Ernie Els Teaches Proper Posture in Putting

This week, Ernie Els talks to us about the importance of posture in putting. 

“How you stand to the ball on the greens is just as important as how you stand to the ball on the tee. You have to be comfortable – that’s the first thing. You’ll never be a good putter if you don’t feel right over the ball. So, relax – it can’t do you any harm.

Other than that, the most important factor to keep in mind is that you have to bend from the waist in such a way that your hands an arms are free to hang down in a relaxed, comfortable fashion. This promotes a free-swinging putting stroke. And believe me, freedom of movement is essential with putting just as it is in the full swing.

Perform this quick set-up drill to check your posture. Stand upright, then bend from the waist and ‘sit’ a little, flexing your knees just a touch. Now let your arms hang and rest your hands very softly on your thighs. Then simply move them away from your thighs, grip the putter exactly at the point where your hands hang to. And relax. 

Now you’re in good shape. If your arms are all hunched up and cramped too close to your body, you can’t possibly make a good stroke. I know the great Jack Nicklaus has a hunched, some might even say uncomfortable, looking posture over putts, but he’s not your average golfer. The fact that he can make it devastatingly effective is no reason to believe that you can do the same also.

A Note on Club Length 

Golfers often make a lot of fuss over choosing the right style of putter, but I think you need to be just as careful about the actual length of putter. The shaft must be short enough so that when you place your hands on the grip, your forearms are comfortably extended. This encourages a one-piece, pendulum putting action.”

Thank you, Ernie!

Bloodline putters are available in a variety of standard lengths to fit the needs of most golfers. The technology in Bloodline putters makes it possible for a player to clearly see where the putter is aligned because they can walk behind it while it stands alone. Bloodline is not the first stand-up putter, but it is the first stand-up putter that can meet the many demands of a PGA TOUR player.