Golf_Digest_USA_-_May_2019

may 2019 | golfdigest.com 19

GD Schools Play Your Best

Photographs by Chris Shonting

I

f you want to improve your putting, take advantage of

your hands. I know, I know. You’ve probably been told to

take your hands out of the stroke. But that doesn’t make

sense. You’ve been training your hands to perform precise, coor-

dinated movements even before you could walk, so why not let

them help you putt? I’ll explain how in a moment, but first un-

derstand that great putting is all about controlling the putterface.

If you can keep it square to the target longer, you’re going to roll

the ball in a lot more. Start by getting behind the ball and identi-

fying the line (above). Visualize the ball rolling on that line to the

hole, and then trace that line back to where your ball is at rest.

Once you do that, it’s time to make your new hands-on stroke.

Read on for my advice on how to do it. —with ron kaspriske

Hands-on Training

It’s the key to great putting

by mario guerra

GO FROM SHUT TO OPEN

▶ Here I’m demonstrating how my right hand

should move during the backstroke and

through-stroke (below). I’m exaggerating the

pattern so you can really see that the palm

points downward, which shuts the clubface

in the backstroke. It then points skyward in

the through-stroke, letting the face open.

This is crucial to keeping the face square

to the putting line as long as possible. Train

this movement before you take hold of the

putter, then re-create this feel when you

putt. This hand motion should be slight and

unhurried—not considerable and jerky.