[Photo: Julio Aguilar]
Jeeno Thitikul was the best player in the women’s game in 2025, and a lot of her success was thanks to her putter. She ranked fourth in strokes gained/putting, with the lowest putts per green hit in regulation on the LPGA Tour: 1.70. When watching her putt, you’ll notice something a little different. She doesn’t use a classic putting grip. Instead, Thitikul putts with her left hand lower than her right. The majority of right-handed golfers putt with their right hand stationed lower on the handle than their left.
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“Typically, you see players start with the trail hand low as junior golfers and then somewhere down the line in their playing career they have some sort of putting trauma and it encourages them to look for a better way – a way to not have that putt happen again under pressure,” said Molly Braid, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher out of Westmoor Country Club in Wisconsin.
When someone starts putting left-hand low, also known as cross-handed, they might like the change because it can help keep the face square.
“There are two benefits to cross-handed that are highly proven through research,” Braid explains. “One, it reduces face rotation. Two, it can reduce wrist motion from the trail hand. Both of which can lead to better start lines and more feel in the distance putts.”
Some right-handed golfers struggle with the right hand and wrist dominating their putting stroke when their right hand is lower on the handle. By moving the left hand lower, it’s taking some of that right-hand dominance out. You might be struggling with an overactive right hand if you’re pulling a lot of your putts, for example. Dropping the left hand low could be worth a try, as it can lead to a squarer face at impact, like Braid explained, instead of one pushed shut by the right hand.
