News: Instruction

Greenwood/Getty Images

Steve Stricker had another solid week putting en route to winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

By Travis Fulton, Director of Instruction, TOUR Academy

Another year and another win for Steve Stricker, as the veteran continues his great play into 2012 led by a putting stroke that is so impressive. It is really something to watch Stricker roll the golf ball; at times every putt he hits looks as if it is going to go in the hole.

As I have mentioned over the years, there is so much I like about Stricker’s putting stroke — from his set-up to the way he manages the path of the putter head and the angle of the putter face. One of the keys to Stricker’s putting is he creates an environment at address that allows him to match these components so the putter face is looking down his intended target at impact.

A key component to this is how Stricker sets up with his forearms in line with the putter shaft. You may have noticed at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions how upright Stricker stands at address, as this is a result of his left wrist position. Stricker achieves this by gripping the putter more towards the palm with the left wrist level to slightly un-cocked.

TRAVIS’ TIP:
Left wrist level to slightly un-cocked: Extend your left arm out parallel to the ground, in line with your left shoulder while extending your index finger straight ahead and your thumb to the sky. This would be considered a level left wrist as defined to the top of the wrist. Now, cock your wrist so the index finger is pointing more towards the sky and then conversely, un-cock your wrist so the index finger is pointing towards the ground.

Setting the left wrist level to slightly un-cocked and allowing both forearms to be on the same plane as the putter shaft is a great position to have when putting. Although there are many other styles that can work and get the ball in the hole, we have found at the TOUR Academies that when a golfer mimics the address position used by Stricker, the stroke usually works on a more natural consistent arc leading a putter face that points down the target line at impact.

Travis Fulton is the Director of Instruction at the TOUR Academies at TPC Sawgrass and the World Golf Village. For more information on the TOUR Academy, click here