If you watch all the best putters in the world, you’ll notice their hands and arms are connected throughout the stroke. There’s no break point between any of the integral parts of the stroke. Everything moves together as one.
If you watch recreational golfers at the local muni, you’ll notice quite the opposite. Their arms become disconnected from their shoulders, and the wrists get flippy through the stroke. This makes consistency tough.
It’s always better to be like the pros — especially when it comes to putting. They’re deadly inside 10 feet — the money zone — making 88 percent of their looks on average. And much of their success comes from superb technique.
Want to make putts like the best in the world? Try this drill from one of their own, two-time PGA Tour winner Erik van Rooyen.
— Mark Immelman (@mark_immelman) March 22, 2024
If your putting stroke is wristy and inconsistent this is for you!
Steps to a Better Putting Stroke
1. Lodge a golf ball between your forearm and the grip handle.
2. Don’t let it fall out during the stroke.
(If you aren’t lead-hand low like @FredVR_ you can put in… pic.twitter.com/HrNXeOuYGz
2-step putting drill
As you can see in the video above from Mark Immelman, you need only your putter and two balls for this drill.
First, find a shortish putt (inside 5 feet) and set up like you would on the course. When you take your setup, wedge the extra ball between the putter shaft and your wrist. If you putt left-hand low, like van Rooyen, wedge the ball between your lead wrist and the shaft. Otherwise, wedge it between the trail wrist and the shaft.
From here, all you need to do is roll putts. Your goal is simple: make it through the stroke without letting the ball fall out. This will help you get the proper feeling of a smooth, connected stroke.
If you can replicate this feel when you get to the course, you’re sure to have a much more consistent stroke.
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