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Should I switch to arm-lock putting?

Author

Emily Sparks

Published Jan 09, 2026

If the answer to that question is 'no', Arm Lock putting might just be the best thing that will ever happen to your golf game. There are no guarantees of course, but from our perspective, it's definitely worth a shot. You could start sinking more putts and having more fun on the golf course.

What pros use arm lock putter?

Popularized by Matt Kuchar, the arm-lock putting style allows for the grip to rest against the forearm and create a fixed point for the stroke. Along with Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau and Webb Simpson have also benefited greatly from the putting method.

How do you hit an arm lock putter?

“Lock” and rotate only your shoulders in a smooth, swift backward motion without moving or adjusting your hands or wrists to complete your putt. The grip should stay firmly secured against your left forearm during the entire forward and backward motion of the putt.

Should I putt with my arms or shoulders?

The best (and fastest) way to do that is to drive your putting stroke not with your arms and hands, but with your shoulders moving up and down as you swing the putter back and through on the correct path.

Are arm lock putters legal?

Are Arm Lock Putters Legal? The arm lock is a legal putting style because the governing bodies do not feel this creates a “stable anchor point”. At first, you may have to focus on keeping the grip against your forearm, but you will learn the stroke quickly.

30 related questions found

Is DeChambeau anchoring his putter?

Fast forward to 2021, and there's a new form of anchoring beginning to take hold: so-called “arm-anchoring,” or “arm-lock” putting. Two belly putter refugees — Simpson and Bradley — both use the technique, as does Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau and Will Zalatoris, among others.

Can you anchor your putter against your arm?

Arm-locking is, of course, legal under the Rules of Golf. According to Rule 10.1b, a player's putting stroke must not include an “anchor point” on which they plant their forearm — i.e., the technique used with broomstick putters, with the end of the putter (or the player's forearm) anchored against a player's chest.

Should your elbows touch your body when putting?

Interlace your fingers, clasping your hands in front of you. Then, get into your putting posture, and place your hands over your belly button, your elbows bent outward at 45 degrees. Keeping your lower body quiet, engage your core muscles and use them to rock your arms and shoulders back and forth.

Should you break your wrists when putting?

There is an exception to not breaking your wrists. In a long putt you may need to break them in order to generate enough power to get your ball to the hole. However, in long (lag) putting it is the correct distance rather than pin-point accuracy that you are seeking.

Where should your arms be when putting?

SETUP. Let your arms hang softly from your shoulders, and grip the club so that the shaft sits 90 degrees to the ground.

Are anchored putters legal?

The anchored putter ban “prohibits anchoring a club when making a stroke”. Implemented on January 1, 2016, the rule sent shockwaves through the game, particularly among the professional ranks.

How long should my arm lock putter be?

The standard length we recommend when beginning to experiment with an Armlock putter is 40”. Bettinardi offers 40” to 42” options when it comes to selecting lengths.

Can you anchor your elbow when putting?

An important point: Under Rule 14-1B, golfers are allowed to tuck their forearms or elbows against the body while putting. This will not be considered anchoring.

What putter does Bryson DeChambeau use?

Bryson currently uses a SIK Pro C-Series Armlock putter. It's a rare model to be seen on the PGA Tour and it allows Bryson to putt in his very particular way.

Who uses arm lock putting?

Bryson DeChambeau and Webb Simpson are just two other players on the PGA Tour to use the armlock putting method, but with the grip up the left arm. Xander Schauffele has also been dabbling with the stroke in recent weeks.

How do I stop breaking my wrist in the golf swing?

Keep your wrists fully hinged as you do this. Stop your halfway down and swing back to the top. Pump the club up and down again before swinging through to a full finish position. This drill will teach you to keep the proper angles in your wrists throughout the downswing and eliminate any wrist flipping through impact.

How do you keep from breaking your wrists?

Whilst looking in the mirror, rock the shoulders back and through, try to keep the same triangle shape between the shoulders, arms and club throughout the stroke. This should help eliminate too much wrist break during the stroke, making for a more consistent pace and direction to putts.

Should your arms be bent when putting?

So when the question is what, how should my elbows bend during the putting stroke, basically they shouldn't. They should start in one position and they should stay in that same position through the whole stroke.

Where should you put your weight?

Your weight should be on the balls of your feet rather than on your heels or toes. If your weight is either too far back on your heels or too far forward on your toes, your putter path will tend to follow the direction that your weight is tilted rather than that of your aimline.

What putting stroke is illegal?

The USGA and the R&A took notice and, effective January 1, 1968, introduced Rule 35-1L (now Rule16-1e) that stated “The player shall not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of the putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.”

Can you anchor your putter to your chest?

Today, anchoring of any stroke is banned in golf. Anchoring entered golf in much wider usage beginning in the 1980s with the introduction of long putters, a k a broomstick putters, which were braced against the golfer's chest or chin, creating a stable fulcrum point for the putting stroke.

Can you anchor your putter on your stomach?

Is this a ban on belly putters and long putters? No. A player may still use any conforming belly (mid-length) or long putter. Rule 14-1b addresses only the method of stroke, prohibiting a player from anchoring the club directly or by use of an anchor point while making a stroke.

Are face on putters legal?

The USGA had banned croquet-style putting “between the legs” and also standing on extension of Line of the putt. But if you stand next to the line of your putt it's 100% legal that way. The face on putting style that you see with the GP putter is again 100% legal for any golf tournament in the world.