Does Arm-Lock Putting Really Help?

Frequent Thoughts from the SAM Academy

Since the recent win from Bryson, there have been many questions and thoughts around Arm-lock putting as well as the length and lie of properly fit putters. From our founder and chief putting scientist, here are some of his thoughts on if and or why you should consider Arm Lock putting:

Definition

Arm-lock helps players who think their face rotation is not smooth enough and that the hands may be too active during the stroke. In the end, an arm-lock works like a Belly putter or a broom putter. This technique is particularly beneficial on shorter putts, which are all about direction and mechanical stability. The downside is a potential loss of feeling, which would be needed on breaking putts or longer putts where distance control becomes more important.

Golfer in a SAM PuttStudio with arm-lock putter in putt position:

What to look for in an arm-lock putter

As the arm-lock technique creates an automatic shaft lean relative to the center of the swing, the putter will tend to be delofted at impact with additionally a lower angle of attack (rise angle) closer to zero.

You can compensate for this setup by moving the ball position slightly more to the left of the center. To not start the ball with a negative launch angle, the static loft on the putter may need to be higher as compared to standard putters. The loft also depends on the tilt of your shoulders and even the greens that you play on. The effective loft and launch angle at impact should be about 2-3 degrees for an amateur golfer.

At Science and Motion Sports, we strive to work on fact-based information and suggest anyone looking to adopt this method should see your local SAM Golf Instructor, fitting center, or clubmaker for a thorough SAM PuttLab session to see if the technique and products involved will help your game.