How to get your putting stroke ‘connected’ and go low this summer

Too much wrist movement is a consistency killer on the greens. This is especially true with speed and distance control on mid- and long-range putts. 

If you want to roll your ball closer to the hole more regularly, it’s critical that you power your putting stroke with your upper torso, chest, shoulders and the top of your spine. 

Here’s a simple drill to help you get all these parts working in the right way while still maintaining max feel in your hands. Take two standard alignment sticks and place one under each arm. Get in your normal putting stance and let the sticks cross in front of your body. Grip the two sticks about belt high with your palms facing away from you. (This position locks in your wrists so they can’t move independently from your torso.) 

From here, make a few putting strokes and absorb the feeling of your torso powering the motion back and through (with guidance from the sticks, of course). 

After a while, swap the sticks for your putter and focus on re-creating the same feels. Less wrist action equals fewer three putts and lower scores. 

Sean Hogan is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the global director of instruction for the David Leadbetter Academies.