A Good Putting Stroke starts with a good Set Up

One of the fastest and easiest ways to make more putts is to ensure your set up is fundamentally solid. Too many players rely solely on feel to help them putt better. If there is too much compensation in your putting stroke and aim, it will be difficult to be a consistently good putter. Feel and touch are mandatory for all great putters but it needs to complement a repeatable putting stroke in order to putt consistently well.

Look at any PGA tour player. You may see a variety of grips but ball position, posture, orientation and alignment of the arms, hands and shoulders are all fairly similar.

There are a few consistent fundamentals that you see in all great putters:

1) Eyes over the ball with ball position always forward of center in your stance
2) End of the putter always points forward of a players belt buckle
3) Palms of your hand are opposite each other
4) Arms bent; shoulders square to target line; quiet lower body
5) Tempo and rhythm of the stroke is even in pace and length.

Top Drill:

Try this simple drill to create a great starting position which will make it easier to develop a consistent putting stroke free of compensations and inconsistencies.

Images A, B, C - Three easy steps to better putting.

1. Standing tall hold the putter out in front of you. (a)
2. Draw your elbows into the front of your rib cage. Your forearms and the putter will be level. Upper arms are close to your body and elbows are into your sides. (b). This connects your arms and your upper body so they can function together.
3. Maintain that "connected triangle" and just tilt forward to the ball. (c)

Looking at the set up position that I am in you will notice how this drill achieved all the key fundamentals of great putters. Try this next time you go out to practice, which will help you get into a solid set up position, which will make stroking the putt the easy part.

Now you are set up correctly, go practice! Great fundamentals and some practice will take you from an average or poor putter to a great putter and lower scores!!

Krista Dunton is a PGA Instructor at Berkley Hall in Bluffton, South Carolina. Dunton is a one-time LPGA National Teacher of the Year and has been named PGA Instructor of the Year in two different sections, the New Jersey Section (2001) and the Carolinas Section (2006). Dunton is a Master Staff member with Callaway Golf.