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BODY / PUTTING
CLAW YOUR WAY BACK In a slump on the greens? It might be time to use this grip By Steve Buzza
IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 20 YEARS since Chris DiMarco nearly beat Tiger Woods in a playoff
at the Masters, putting with an unusual grip known as “the claw.” Since then, dozens of players have used a variation of it including Phil Mickelson, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood. Unlike a traditional putting grip, in which both palms face each other on the sides of the handle, a claw grip entails holding the club with your right hand’s palm rotated inwards, facing your body. The putter is pinched between the thumb and forefinger, so very few fingers on the right hand make contact with the club. This reduces that hand’s involvement in the stroke, which helps keep the putterhead square at impact. The claw grip isn’t for everyone. In my experience, it tends to best suit golfers with a thick chest and more rounded posture, and most important- ly, those whose palms face their thighs. Most people’s palms naturally hang only slightly inwards, and those golfers are usually better suited to hold a put- ter with a traditional grip. However, if your hands face inwards and you putt with a standard grip, the right hand tends to seek out its most natural posi- tion, which can twist the forearm and putterface closed. This leads to the left miss – a pull – and a lack of smoothness in the stroke. Many golfers mistakenly think it’s a sign of the dreaded yips. In reality, it’s just a setup flaw. If you pull a lot of putts, the claw might help you. Turn the page and read on to find out how. – WITH DAVE ALLEN STEVE BUZZA, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher, is director of instruction at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 31
JUNE 2024
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