Viral Scoop
general | August 09, 2026

Should you choke down on a putter?

The longer the putting stroke, on the short putts, the more chance there is for a deceleration into the ball and the putter face getting offline. Choking down on the putter will allow you much more solid struck putts when attempting those important winning putts.

Does choking down on golf club help?

Choking down will reduce swing speed, increase control over the club head at impact, and reduce your shot distance. Choking down on your driver can also help if you need to hit a tee shot into the wind. Your swing speed will decline by choking down and you will put less spin on the ball.

Should I choke down on my wedges?

Since irons are still relatively long compared to your wedges, you don't want to choke down much more than an inch or two (at most). For example, if you choke down all the way to the steel on a 7-iron, it might feel too awkward for most players. Instead, leave gripping down that much for wedges.

How far should I choke down on my driver?

To hit a more conservative tee ball, I always choke down on the grip a full two inches (No. 1) and narrow my stance so my feet are only slightly wider than my shoulders (No. 2). I tee the ball lower and farther back, maybe three inches inside my left instep.

Should my putter be flat on the ground?

Perfect Fit

You know your putter fits you when the sole of the club lies flat on the ground when your eyes are over the ball at setup. You're ready to roll the ball off the sweet spot— just as the putter was designed!

18 related questions found

Why is my putter face closed at impact?

The normal ball position would be one ball width left in the stance. If the balls tend to go left, a ball position slightly more right will support a more open putter face at impact. Accordingly, if the balls tend to go to the right a ball position slightly more left will support a more closed face at impact.

Should you keep putter low to ground?

I'm a firm believer that, unlike most golf shots, the grip of the putter should remain perpendicular as long as possible through impact for both putts and short chip shots. This keeps the putter-head low to the ground which allows the golf ball to hug the surface of the green and develop true roll more quickly.

How far off ground should putter be?

The standard face height of putters is one inch and this puts the sweetspot vertically at a height of half an inch. A golf ball is 1.680 inches in diameter with its equator at a height around 0.84 inches. If you place your putter against the ball, the sweetspot of your putter will be lower than the equator of the ball.

Which hand should control the putter?

If you putt right-handed, your right hand will be more dominant. It will also be the one that can cause you the most problems in your stroke. Problems arise when you start to use it to guide or power your putting stroke. It should help and support your left – it should never control it.

How tight should you hold a putter?

On a scale of 10 to 1, with 10 being as hard as you can squeeze, and 1 being the putter almost falling out of your hands, your grip pressure should be about 4. Tension is an enemy of a smooth putting stroke.

What happens if putter is too flat?

"A lie angle that is too flat will cause a player to reach for the ball and his hands will move out from under the shoulders," Pelz told Golf World in 2010. "That leaves the putter swinging around the body instead of along the proper path.

What happens if a putter is too upright?

When a right-handed player has a putter built with a lie angle that is too upright for the player's setup and stroke, the toe of the club tends to come up, and putts tend to miss to the left.

How do you release a putter on your face?

As you stroke try to sense the butt end pointing at the same spot on your upper body. This should be maintainted from address to the back of the stroke and on into the follow through. Feel the putter head SWING to either side of your center. A light, soft grip will aid in the putter face releasing freely.

Should you press your hands forward when putting?

Give it a head start After you take your setup, your hands should be directly over the ball (far left). To forward press, move them an inch or two up the target line (left). Although the forward press in putting is a matter of preference, it has always been my style to use one, and I recommend you give it a try.

Should hands be forward when putting?

It is a good idea to set your hands in front of the ball because such a position will usually lead to a clean roll. If your hands are farther back, you can actually hit a mini-chip shot which bounces along the green before it starts to roll.

Where should the ball be when putting?

Your ball should be positioned just forward of the middle of your stance. Determining how close the ball should be to your body is a bit more complicated. It is generally agreed that you should set your putting posture so that your eyes are positioned directly above or just slightly inside of the ball.

What is advantage of left hand low putting?

The left-hand low putting grip helps take the hands and wrists out of the putting stroke. This forces the bigger muscles like the hips, shoulders, and arms to control the entire stroke. When this happens, the golfer will notice that their putting technique is more reliable and consistent.

Why do I push my putts to the right?

1. Ball position in your setup is critical to the path your ball starts on. Your putter face is square in the center of your stance or under your sternum. If the ball position is too far toward your right foot (RH golfers), you could be pushing putts to the right.