Pulling short putts is an extremely common problem among everyday golfers. While deceleration is often the culprit, there’s another potential cause: flipping the right (back) hand through impact.

Hit a series of putts in the 3’ – 5’ range and hold your finish. Has the clubhead passed your left hand, with the left wrist broken down and the back of your right hand flush with the wrist? If so, you’re guilty of this flipping action.

Here’s the good news: It’s an easy issue to fix. These are the steps:

• First, make sure your grip is “neutral,” with the palms directly facing each other. (Gripping a ruler with palms flat against the sides will help you understand the concept.)
• The right wrist should be hinged at least a small amount, with an angle formed between the back of the hand and your arm.
• As you stroke the ball, focus on maintaining this right wrist hinge or angle all the way through. Put another way, the right palm should face the target from start to finish. The same goes for the back of your left hand.

Firming up your wrists will eliminate the deadly flipping action from your stroke. Your putts will track the line and find the bottom of the cup most every time.