How to Putt With the Reverse Overlap Putting Grip

By John Paolino

Learning how to putt begins with the putting grip. If you are experiencing problems with your putting game then a grip change maybe what you need. Although there are a variety of putting grip styles used today by both professionals and amateurs alike the most popular is the reverse overlap grip. I believe this grip is the most fundamentally solid of the choices available and would highly recommended it to new golfers.

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I. Introduction- How To Become A Great Putter

Beginner golfers tend to think that the type of putter used is what makes a great shot. However, the truth is that you can go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a new putter, but it’s not the club that counts (though it doesn’t hurt)….

A.The Real Secret Do you want to know the real secret behind becoming an excellent putter?

The answer is (drumroll)… Confidence. And confidence is often developed from practice. Both real & imaginary practice. And “Imaginary practice” (imagery) is more effective than you might think, according to some studies.

Your $500 putter can definitely help. But, the true power lies in your ability to see and believe that you have a chance to make every putt that you attempt.

Ask anyone good a putting, and he or she will tell you the exact same thing.

When they approach the ball, they know full well that they have total control and that they will sink that ball with every swing made. Sounds a bit cocky, right? It is, but it’s that attitude which makes winners on the green.

B. Always Have A Target Line Every putt you make should always be straight. Okay, perhaps your shot will not end up going in a straight direction, but that’s not the point I am trying to make here.

By saying that each putt should be a straight putt, I mean that you should stroke every putt straight down the target line. In order to hit a straight putt, visualize a straight line that travels from the back of the ball directly down your target line.

This straight line should stretch all the way to the hole or least to a point that you selected so that the ball will break right to the hole.

To better increase your chance of success, choose a spot on the target line to aim at. Remember, the target doesn’t have to necessarily be the actual hole. It can be anything, so long as it gets your ball rolling in the proper direction toward the hole.

II. The Catch 22 Of Putting Shots

One of the major factors influencing a putt’s success or failure is it’s speed. In other words, the pressure that you apply on your swing determines your success as a putter. However, it’s not that easy….

A. The Catch 22 You see, if you hit it too hard, the ball will cruise right past the hole. When this happens, you will need to make an extended recovery shot.

On the other hand, if you don’t put enough pressure on your swing, the ball will stop short of the hole. Thus, the “Catch 22″ of putting.

Hitting the ball too hard will give you less break, or curve. For example, if you hit the ball too hard and had calculated six or seven inches of break, the ball will likely break just two or three inches. And thereby miss the target.

By hitting the ball too hard, even a putt that is only two feet long can cause you to miss the hole completely. Your own power is your downfall.

But, if you hit the ball too gently, the ball may break more than your calculation and also miss the hole.Therefore, the success of the putt depends on the speed of the ball. Speed, along with distance, go hand and hand on the putting green.

III. Dangers To Look Out

If you think that your ball is safe once it hits the green, think again! There are unsuspecting obstacles, or a better term would be annoyances, that can wreck a seemingly perfect putt. When making your putt, the following unsuspecting problems may hinder your success on the green:

A. Grass Since when is trimmed short grass on the green a problem? Although the smooth surface of the green is well kept and maintained, it is still grass after all, and it will grow. A small patch of higher-than-normal grass blades can get in the way of a perfect putt. That’s what you have to watch out for. A poor groundskeeper can ruin your day!

B. Leftover Footprints It is common etiquette not to step in the same line of your fellow player’s shots on the green, so as to not create footprints. But not everyone has such good etiquette unfortunately. What if the group ahead of you has trampled all over the green? Footprints may not be easy to see, but they can interfere with your ball’s line of travel.

C. Untouched Grass Around The Hole Greens gets a lot of foot traffic from people walking all over them. People make their putt shots, walk around them to grab their balls, and all sorts of other stuff . But the 6 to 10 inches that surround the hole itself never really gets stepped on. This can also create an uneven level of grass and cause your ball to move in a different direction.

IV. Putting From A Bunker

Is it possible to successfully putt the ball from a sand bunker? The answer is yes, it is definitely possible! There are times when the bunker sand is so hard and lipless, that you can make a successful putt. It’s not easy from the sand, but it can be done. As Arnold Palmer says, “the worst putt is better than your best chip.”

Before trying to make the “hero” putt shot from the sand, it is important to properly assess the situation. If the following conditions exist, you may be able to go for a successful putt from the bunker:

1. The sand must be firm and well packed. There must be absolutely no lip at the top of the bunker/edge of the grass.

3. The ball should not have to roll for more than 4 feet or so of sand. This is because it is often harder to roll the ball on sand rather than grass.

4. The hole should be very close to the bunker.

Putting Means Practicing

Putting may sound simple, but you should strive to spend as much time as possible practicing your putts from various lengths & with different breaks as you can. Spend time on the green taking long putts, short ones, putts that break from right to left, left to right, straight putts, & others.

There are an enormous variety of putts you can practice. By investing your time into practicing every type of putt you can think of, you will become more comfortable & confident with any scenario that you are confronted with on the green.

Ask Yourself These Questions to enhance & optimize your practice:

• Are your putts too hard or too soft?
• Are you continually misreading the break?
• Are you comfortable with lengthy putts?
• When your ball hits the hole, how does it react? Does it roll right over? Does it sink, but then bounce out?
• Are you using an uneven stroke which causes you to pull or push the putt?

Focus on these areas & adjust as needed. These are great starting points to refining an incredible putt.

Why It’s Important

The huge variety of information that can be found on this simple little shot involves tips on styles, strategies, types of putters, philosophies, & individual techniques.

There is even research available regarding scientific putting theories & tests! Talk about in depth stuff! It’s truly amazing how far technology has influenced our lives & continues to do so.

But, beginner golfers, amateurs, and even some Pros all tend to overlook just how integral putting is to the game of golf. What it comes down to is that putting seems boring. Well, guess what? It is boring.

However, it’s got to be mastered. Many people have a fascination with sending the ball high into the air from the tee. They have images of professional golfers wacking the ball great distances with a swing that seems the ultimate in grace.

Who dreams of “boring” putt shots?

Not many golfers at first. But, to lower your score, you better start aspiring to improve your putting skills. The truth is that putting is the culmination of every shot you made on each hole. Each shot you take leads up to that one defining moment when you must get into the hole. Putting truly is the “end game.”

Think about it. You’ve already got your tee shot to fly as straight & far as you can. You’ve taken the approach shot(s) without sending the ball into the rough or other disaster areas. Now you’re on the green. You want to sink it smoothly into the hole without a glitch. Mastering putting is the only way to end the hole.

Now, putting seems more important than you thought it was, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s not glamorous, but putting is critical to getting that lower score.

Sharpen Up Your Skills

You see, putting is one of the most important parts of the game. It takes the perfect combination of speed, confidence, coordination, & precision. You need to adjust your body and swing style so that just enough strength is used to tap the ball. You must do this while simultaneously holding back the excitement you feel when making this last shot (this is covered more in depth below). Easier said than done…right?

But, what if you miss? It takes great character to not “blow your top” in sheer frustration. The pros who’ve been around a while know that golf is a game of patience….a slow game of precision.

So, you should take practicing your putts as seriously as you do other shots. Consider this: that long drive that you just hit from the tee just traveled 200 to 300 yards….But, it counts the SAME as a putt: 1 stroke! It’s hard to grasp this concept initially as most humans aren’t good at non-linear thinking, but, that’s reality on the course. At the end of the day, the scorecard doesn’t care what type of shots you made. So, if you are going to put the practice hours in, devote a decent amount of them to developing your putting skills.

Combining Strength & Finesse

To be successful at putting, you need confidence in your ability to make the shot every time. You must be eager, sure of your skills, and perhaps a little bit on the cocky side. I can’t tell you how many times overconfidence has let me astray in multiple areas of my life. Remember, there is a fine line between confidently bettering your game & being overly aggressive.

When facing a longer putt, you will undoubtedly need to add a little more strength to your swing. So, if you want to hit more firmly & aggressively, the key is to lengthen your backstroke, not swinging the club harder & faster. You need just the right touch of firm force to consistently make your putts. That being said, there are some drawbacks to using too much muscle and might in your putts.

For example, if the ball is hit too hard, it can run directly through the break. While speed is important, you cannot forget about the break. Trying to forcing the ball into the hole never works. Also, faster and harder putts are much more likely to hit the hole & then spin out. What you really want to develop is a fine balance. You want a firm putt – hit it just right without going, around or through the hole. Practice will allow you to develop just that. Remember: “Firm with finesse.”

The Secret Training Drill

So, how hard should you hit the ball to get it into the cup? A ball landing one or two feet shy of the hole isn’t considered in. Therefore, the first step in putting is to hit the ball with just enough force. Remember: just enough.

This way, if the ball misses the hole, it will still be located fairly close to the hole & you won’t have much difficulty making the next putt, given that the ball will still be close.

So, how do you determine how hard to hit the ball? It’s fairly easy. Go to a practice green & try putts from different distances until you start to get a better grasp on how hard to hit it from various lengths.

Practice first from 8 feet, 20 feet, and then from 40 feet. Hit the ball from different angles around the hole to see how the different lengths of putts feel.

With sufficient practice, your mind will start to develop a connection between the exact amount of force that you need to swing & the right force needed to land the ball in the hole.

Your scorecard can only be improved by increasing your skills. And your skills will increase when you prepare & push yourself on every shot. You should ask yourself: What do I expect from this shot?

What is a reasonable result?

Reasonable Goals

The key to lowering your score is to try to avoid too many putts in general. That’s the goal, really.

There is a difference between goals & expectations. Goals are the end game. Expectations are what you have about small steps toward your goals. Often, your expectations won’t be met, so use baby steps to move towards your goals. The initial goal you should have is to use 36 putts or fewer on an 18 hole course. To get there, you must use two putts or less on every hole.

This goal obviously becomes easier to achieve if you are consistently getting the ball onto the green from the tee. But, during those times where it lands 30 to 50 feet away from the hole, you’ve got some work to do. It’s takes extreme focus to make those long putts successful.

Make Every Putt Count

By setting a goal of 36 or less putts per game, you’ve taken a positive step to improving your game. When facing a long putt, you may get lazy & lose confidence in your ability to make the shot. This may cause you to swing in a halfhearted matter & you are destined to fail even before trying. This happens to us all. Just keep going, avoid thinking like this, & don’t give up faith!

Try again. Reset. And, make every putt count. Don’t get over confident, even if the shot appears to be easy, an unsuccessful outcome may result if you are too confident. You may have been successful in getting the ball close to the hole, but now you feel overly confident & start attacking the ball aggressively.

Instead of staying focused, your overconfidence & lack of concentration may cause an easy 2′ putt to completely miss the hole. The key is really to find a balance that works for you. Get into the zone. Know that you can sink it, but don’t taken it for granted….