You're Correct!

One of the most difficult parts to the putting stroke is getting it started in a smooth manner from a static position. There are many thoughts that run through your mind as you try to move the putter away from the ball like, should I push my hands or turn my body or forward press to name a few, but the first thing you need to know is how your stroke works.

For the majority of golfers, the putting stroke is a gentle rocking of the arms and shoulders back and forth, moving the putter on either a very slight arc or straight back and straight through to the target. The most consistent way you can to start your putting stroke to produce these strokes is to use the shoulders, and in particular, the left or lead shoulder.

What you need to do is start practising putts of around three feet, taking your set up and when you feel ready to make your stroke, rock your left shoulder slowly so it moves down a little towards the ground. This will start your putter moving away from the ball smoothly. Once your putter has moved the desired length back, rock your right shoulder down towards the ground. The result will be a smooth, controlled putting stroke that not only keeps your putter face square to the arc, but also sees your putts starting along your chosen aim line every time.

Once you have hit 10 to 12 putts from three feet, move back to 6six feet and repeat the drill. This time you will need to move the putter a little further in the backstroke. Then move back to 10, 20 and 30 feet as this will give you the confidence you need to control the length and tempo of your stroke with only your shoulders rocking back and forth.

If you were to pull the putter back, up and to the inside, you would create a fairly uncontrollable stroke with a very steep angle of attack for the putter. This will result in a host of issues from distance control to just holing a putt from 12 to 18 inches. Keep your hands and wrists out of the stroke unless absolutely necessary if you want to improve your putting.

The more you use your wrists when putting, the less control you will have over your ball due to the jerky nature of a putting stroke that starts with a hand or wrist movement. Keep the triangle of the arms and shoulders working together and you will soon see your putting improve in both its consistency and the number of putts holed.

Starting your putting stroke with a sliding motion is one of the most destructive things you could do when putting. Its especially destructive to the quality of your impact. When you only need to move the club a number of inches back, you need to remain as still as possible to be able to strike the putt in the centre of the putter face, otherwise youre going to struggle to hit putts with enough speed to get anywhere near the hole.