Hand Position while Putting

We don’t want to leave off a hand positions discussion without at least touching on the topic of the putter. Sure, it is easier to place your hands correctly when putting than it is when making a full swing, but you still can’t ignore this topic. Setting your hands just right during your putting stroke will take you a big step toward holing more putts.

For most golfers, the best place to set the hands prior to the putting stroke is just slightly ahead of the ball. Yes, that is the same position that you are going to use for most of your golf swings. However, when putting, you aren’t going to use your hands actively during the movement of the club. Therefore, there will be no need to lag the club down into the ball – you’ll just rock your shoulders and keep everything else steady. When this is done properly, the hands will return to a spot in front of the ball at impact, and a beautiful roll will be the result.

It is a good idea to set your hands in front of the ball because such a position will usually lead to a clean roll. If your hands are farther back, you can actually hit a mini-chip shot which bounces along the green before it starts to roll. The putter in your bag is probably designed with two or three degrees of loft, which is all you need to get the ball off and rolling. Moving your hands back would effectively add to the loft of the club, which is not the right move to make when a smooth roll is your goal.

Hand position is a golf fundamental that often gets lost in the shuffle. You may not hear this point talked about frequently in golf instruction discussions, but it is an important one to understand. Fortunately, this is not a difficult skill to learn for most players, as long as the player in question is willing to spend some time practicing on the range. We hope our advice will lead to great ball striking results – good luck!