Claw grip - How many are using?

[Bunker Snot]

I turned on the Golf Channel and it's Women's college golf - Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. The first (5) players they showed were using claw putting grip.

Would you teach a claw grip to a young golfer as a starting point?
What's your take on the benefit? Face stability? Add bottom hand, lessen bottom hand?
Claw not just for yips any more?

Just curiosity, I use the old guy index finger down the side of the grip but not as pincer like as most claw grips.

 

[Jtubb17]

I played around with it a little bit but went back to my traditional grip. The claw grip felt pretty good for shortish putts but I didn't really like the feel on anything over 10 feet.

 

[Bjornjorg]

I use the claw grip and have now for about 3 years. It's been great for me as I had a bad case of the yips with the conventional grip.

 

[OneFootShort]

Couple of guys I play with use it, including our assistant pro, who is one of the better players I play with. The ones that use it really like it for now. I've considered it for shorter putts but I'm not really a bad putter in a traditional grip, so why change it I guess. I've considered left hand low (as a righty) for some time now.

 

[wazzubrew]

Recently changed to the claw grip. As a righty who golfs lefty it just makes so much sense to give full control to my dominant hand here.

 

[Bob M]

I started using the claw about half-way through the 2020 season and used it all of 2021. Almost switched to armlock for 2022 until I saw David Edel's YouTube video on the claw and who should use it. I adopted his recommendations and am using the claw going forward. I find that I can keep the putter face online longer during the stroke and get a better roll using this method.

 

[hadi05]

I turned on the Golf Channel and it's Women's college golf - Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. The first (5) players they showed were using claw putting grip.

Would you teach a claw grip to a young golfer as a starting point?
What's your take on the benefit? Face stability? Add bottom hand, lessen bottom hand?
Claw not just for yips any more?

Just curiosity, I use the old guy index finger down the side of the grip but not as pincer like as most claw grips.

View attachment 9070656

This is what I use as well.

 

[Scorp]

"Here's your putter. Hold it however you find is the most comfortable for you." <-- that's what I believe.

Everything else will work itself out at some point.

 

[gkeller813]

I've been messing around with it during the winter, and realized I'm so much more stable with the claw vs traditional. I've also only used it on my indoor 8' mat, so we shall see how it transitions. Going to try it out tomorrow at the practice green to see how it all works out.

 

[Bunker Snot]

I use the claw grip and have now for about 3 years. It's been great for me as I had a bad case of the yips with the conventional grip.

So better confidence and stability for the stroke?

Small sample set but most think claw grip seems to add stability to putter head and/or swing path.

 

[Bjornjorg]

So better confidence and stability for the stroke?

Small sample set but most think claw grip seems to add stability to putter head and/or swing path.

Exactly. For me, way more stability and consistency with the swing path. I do use a blade style, but wider blade that also helps with the stability. One more thing I've started doing is running my left forefinger down the shaft to help stop any flipping as well. I really feel like in the last 12-18 months I've become a much better putter, with my golfing buddies also commenting on the change for the better. I'd say give it a try. It does take time getting used to, and I did have the normal trouble of lagging the longer distances, but only initially. With practice and time I got used to the new grip and comfortable with it even longer distances. Just like anything else....takes some practice.

 

[Mmaynard11]

Just feels so awkward to me. I can’t make the switch.

 

[Bjornjorg]

Just feels so awkward to me. I can’t make the switch.

Wouldn't feel as awkward if you sucked at it with your current grip I think like most things, a struggle often necessitates a change. Or at least experiments with other methods.

 

[Chef23]

I use the claw. If you control the distance of your putts based on accelerating the putter head vs the length of the stroke then you will struggle with the claw on longer putts.

On short putts inside of 10 feet I find it really helps with the stability of the stroke.

 

[Mmaynard11]

Wouldn't feel as awkward if you sucked at it with your current grip I think like most things, a struggle often necessitates a change. Or at least experiments with other methods.

You are probably right.

 

[mts25]

I went from traditional -> crosshanded ->claw (or a version of it). I love it. My yips were seemingly the opposite of everyone else's, they were from outside 30 feet. I got to the point where I would much rather chip from > 30 ft. than putt. I've always been really solid inside 10 ft. no matter how I grip the putter. The claw has worked really well for me from all distances.

It was awkward when I first tried it, it probably took me 3 hrs on the putting green to get used to it, but it feels very natural now.

 

[jpgolf]

About 4/5 years ago I gave it (claw grip) a try... and it worked wonders! Played that way until recently, when I went into a putting funk again. I changed putters, went to a mallet style (Spider X)... and have found that I am comfortable with a traditional style grip again. How long will this last? Who knows... I just like the feeling of that old, traditional look & feel again. (For now.)

 

[Slowmo]

Just feels so awkward to me. I can’t make the switch.

this is me, and I've tried everything over the years in putting, even going so far as to put left handed for almost a full year. Just doesn't feel right and can't get comfortable .

 

[USAF Retired]

I've tried it but just can't get it to be comfortable

 

[Sox_Fan]

Have been using it for about 6 weeks. Still trying to figure out what putter grip and what right hand configuration will work best for me. Have experimented with several of each so far.

 

[Dcharo]

I’m all in with the claw. Started 4 months ago Felt weird at first but had end over end roll on the ball that I haven’t felt for long time. So maybe weird was good. Started at 3-4 feet. Gradually worked up to 12 feet and play a round with it. I felt really confident. Best putting round I can remember for a while. Longer putts I went to conventional. I had a blade putter and felt wasn’t the right putter. Bought a heavier oversize mallet that made a difference. I feel confident up to 30-40 feet where most of my putts start
My feeling is that lead arm/hand dominants the stroke and trail hand helps out. Like to feel the grip most over the palm of my lead hand

 

[Tenputt]

I have been starting to see a lot of success with the claw grip. Early on after making the switch, I struggled with long lag putts. That is starting to change, though. If I can make a consistently good lag putts, this style of grip is going to make a huge difference.

 

[Desmond]

My right hand is on the putter only for stability, very little pressure. I use a semi-normal grip.

 

[jpgolf]

About 4/5 years ago I gave it (claw grip) a try... and it worked wonders! Played that way until recently, when I went into a putting funk again. I changed putters, went to a mallet style (Spider X)... and have found that I am comfortable with a traditional style grip again. How long will this last? Who knows... I just like the feeling of that old, traditional look & feel again. (For now.)

Well... a year later and I am back to the claw again - and using a traditional blade putter. I don’t really think I ever had the yips... I’m right handed and I am very right hand dominant. Using the claw lets me feel like I am taking that “bad dominance” out. But, hey... we’re all day to day.

 

[Bosco...]

Nope. I think it’s an “introduced distraction” like a different grip, shaft, or putter where there’s something different that makes you think something different that makes you do something different. Which is obviously the point.