The Future Of Putting? Armlock Method Tested

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Armlock Putting Method Tested

Watch Joel Tadman try out a SIK Armlock putter to put the theory to the test

Golfers are always looking for new ways of getting the ball into the hole in a fewer number of shots per round, whether it’s a new grip or a different way of holding the putter, but one technique you might not have considered before is the armlock method. It’s a style you will no doubt have seen employed by the former US Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau, who has used it to devastating effect in amassing eight PGA Tour victories in a relatively short space of time, but the big question is - does it work and could it help your game? I tried out a SIK Golf Pro C Armlock putter, one of the best armlock putters on the market, to put the method fully to the test on Woburn Golf Club's stunning Tavistock short game practice area.

The first thing to cover with the armlock putter is how to hold it. You’ll notice the putter is much longer than a conventional putter - my SIK sample is 41 inches long but it comes in pretty much any length you desire, the key being to ensure the putter is gripped as close to the steel as possible and that the butt of the grip falls just below the crease in your elbow. At address, the idea is to push the grip up against your lead arm. This creates a lot more shaft lean than normal which is why this putter comes with seven degrees of loft as standard. The technique is perfectly legal under the rules of golf providing the end of the putter remains below the elbow and this close connection with the arm, and by extension the shoulders, is said to increase face control. 

Often when the hands take over in moving the putter, the face and attack angle changes a lot during the stroke and it’s difficult to return it to square at impact. The armlock method ensures the bigger muscles control the movement, helping get the putter back to square at impact more consistently by becoming an extension of your lead arm. What you’ll notice on the SIK model is that the Jumbo Max grip is orientated so the wide flat side is parallel to the putter face for maximum contact points with the arm, which helps ensure a stable and square setup from address through to impact.

Think about how you hold the putter too with your right hand. While this hand really just comes along for the ride you still need to feel in control of the putter, so play around with a few hand and finger positions until you find the one that feels most comfortable.

My testing of the armlock putting method on a variety of lengths of putts showed there’s certainly some merit in how it promotes a more repeatable action on the greens. It certainly feels much more robotic than a traditional putting stroke, and that feeling takes some getting used to, but over time and with practice, the feeling soon becomes second nature and the biggest gains I saw were notable on short range putts. Sometimes, golfers can second guess themselves over the ball on short putts and try to push or pull putts at the last minute but with the armlock method, there’s less scope for manipulation of the club face so as long as your alignment is correct, you should find you become more prolific from six feet and in. 

On long range putts we did struggle to gauge the distance although this does become easier over time and one thing you can do is calibrate the length of backswing to a certain distance to help lag long putts close, just like DeChambeau does out on tour. What also helped create a consistent launch from long range was the Descending Loft Technology on the face of my SIK putter - whereby the face is split into four sections descending in loft by 1° from the top of the face to the bottom. This negates any change in shaft angle presented to the ball at impact from address, which often causes the ball to strike different parts of the face - leading to less predictable rolls. It essentially creates a greater margin for error, which is something every level of golfer will appreciate.

I also liked how the lie angle of the SIK Armlock putter in particular encourages you to position the hands higher with the shaft more vertical - another way to effectively take unwanted wrist action out of the stroke.

In summary, the armlock putting method is certainly one I would encourage golfers to try if they haven’t already. The theory is sound and the testing I’ve done has shown there are performance gains to be had, especially if you struggle to hole your fair share of putts from inside 10 feet.