Most putters have loft, so it’s important to make contact in the equator of the ball. If you strike the ball too low, the ball will jump and skid with backspin as it leaves the clubface. This leads to poor speed control. Hitting the ball in the equator, however, creates the proper end-over-end roll for a smooth start and consistent speed.
A good drill for this is to place a tee in the green directly behind the ball. Have the tee about the height of what you’d use for an iron shot on a par-3. Set up with your putter behind the tee and make a stroke that avoids hitting the tee. If you hit the tee you’re making contact too low on the ball.
Start with some 3- to 5-footers and make 10 putts before rolling one without the tee to see if you can feel the difference. You should sense a smother start to your putts and better speed control.
In general, a good putting stance is an athletic posture with weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. Keep your eyes over the ball or slightly behind it and let your arm hang naturally from your shoulders. A good way to check your setup position is to drop a ball from the bridge of your nose; if that ball hits the ball on the green, you’re in good shape.
Jordan King Thomas, PGA, is an instructor at the Henry Brunton Golf Academy at Strawberry Farms in Irvine. He can be reached at (949) 556-7857 or jordan@henrybrunton.com.
