The left-hand low, lefty-low, or cross-handed putting grip is a style of holding one’s putter with the non-dominant hand—the left hand for righties and the right hand for lefties—below the dominant hand on the grip. Essentially the exact opposite of a standard putting grip. Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel are two of the most prominent professional golfers to use a cross-handed grip, and it is something that they each swear by. To better understand their reasoning, let’s discuss the specific advantages of using the left-hand low grip.
What are the main advantages of the left-hand low putter grip?
Improved alignment
Perfectly lining up any golf shot is a challenge, and doing a poor job of it on the green is flat out frustrating. One of the most notable downfalls of a standard putting putting grip is how easily it can lead to a golfer’s shoulders being opened up. Many golfers who experience this issue aren’t even aware of the reason why they are pulling their putts, but the physics of making a stroke with a standard grip naturally pushes the right shoulder past the left, causing the chest to open up and the putter face to turn over.
The left-hand low grip will force the left shoulder to stay aligned with the right, which improves a golfer’s stance immediately. A better set-up on the green will lead to more putts staying true to the line you pick and an improved chance at lower scoring.
Limits “handsy” putts
Another common problem for amateur golfers on the green is breaking their wrists on the forward motion of a putt. “Handsy” putting makes controlling speed extremely difficult, and allowing the wrists to break can affect the face of the putter dramatically, making it detrimental to accuracy as well. The left-hand low grip predominantly eliminates the risk of being handsy, as it forces a golfer to use their shoulders and arms to control their stroke.
It takes time to get used to a brand new stroke, and putting “backwards” will surely feel awkward at first, but eliminating handsy putts will automatically improve your scorecard.
Steadier stroke
This final point may seem a bit redundant, as it is a culmination of the previous two, but the left-hand low grip will keep the putting stroke more steady. Using the shoulders and arms to draw back the stroke rather than the hands and wrists, and then leading the putter thru the stroke with the non-dominant hand will keep a golfer from overpowering their putts with their dominant hand. This is a feel thing, and you will only notice it once it becomes a thought in your mind, but the left-hand low grip will eliminate the dominant hand from the stroke to some degree, making a smoother stroke and truer lines a reality in your game.
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