Tip From the Archives

Putting Fundamentals

Problem

You need to learn or a refresher course with the putting fundamentals.

Cure

There are many putting styles out there and you need to choose one that makes you the most comfortable and relaxed. Just keep in mind that a simple stroke is best.

Therapy

A simple stroke should keep the blade low to the ground and square to the target line. It needs to give you the correct feel, feedback, and contact with the center of the clubface every time. You can also simplify a putting stroke by using just one arm to power the swing. Using just one arm can increase mental focus and accuracy by allowing you to feel the stroke more in your fingers, hand, and forearm. Feel the stroke in the center of your back, almost as if it is the pivot point of your stroke. One of the simplest putting strokes is the pendulum stoke. This works best when your arms form a triangle and remains so throughout your back and forward swing. You should feel as if you are rocking your shoulders like a teeter-totter so that the muscles of your upper back are controlling your stroke. Grip the club as tightly as you can without allowing a friend to pull the club out of your hands and rank it at a ten in grip pressure. Now grip the club as weakly as you can without dropping it, this should be ranked as a one in grip pressure. An ideal gripping pressure for a putting stroke should be around a three. Other than the grip, the hands do very little for your putting stroke. Keep in mind that the longer the putt, the taller you should stand with a slightly more open stance. This will help you see your line better and swing easier. The pace of your swing is dependent on the length of your stroke. You do not always have to match your backstroke with your forward stroke but it can be very useful to help keep a rhythmic stroke and in remembering to take a full enough follow though so that you do not decelerate before contact and end up short of the hole.

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