‘Mike Probert talks Golf (Sponsored by Costa Blanca Green Fee Services).

Here on the Costa’s golf is one of the biggest leisure time activities for both tourists and resident alike and with this in mind we have secured the services of Mike Probert of Costa Blanca Green Fee Services to provide a weekly round up of local golfing events and topics and in conjunction with us at THE LEADER will provide discounted golf prices to all of our readers and run our golf competitions.

How to hold a putter correctly.

For the long game with woods and irons it is essential that the correct grip is used to allow the hands and arms to correctly ‘square up’ the clubface at impact.

For putting it is different because a good putting technique usually involves more of a rock of the shoulders rather than a hit with the hands and with more touch and feel involved and hence the grip when putting is more about how comfortable the club feels in the hands.

It is for this reason that you see many different techniques amongst the world’s best players and below are just a few types of grips that you could use:

Standard Grip

Simply grip the putter as you do all the other clubs in your bag with perhaps the only change being the ‘reverse overlap’ or the index finger of the top hand down the side of the shaft.

Split Handed

Hold the club the same as you do for normal shots but ensure that the hands are separated on the handle with no linking or overlap and the top hand will steady the club in motion while the lower hand will apply the hit, as seen in the Happy Gilmour film.

Cross Handed

Often referred to as the ‘reverse grip’ simply hold the club as you do for normal shots but switch the hands so that the hand at the top of the grip becomes the lower hand and vice-versa and you will have seen this technique used by Jordan Spieth at the Masters.

The Claw

Essentially this is a variation of the split handed grip where the top hand provides stability but the lower hand is almost removed from the handle and is attached only my the thumb, index finger and middle fingers and is often called a ‘pencil grip’ as a result and this grip is used by the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose.

Palm to Palm

Players that use this technique usually have a bigger grip fitted to the putter because the style has the palms of both handed facing each other with both thumbs pointing down the shaft and is often referred to as the ‘prayer grip’ and this style has been used by Vijay Singh and currently by Matt Wallace.

Arm Lock

This technique is legal but considered by many not to be so as anchoring the putter against the body is not allowed but appears that anchoring it against the arm is allowed and to use this style grip the putter lower down the handle or have the putter shaft extended, take your standard putter grip but ensure that the top of the handle of the putter remains jammed or locked against the inside of the forearm throughout the stroke as used by the likes of Bernhard Langer and now a reverse locking method being tested by Matt Kuchar.

Just remember that whatever style you use the aim is to be comfortable under pressure and it is not about how the technique looks or what other players say.

We at THE LEADER are committed to providing to our golfing readers affordable golf without the need to join a club or apply for a card but simply contact the number below to have instant access to discounted golf prices, many of which are exclusive to us:

The deals shown in the table are some of the best prices currently available to you:

Golf Course Price Comments
Alenda €98 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Alicante €98 Two Green Fees & Buggy from 1.00pm
Altorreal €120 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Bonalba €100 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Campoamor €158 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Don Cayo (Altea) €90 Two Green Fees + Buggy
El Plantio €98 Two Green Fees + Buggy from 1.00pm
El Valle €59 Single Green Fee
Font Del Llop €123 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Hacienda Del Alamo €100 Two Green Fees + Buggy
La Finca €214 Two Green Fees + Buggy
La Galiana €73 Single Green Fee
La Manga €90 Single Green Fee
La Marquesa €60 Single Green Fee
La Sella €48 Single Green Fee
La Serena €114 Two Green Fees & Buggy
La Torre €59 Single Green Fee
Las Colinas €160 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Las Ramblas €164 Two Green Fees + Buggy
Lorca €78 Two Green Fees & Buggy (plus drink & tapa)
Lo Romero €65 Single Green Fee
Mar Menor €116 Two Green Fees + Buggy
New Sierra Golf €68 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Puig Campana €124 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Roda €125 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Saurines €100 Two Green Fees + Buggy (Temp closed)
Villaitana Levante €90 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Villaitana Poniente €70 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Villamartin €156 Two Green Fees & Buggy
Vistabella €123 Two Green Fees & Buggy (from 2.00pm)

For Bookings and more information contact Mike at info@costa-blanca-greenfees.com or direct on 966 704 752 or 661 345 931 quoting reference LEADER.