5 keys to great putting
The putting stroke is a simple art so the basics can make or break you. Get those right—from posture and ball position to the rhythm of the stroke—and you'll be freed up to focus on what's happening on the green. It breeds the kind of comfortable confidence that great putters have. —Joe Plecker, one of Golf Digest's Best Teachers in Georgia
- All good putters hit up on the ball between two and four degrees
- Align your sternum to the middle of your balanced stance
- Then, place the ball slightly forward of your sternum
- This places the ball is past the bottom of the arc to ensure a slight rise
- No two postures will be the same, but it's all about stability and comfort
- Bend your knees, then tilt your hips until your fingertips touch your kneecaps
- Your arms should not be excessively bent, or arrow straight either
- Balancing aligns your joints to make you more stable
- Good balance also eliminates tension throughout your body
- If you start your putting stroke tense, your feel will suffer
- Swing Thought: Let the putterhead fall into the ball during the stroke
- All acceleration should come from gravity, not force through your arms
- Jamming the putter through the stroke twists the clubhead open or closed
- Distance control also becomes a challenge with forced acceleration
- Head down is bad advice for your full swing, but good on the putting green
- I see a lot of players jump out of their posture as soon as they hit the putt
- You should still be comfortable in your posture long after the ball has gone