Bracing the putter, legal under the Rules, could bring you better results
When Bryson DeChambeau won the 2020 US Open last September, much of the analysis focused on his driving. That probably sells tickets, but what wins golf tournaments is getting the ball in the hole, and DeChambeau’s armlock putting style has played as much a role in his success as his protein shakes. Golf’s governing bodies outlawed anchored-putting strokes in 2016, but the armlock method is allowed. (The technique involves bracing the grip against the inner part of the forearm of your lead arm.) The most successful practitioner of this method had been Matt Kuchar, but in the past few years, DeChambeau and Webb Simpson have shown dramatic improvements in their strokes-gained putting stats. As of yet, putter manufacturers have not seen a significant conversion to armlock putters. One reason is that getting properly fit is such a key part of this market. An armlock putter requires a longer shaft that is probably stiffer and heavier, and the clubhead is going to be about 14 percent heavier, too. Finally, because of the fairly extreme forward-press position in armlock putting, you will need a loft of 5 to 7 degrees – or about double the loft of a typical putter. On this year’s Hot List, there are armlock options from Bettinardi, Odyssey, Ping, PXG and SIK. Although it is a dramatic commitment in technique and equipment, the biomechanical efficacy is indisputable. It is simply simpler.
Feature image by Getty Images: The Mercury News
