When it comes to putting it is often referred to as a game within a game. Some will look at putting as an art, some as a science, and some as a waste of time. But the one thing nobody can argue with is how important being a good putter is to scoring in the game. If you cannot finish the ball of then the great shots that may have led to the green can often go to waste. What you will find with pro’s is that they often do the simple things very well, and these are always things that you can replicate in your own game.
The set up
As we look at Lee Westwood’s set up there are several characteristics that any golfer can easily implement into their game in order to become better at putting:
Alignment – As you will see in the image on the left Lee’s body sits nicely parallel to his putter alignment. As you work up the chain you will also notice his forearms and shoulders are also parallel to this line. This will help to reduce any unusual path movement in the stroke.
Shaft & Forearms – As you see with the image on the right Lee manages to get his forearms almost in line with the shaft of the putter, this will allow the putter to move in sync with his body and reduce the amount of face rotation without having to manipulate the club face
Eye Position – If you look at Lee’s eye position you will see that they sit slightly inside the line of the golf ball. While the traditional train of thought is to get your eyes over the golf ball, you will find many of the pro’s have their eyes positioned over the hosel or the heel of the putter
Symmetry – From the face on view you will notice lee creates a fantastic symmetry between his two arms in the address position. This will allow lee to feel like everything is connected, and also help him produce a consistent movement of his shoulders in the stroke.
Ball position – You will notice lee has positioned the ball slightly in front of centre, towards his left foot. This will allow the putter to rise slightly as it strikes the ball, and help reduce any backspin that may be created from the initial strike
Stable Base – Notice how wide Lee’s stance is at the beginning of his stroke. Maintaining stability in his lower body is one of the most important aspects of creating a consistent repeatable stroke.
The Stroke
During the stroke the main focus will be to have as little body movement as possible. You will notice in the above image, Lee’s lower body has not moved an inch. He has rocked his shoulders back and forth without creating any breakdown in his hands and wrists. He will also try to keep the putter relatively low to the ground on the way through the golf ball to ensure a solid strike.
