulders to get the ball rolling instead of their wrists. However, not every golfer can do this while using a conventional grip. This is because the dominant hand tends to take over the putting stroke with a normal putting grip.

The saw grip takes the dominant hand out of the stroke and makes it act as only a guide. This forces the golfer to use his shoulders instead of his hands.

Pro Golfers Who Use The Saw Grip

Lots of popular golfers on both the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions use the saw grip. Here are a few of them below.

Mark O’Meara

O’Meara used the saw grip during his PGA Tour career and it helped him win 16 PGA Tour events, two of which were major championships. 

O’Meara started using the saw grip at the advice of Hank Haney, who helped him cure his case of the yips. O’Meara feels that the saw grip helps him keep his right hand in a straight line during his entire putting stroke.

Collin Morikawa

Morikawa is one of the best young players on the PGA Tour today, as evidenced by his win at the 2020 PGA Championship. The two-time major champion learned the saw grip from Mark O’Meara and started using it in the early portion of 2021. 

The grip change paid almost immediate dividends, as Morikawa won the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship at Concession Golf Club just a few days after making the switch to the saw. The sky’s the limit for how many PGA Tour events Morikawa can win!

Mark Calcavecchia

Calcavecchia used a saw putting grip for most of his career and it worked exceptionally well for him. “Calc” won 13 PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship.

Calcavecchia still plays on the PGA Tour Champions and he’s won four times on that circuit. Even at age 61, Calcavecchia still has a smooth, consistent putting stroke.

Chris Dimarco

Dimarco’s grip could be considered either the saw grip or the claw grip since he uses a cupped right hand. How important was it for Dimarco to make a putting grip change? Some folks say that Dimarco’s switch to the saw grip may have saved his pro career back in the mid-1990s.

Dimarco has won three times on the PGA Tour in his career and has come close to winning a major on three different occasions.

Other Common Putting Grips

Vardon Grip

You’ve likely heard of the overlapping grip, which is often used for a full swing. It was made famous by Harry Vardon, a famous golfer from the early 1900s that won seven major championships.

With the Vardon grip, the left-hand holds the club in a neutral position. The right pinkie laps over the left index finger. 

The Vardon grip works great for full swings but can cause problems while putting since the wrists can easily roll before making contact with the golf ball. For this reason, not many golfers use the Vardon grip while putting.

Cross-Handed Grip

This grip is also known as the left-hand low grip. As its name implies, the left-hand acts as the bottom hand with this putting grip. Jim Furyk, one of the most consistent putters on the PGA Tour, has used the left-hand low putting grip his entire career.

Lots of golfers say that the cross-handed grip helps give them a better feel of the putter head. For this reason, lots of pro golfers go to the cross-handed technique when they are in the middle of a putting slump.

Claw Grip

The claw grip can be considered a variation of the saw grip. The only difference is that with the claw grip, the right hand has more of a cupped shape to it. Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, has been using the claw putting grip for several years.

Though there are lots of variations of the claw grip, most of them have the fingers of the right hand pointing down the shaft. This grip helps reduce the use of the golfer’s dominant hand and often leads to a more accurate putting stroke.

Reverse Overlap Grip

The reverse overlap grip is the most widely used putting grip on the PGA Tour. Lots of golfers consider it to be the most comfortable of all the putting grips and it is considered to be the most conventional. PGA Tour stars like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and a whole host of others use the reverse overlap grip.

With the reverse overlap, the golfer takes his left forefinger and laps it over his right pinkie and right ring finger. Many golfers feel that the reverse-overlapping grip prevents their hands from rolling over just before impact. This is a huge key to putting with more consistency.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Besides reading the line and judging the speed, I have found beginners and high handicaps struggle with alignment.

It doesn’t matter how well you read a line or judge the pace. If you are aiming off line, your putts stand no chance. This article seeks to rectify that by introducing you to the best putting laser aids to sink more putts.

I’ve compiled a combination of affordable, mid-range, and premium options to cater to all players. Whether you are a beginner on a limited budget or a high-rolling lower handicapper, this list gives you options.

Budget Laser Target Line Putting Aids

1. SWTM Golf Putter Sight Pointer

The SWTM is the most affordable laser putter aid to achieve the perfect aim. It is a simple, portable design that attaches to your shaft and shines down on the ball at address. The laser helps you identify and keep your putter path consistent during your backstroke and follow through.

Apart from keeping your putter head on line during your stroke, it ensures your face is aiming along the correct line. That helps you send your ball off on the proposed start line for added accuracy.

Given the lightweight construction of this putter laser, it also attaches to other clubs. However, it’s best set-up to improve your short game. Its affordable price point suits beginners and casual golfers on a budget.

2. Foretra Golf Putter Plane Laser Pointer

The Foretra is an adjustable putter laser pointer aid that helps you aim at the desired target. Subsequently, it allows you to see if your clubhead remains on the path during your stroke for a square impact point of the putter.

Furthermore, the adjustable pointer helps you align the laser with your ball for added accuracy.

Finally, this laser pointer is highly affordable and portable, allowing you to attach it to other clubs and practice wherever you have a putting mat or green.

3. Peyan Golf Laser Sight Pointer

This golf laser sight pointer features a similar construction to other affordable designs. Its sole purpose is to help you master your putting alignment.

An adjustable pointer allows you to calibrate the laser for improved accuracy, while a lightweight construction means it can attach to any putter.

Mid-Range Laser Putter Aids

4. The Smart Golfer LPAS Smart Laser Putting Alignment

The Smart Golfer LPAS attaches to your putter face and exhibits the correct vision line of the clubface. It instantly demonstrates when the face of the putter is aiming along the incorrect line. On long putts with multiple breaks and speeds, pick a point nearer to you to set up on target.

A button that attaches to your grip connects to the laser pointer. That means a wire runs up your shaft, which may be distracting. Whenever you wish to deploy the laser, press the button to see where your clubface is aiming.

One complaint I have is that the product looks cheap and the light sometimes struggles to prevail in bright conditions. However, it does what it needs to and helps you improve your aim.

5. ProActive Sports

This laser putter is a great product to assist you with aligning your putter face with the target. Plus, it allows you to determine whether your putter head remains on plane during your backstroke and follow through.

Employing this laser with solid line projection improves your aim to ensure that you start your ball on the desired target line. That helps you improve your accuracy on the green for more consistency on long and short putts.

The rechargeable device attaches to your shaft, and the laser reflects onto your target line and putter head. Therefore, it is portable, and you can use it on your indoor putting mat or the practice green.

6. Perfect Practice Golf Laser Glasses

Perfect Practice glasses take the individual golfer one step further into the future. Thanks to their laser module glasses. Instead of attaching a laser to your club, you wear it. These frames train your head and eyes to remain above the ball at address.

It helps you follow the line of your putter and ball from your backstroke through impact. Considering that Dustin Johnson uses these glasses, one may suggest that it forms part of the equipment of the serious golfer types.

Premium Putting Laser Systems

7. Mark-Tech Rechargeable Green Laser Putter

The Mark-Tech rechargeable green laser putt is a high-performing product with rechargeable batteries and a powerful green laser. It is easy to set up and requires no calibration, unlike products that attach to your shaft.

This laser aid shines brightly on your target, providing great visuals for a true assessment of your clubface position. You can see where your clubface is pointing throughout your stroke. That helps you identify and make adjustments to your stroke for improved results on the green.

This device offers an accurate aim kit to eradicate silly alignment errors that can cause you to miss makeable short putts.

An issue one may have is the added weight the device gives your putter. That could lead to inconsistencies in your distance control on the course. You may leave putts short when it is not attached to your putter because you usually do not need to hit the ball with as much force.

8. Greenon Laser Coach Putting

The final putting laser aid on this list is the most expensive. It performs multiple functions, such as pointing you along your target line and exposing the angle of your putter face at impact. In addition, it guides you to master the distance control of your putts for fewer three-putts.

Besides giving you the perfect line, this laser putter aid provides visualization training to help you understand where your putter face needs to reach at impact. As a result, you will pay more attention to getting your face square for improved accuracy.

Finally, it features a powerful green laser for optimal visuals and is rechargeable to avoid frequently purchasing batteries.

Related: Familiarize yourself with effective putting drills. That will give purpose to your practice session and boost the impact of your laser training aid.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Amateurs I speak to spend insane amounts of time worrying about the tiniest equipment specifications. Mostly, their aim is to maximize distance. However, these same players struggle around the green and neglect their short game. That is why I have compiled 7 tips to help your putting stroke.

I will explain how your golf ball, grip, and hosel influence the accuracy and distance control of putts. But, more importantly, I have compiled tips to help you improve your putting stroke. If you can dial your performance with the flat stick, you will start to consistently shave strokes off your handicap.

You should also learn about the 8 best putting drills to card more birdies. These exercises will increase your consistency on the dancefloor for fewer 3-putts and more birdies.

What is a Putting Stroke?

In simple terms, a putting stroke is your swing with a flat stick. It refers to when you take your putter head back and through to connect the golf ball.

There are 3 predominant putting strokes, including the straight, straight-arc, and arc. The straight stroke occurs when players take the putter head away on a straight line and follow the same path through to the ball.

The second putting stroke is often displayed by PGA Tour professionals. This is a straight-arc stroke. As the same suggests, players induce a combination of straight back and arc motions for a square face at impact.

Finally, an arc stroke occurs when golfers produce increased face twisting between takeaway and impact.

It is vital to understand what putting stroke you have to identify the correct putter specs. Otherwise, you will experience inaccuracy and erratic distance control on the green.

Does The Ball You Use Matter for Putting?

The ball you use does not matter for the average golfer. I say that because you probably do not strike it consistently in the center of the clubface for it to impact your result. However, GolfWorks shows how the position of your ball at set-up can influence the direction that it rolls off the putter face:

GolfWorks explains that when the weight of the ball is positioned to the left or right, it veers off in that direction. When weight is positioned upwards, it produces a purer roll to remain on its target line.

Now, if you strike the ball off-center, it will miss on the left or right-hand side of the cup. Even the weight of the ball is facing up. That is where the majority of us average golfers sit.

7 Tips to Improve Your Putting Stroke

1. Hosel Selection

The first step to optimizing your putting stroke is to select a putter with the correct hosel for your stroke. Once you know what stroke you have, you can identify the ideal hosel to increase stability and limit face rotation.

Golfers with a straight back and through putting technique tend to excel with a double bend hosel. This shaft construction helps balance the club face, keeping it square through impact. Another option for straight strokes is a center shaft, which is also face-balanced.

Conversely, players with an arc putter path are better equipped for a short hosel. It also works for those who work their wrists excessively during the stroke. These hostels create toe hang in the face, which mitigates face rotation to square it up through impact.

Furthermore, a plumber’s neck is built for those with a slight arc and straight swing path. These putters feature some toe-hang to get your face square for a straighter shot.

2. Shaft Length

The next step is to consider the length of your putter shaft. Employ a posture where you are completely in control of your stroke. Some players find that bending over and getting their eyes directly over the ball is the best way to ensure the correct alignment. A standard 34 or 33-inch shaft may do the trick in this instance.

However, taller golfers who prefer to stand more upright at address may opt for a 35-inch shaft. The length of your shaft impacts the angle that your face strikes the ball through impact. If it is too long for your setup you may struggle to square up the putter face in time for contact.

On the other hand, a short shaft might lead to a closed face at impact, resulting in putts missing to the left of the cup.

3. Putter Grip Setup

Try a few different putting grips to find the one that produces the best control and feel. One option is the claw grip. Tommy Fleetwood is an excellent claw putting stroke teacher. He provides a simple explanation of the technique in the below video, but I will touch on the basics:

Effectively, your grip locks between your thumb and index finger on your strongest hand. That means right hand for right-handers and left for left hand golfers. This boosts the stability of the club and limits face rotation.

Another option that I use on the practice green is left-hand low and right-hand above. As a right-hander, it reduces my ability to move the wrists. Therefore, it keeps the face straight through the stroke.

My actual setup is the conventional grip. I keep the hands connected to encourage the palms to work together. It feels more comfortable for me and provides optimal feedback. Unfortunately, it can cause my wrists to rotate during the stroke.

4. Strike The Ball On The Up

For optimal distance control and accuracy, your ball must roll purely. This can only be achieved if you connect the ball cleanly. I see many amateurs stab at the ball instead of stroking it. This leads to them striking the ball on a downward trajectory limiting the topspin the low lofted club produces.

Therefore, you should work on striking the ball a moment after the low point of your stroke. PGA coach Todd Kolb recommends an effective drill that requires no fancy training aid. Place a Sharpie 6 to 8-inches behind your ball and stroke away. If you strike the sharpie on your follow-through, it highlights that you are bringing it down too early in the stroke:

5. Gate Drill

To become a great putter, you need to master accuracy. This starts by understanding alignment and reading the slope of the green. Once you know how to read your line, the next step is to keep your ball on the target line for the entire putt.

For optimal accuracy, your clubface needs to remain square through impact. You can work on this by placing your ball between 2 tees and a further 2 3-inches ahead of that. This setup prompts your ball to start on the desired line and roll to the cup.

Alternatively, you can find a friendly device online or at your local golf retail store. One option is the PuttOut Putting Trainer.

6. Follow The Line

This is an easy exercise that you can work on to boost your stroke path consistency. In addition, it improves your rhythm and tempo. Use a ruler or another golf club and practice taking your putter back and forward along the line. You can even use the grout in your tiles as a guideline.

If you prefer the presence of a proper alignment aid, think about the Kingtop Putting Alignment Mirror.

7. Distance Control Practice

Amateurs tend to struggle with distance control, especially on startling longer putts. This tip is simple. When you practice your skills with the flat stick, pick a spot on the other side of the green. Putt 10 to 20 balls to the point, and see how many you get within a 2-foot radius.

Then work it back by picking a spot in the middle of the green, and finally, one within 10-feet of you. This drill helps you understand how hard to strike the ball for each distance.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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