Golf Tip: Lock and rock

Too many times, people get their hands involved in their putting. The shaft wobbles, and the clubhead flips or delays. I want you to lock the position of your hands when you putt. Position the back of your left hand more toward the target, then lock it in.

Now that you’ve locked, you’re ready to rock.

The rock is the downward movement of your left shoulder on the backswing, then the upward movement of your left shoulder on the follow-through. Look at the photos; on my backswing, my left shoulder is displaying that downward movement, while on the follow-through, that left shoulder is moving upward.

But the hands haven’t moved one bit. That’s what we’re looking for — keeping the hands in position, where there’s no rotation, no flexing and extending. All the movement comes from a little rocking of the shoulders, and the body turning back and through just a little bit.

Dr. Gary Wiren is Director of Instruction at Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Senior Director of Instruction at all of Donald Trump’s golf properties. He was recently inducted into the PGA of America Golf Hall of Fame and the Golf Magazine World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame. He was named PGA Teacher of the Year in the United States in 1986. He is recognized by Golf Digest as one of America’s 50 Greatest Teachers, and annually in Golf Magazine’s Top 100.