The pencil grip is one of the more unique-looking but highly effective ways to hold a putter, and it might just be the key to unlocking your confidence on the greens. If you've ever felt your hands get too active, your wrists break down under pressure, or your distance control go haywire, this might be the solution you’re looking for. This guide will walk you through exactly what the pencil grip is, its pros and cons, how to use it step-by-step, and how to determine if it’s the right fit for your game.
First things first, let’s be clear: the pencil grip is exclusively for putting. You would never use this grip for a full swing with an iron or a driver. At its core, the pencil grip (often used interchangeably with terms like "the claw") is an alternative putting grip designed to do one primary thing: take the small, twitchy muscles of your trail hand (the right hand for a right-handed golfer) out of the putting stroke.
Think about how your hands behave when you’re nervous. They get tense, they shake, and they want to manipulate things. On short putts, this often results in a jerky, disconnected stroke where the right hand tries to “steer” the ball into the hole, causing pushed or pulled putts. The pencil grip changes the entire dynamic. Instead of wrapping your right hand around the club in a traditional manner, you hold it much like you would hold a pencil or a pen, using your thumb and index finger for delicate control.
By positioning the hand this way, you effectively "de-activate" twitch muscles in your wrist and forearm. This forces your larger, more stable muscles - your shoulders, chest, and back - to control the putting stroke, promoting a smoother, more repeatable pendulum motion. We've seen it used with great success by many tour pros, including Justin Rose, who used it to win a U.S. Open and become number one in the world. It’s not just a fad, it’s a legitimate technique for building consistency.
Switching your putting grip is a big decision, so there have to be some compelling reasons. For golfers who make the change to the pencil grip, the benefits are often immediate and significant, especially if they have been struggling on the greens.
This is the number one reason to try it. The most common putting fault I see as a coach is excessive wrist action. Golfers try to 'help' the ball into the hole by flicking their wrists at impact. This completely destroys your consistency because the timing has to be perfect every single time, which is nearly impossible under pressure. The pencil grip’s structure makes it physically difficult to hinge or flick your wrists, effectively forcing them into a passive role.
With your hands quieted, the power and control must come from somewhere else. The pencil grip encourages a stroke that is controlled by the rocking of your shoulders. Think of a grandfather clock’s pendulum swinging back and forth from a single pivot point. Your shoulders become that pivot point. This creates a much wider, more stable arc and keeps the putter face square to that arc for a longer period. The result is a more on-line roll and fewer pushes and pulls.
Consistent distance control comes from a consistent stroke speed and repeatable mechanics. The large muscles of your shoulders and torso are far more reliable for repeating a specific length of stroke than the small muscles in your hands. Once you get accustomed to the pencil grip, you'll find that your speed on lag putts becomes much more dependable. You’ll be able to control distance simply by adjusting the length of your shoulder rock, not by hitting the ball harder or softer with your hands.
Of course, no single technique in golf is perfect for everyone. While the pencil grip offers powerful solutions for some common problems, it does have a few potential downsides that are important to acknowledge.
First and foremost, it’s going to feel incredibly strange at first. Holding a putter is such a tactile experience, and changing your grip completely can feel like you’re learning to write with your opposite hand. It takes patience and dedicated practice to overcome the initial awkwardness.
Second, some players feel a loss of "touch" or "feel," especially on very fast, downhill putts where a delicate touch is paramount. Because you're taking your dextrous hands out of the equation, the connection can feel a bit muted. For golfers who are natural "feel" putters and rely on their hands to sense the stroke, this can be a difficult adjustment.
Ultimately, it’s a trade-off. You might give up a little of that handsy "feel" in exchange for a much higher degree of mechanical consistency and reliability under pressure. For many golfers battling the yips, it’s a trade they’re more than happy to make.
Ready to give it a try on the practice green? Follow these steps carefully to ensure you’re setting up for success. Remember, there are slight variations, but this is the most common and effective method.
This part is simple because it’s no different from a conventional putting grip. Place your left hand at the top of the putter grip in a normal, neutral position. The back of your left hand should be facing your target, and your thumb should run straight down the flat front part of the grip. Maintain light but firm pressure.
This is where the magic happens. Take your right hand completely off the club and let it hang naturally at your side. Now, approach the putter grip with your right palm facing your body (or slightly towards the target).
Your right wrist should remain soft and slightly bent, never locked. The main points of contact and control in your right hand are just the thumb and forefinger, just like holding a pen.
Take your normal putting stance. Your left hand is providing the main structure, while your right hand is just along for the ride, acting as a guide. When you make a stroke, initiate the movement by rocking your shoulders back and forth. You should feel your arms and the putter moving as a single, connected unit with your upper body. Your right hand does nothing but maintain its light, "pencil-holding" contact.
The first few sessions with this grip will be a test of patience. The ball might not feel like it's coming off the face right, and your brain will be telling you it's wrong. These drills are designed to accelerate the learning curve and build confidence.
This is the best way to get used to the new feel. Take your left hand off the putter completely. Using only your right hand in the pencil grip, make short, 1- to 3-foot putting strokes. Focus on keeping your wrist still and powering the stroke with a slight rotation of your right shoulder. You'll quickly get a feel for how the right hand stabilizes the putter instead of manipulating it.
Place two tees in the ground just wider than your putter head, about a foot in front of your ball on your target line. Your goal is to swing the putter head through the "gate" without touching either tee. This drill is fantastic for ingraining a square putter face at impact, which the pencil grip naturally helps with.
Distance control is key. Place tees on the practice green at 10, 20, 30, and 40 feet. Starting with the closest tee, hit one putt, trying to get the ball to stop as close to the tee as possible. Then move to the 20-foot tee, and so on. This forces you to learn how a longer or shorter shoulder rock translates to more or less distance, removing the handsy "hit" from your lag putting.
Ultimately, this is a question only you can answer through experimentation. However, you are an excellent-candidate to try the pencil grip if you identify with any of the following:
If you're already a confident putter with a traditional grip, there might be no reason to change what's working. But if putting is a constant source of frustration and lost strokes, spending a few dedicated practice sessions with the pencil grip could completely transform your performance and enjoyment on the greens.
The pencil putting grip is a proven technique for quieting a golfer's hands, promoting a more reliable shoulder-driven stroke, and improving overall consistency under pressure. While it feels unorthodox at first, giving it an honest chance with focused practice can be a game-changer for players who struggle with excessive wrist action or the yips.
Feeling confident in your technique is a huge part of playing better golf. But sometimes it’s hard to know if you're making the right change or just switching one bad habit for another. That's why we built Caddie AI. If you're on the practice green trying the pencil grip and wonder if your setup is right, you can ask for immediate analysis. Or, if your putting session goes poorly, you can describe what happened and get smart, data-driven feedback on what might truly be the root cause, giving you a clear path for what to work on next.
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