Putting - Posture

An article by: Bobby Eldridge on 12-18-2007
This article has been read 1540 times.

Putting Setup - Posture

We have finally reached the last part of the Set-Up, the posture. We have the golf ball positioned, the putter head and the shaft lined up with your eyes over the first blade of grass behind the golf ball. Now, there is one problem if you do not have the correct posture, you will never find that blade of grass.

Bend at the Hips

When you address the golf ball with your driver, your back is straight but you are bent at the hips. When you bend at the hips this enables you to sole the driver on the ground. When you address the golf ball with a putter you have to stand closer and bend over from the hips more than a driver.(#18)

If you stand too tall when you address the golf ball with your putter, your eyes will not be on the invisible line behind the golf ball. Your eyes will be closer to your feet.(#19)

If you bend over too much your eyes will be on the other side of the golf ball. The correct posture is to bend at the hips until your eyes are on top of your spot behind the golf ball.(#20)

There is a really big problem with this posture. It does not work well if you want to spend hours practicing your putting. As a matter of fact practicing putting can be boring and PAINFULL because you have to bend over the ball.

As a matter of fact if you are practicing your putting and you have a little pain in your back, your posture is probably correct. The best way to practice putting is to hit some chips or pitches and then go up and putt them in the hole. To stand on the putting green for any length of time takes a few years of building up to that much time.

The Knees

There is a second part of the correct posture for putting and that has to do with your knees. If your knees are locked your back you will not be able to bend over to the correct address position. Your knees have to be slightly flexed and then you can bend from the hips into the correct position.(#21)

Can you see how it is all starting to come together? The correct posture helps get the eyes over the back of the golf ball. It also allows the arms to hang down from the body which in turn soles the putter correctly.

Before we start the putter swinging backwards, we have one more thing to talk about.