What Do These 2 Major Winners Have in Common? Their Grip Might Surprise You
Nelly Korda and J.J. Spaun share at least two things in common.
Both are major champions and both also have mastered the art of cross-handed putting, which also is known as left-hand-low putting.
Putting has always been equal parts art and science, with a large emphasis on player preference. With so many putting techniques and putter models, there are seemingly no limits on the putting combinations from which players and coaches can select. (Keegan Bradley, for one, subscribes to heads-up putting.) So, when two of the best putters in the world are using the same style of putting to perform at the highest level of competition, we should all take notice. Our own Zephyr Melton did, getting a left-hand-low lesson from Korda a few years back.
What really got my attention as a GOLF Top 100 Teacher was something Spaun accomplished in the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont: 139 feet of made putts from the 12th to 18th greens. His flawless technique on Oakmont’s enormous putting surfaces under extreme U.S. Open Sunday pressure delivered him the victory. Korda has impressive putting stats of her own: her 1.75 putts per green average this season has helped her rank first in Birdie Percentage (26.67%).
- With the left hand below the right hand, the lead arm is longer and hangs more straight down from the lead shoulder. This puts the lead wrist in a firm, locked position, perfect for a low-rotation stroke
- The right arm, or trail arm, is bent and placed closer to the side of the upper body
- The right wrist is extended, or bent back from the wrist to the forearm
- Shoulders are level and neutral
- Pressure at address is balanced and neutral, with no forward lean to the target side
- Forward press the handle of the putter toward the target
This is quite possibly the best putting setup for a straight path and minimal club face rotation. With both wrists in a stable position at address, hand motion is eliminated from the skill of putting. Also, since the shoulders are level at address and swing in the direction of the setup, the path of the club is level to the ground, reducing issues with attack angles and overarching strokes.
If you are trying this for the first time, you may consider altering your putter grip to get the best feel for this change. I recommend trying a grip with limited taper (width change) and uniform diameter to get the feel for lead hand low. Try the Super Stroke Zenergy putting grip, which has a uniform lower hand profile to minimize grip pressure and maintain putter head path for a more consistent stroke.
