By Sean Hogan
Senior Instructor, DLGA
One of the most common faults we see in putting is poor linkage between the arms and the upper body. When players splay their elbows out it causes the arms and the putter to wander all over the place during the stroke. So here's a simple drill that will help you to 'link' up the arms with the proper body and (with the benefit of that linkage) develop a repeating stroke.
Assume your address position by allowing your arms to hang from your shoulders, the elbows turned inwards, and the palms and forearms showing. Without gripping the putter, connect the sides of your hands – you will now find your arms and upper body are nicely 'linked up'.
Before gripping your putter, take a moment to make a few practice strokes; when you finally do adopt your normal putting grip your stroke will feel more connected to the movement of your chest – and ultimately more reliable.
Take a moment to rehearse this type of linkage every time you putt and it will help you develop a solid repeating stroke.
Now that you're 'linked up', use the drills you see here to pep up your practice. First, develop the line of your stroke by laying a club on the green parallel to your target line. This immediately gets you focusing on tracking the putterhead back and through on a natural path – pretty much straight-back and straight-through on the shorter putts and moving inside slightly on the longer ones.
Finally, the old reliable Circle Drill: On a slightly slopping 3 to 4 footers helps build confidence in your ability to hole out from this crucial distance while dealing with the subtle breaks that we routinely deal with on the course. Remember; link it, practice it and you're well on your way to shooting lower scores.
