Using the Long Putter

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Over the last decade the long putter has become accepted as a viable option for golfers that have woes on the greens.  I used the long putter for the 6 or 7 year period that I played professionally and it essentially enabled me to have a career in golf. I liked it for the fact that it stopped me from twitching through impact, but also because there were two distinct methods that I could use with the broomstick.
The first option is known as the piston method and is the one I tended to prefer:
  • Form a circle around the grip cap with your thumb and index finger with the left hand (if you are a righty).
  • Do not wrap your other fingers on the left hand around the grip as you want the shaft to be able to pivot from a fixed axis.
  • Hold the club in the right hand in one of the methods illustrated below.
  • Keeping the shoulders out of the stroke - stroke the putt by "pistoning" the right arms back and forth.

With this stroke the only part of the body moving should be the right arm. Berhard Langer has used this method very effectively over the years.

The second method is a stroke based on connection and using everything as a unit. Here the shoulders and arms all work together to get the ball rolling.

  • Place your left thumb on top of the grip cap and wrap all the fingers comfortably around the shaft.
  • Once the putter is anchored in your sternum pivot the shoulders back and through.
  • Make sure the arms are linked to your side or at least stay in place relative to the shoulders during the stroke to ensure a "one piece" motion.
The following pictures are various versions of how to hold the club in your bottom hand. Whichever one feels best to you should be the one to get the job done.

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Additonal articles and sites for using the long putter:

thelongputter.com

How To Use Long Putters by Jack Moorehouse

Putter Length - Comparing Conventional, Belly and Long Putters

How to Use the Long Putters | Golf Digest