Putting Tips DISTANCE CONTROL Introduction The Monty Move Distance, The Putter & The Ball The Pop Putt, The Panic Putt & The Pro Putt Applying The Pro Putt Muscle Memory PERFECT LINE Introduction Eye Position Ball Position Hand Position Body Alignment The Grip Forward Press The Takeaway Summary

PERFECT LINE

Hand Position

Low Hands = broken lines

High Hands = broken lines

Neutral hands = lines join up

Hand position must be precise because the hands are the engine of the putting stroke. Depending on where you place the engine it will alter the center of gravity of the putting mechanism and the direction of the stroke. The putting mechanism is the entire mass that moves to hit the putt including your putter, arms, hands and shoulders.

If you kick a football off-center it wont go straight - period. Similarly if you change the center of gravity of the putting mechanism to anything except neutral, where it swings straight back and though, then you can't expect to hit straight putts.

A low hand position will elevate the toe of the putter and lower the center of gravity of the putting mechanism. When low hands drive the stroke from underneath they push the putter outside the line on the take away.

Once the putter is outside the line there are only two choices, slide back across from out-to-in or loop around in an effort to correct the mistake. Both corrections are hard to make even at the best of times.

The heel of the putter off the ground characterizes high hands. Positioning the engine above the swing path drives the putter back inside the line. When the putter moves back on the inside you have another choice - slide across the line or loop the putter back on line. Either way you have too many moving parts to be effective under pressure.

Finding a neutral hand position is easy with the parallax system. Just sit the putter completely flat and position your eyes so that the split lines join together. With the parallax system not only do you have your eyes in position but your hands as well. If this new position feels awkward it's better to change your putter or adapt than to sacrifice a neutral hand position.