Putting Stroke
The short, quiet stroke used on the green to start the ball rolling on a chosen line at a chosen pace.
Overview
A putting stroke is deliberately simple. The shoulders rock the arms and putter back and through while the wrists stay passive, so the face returns square without needing timing or manipulation.
Length of stroke, not force, controls distance. Because the ball only needs to roll, the club stays low to the ground on both sides of the ball and the head stays still through impact.
How to do it
- 1Read the slope and pick the line you want the ball to start on.
- 2Set the putter face square to that start line, then build your stance around it.
- 3Let your arms hang, gripping lightly enough that your wrists stay soft.
- 4Rock your shoulders to take the putter back a length that matches the distance.
- 5Return through the ball at the same tempo and keep your head still until it has rolled away.
Key points
- Distance comes from stroke length, not from hitting harder.
- Keeping the head still until the ball has gone protects the start line.
- The putter stays low to the ground through the stroke.
- Reading the slope before you settle over the ball is part of the stroke, not separate from it.
Where it’s used
Sports that use putting stroke:
Related techniques
Golf Full Swing
The complete rotational swing used for tee shots and longer approach shots, from setup through backswing to a balanced finish.
Chip Shot
A compact lofted shot from close to the green that carries a short distance and then rolls to the hole.
Bunker Shot
The greenside sand shot where the club enters the sand behind the ball and lifts it out on a cushion of sand.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Technique
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-08-30
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