A big thank you to our sponsors who keep this newsletter free to the reader:

Today’s issue is brought to you by SkyTrak:

SkyTrak has a big 10th anniversary sale going on now.

Improve your skills with a SkyTrak home launch monitor - it’s your shortcut to becoming a better golfer.

For the best price use code GOLFSALE 

Get a SkyTrak launch monitor here.

And also brought to you by ExPutt Golf Putting Simulator:

I have an ExPutt and they are INCREDIBLE for working on lag putting INDOORS! Yep, you can use this indoors to dial in your lag putting.

You can see a great video review of the ExPutt here.

For the best price use code GOLFSALE

Get your ExPutt here.
(free shipping to USA and UK)

Weekly Quiz!

No quiz this week.

Instead, I am passing along this video from my swing coach Mark Crossfield.

Mark just dropped a video reviewing his top 10 training aids. I am a HUGE fan of the training aids in this video.

Definitely worth checking out. 👇️ 

Arm-Lock Putting: A Game-Changer for Golfers with the Yips?

Hey golfers, today’s topic is all about the arm-lock putting grip and what it could mean for players facing tremors or the yips. This recent study by a team from Simon Fraser University** took a close look at how the arm-lock putter performed compared to a standard grip, especially for golfers who struggle with tremors or involuntary wrist and hand movements (The “Yips”).

Let’s break down what the researchers found and what it could mean for your putting game.

** The team from Simon Fraser University
E. Leung, A. Siebenga, A. Sotoodeh, A. DiCicco, C. Ezzy, J. Gill, V. Hutter, B. Lin, R. MacPherson, K. Moorthy, M. Simic, J. Virk, S. Wessel, and J.A. Hoffer

What is the Arm-Lock Grip?

For those who aren’t familiar, the arm-lock grip is a putting style where the putter grip is braced against the lead forearm. This technique minimizes wrist and hand movement, turning the putt into a more pendulum-like motion driven by the upper body. It’s a strategy that some pros have been using successfully on tour. The question is: who can benefit the most?

The Study Details

The study involved 104 participants, including golfers with and without tremors or yips and even non-golfers. Each player putted four rounds of 18 holes on an indoor carpet with a stimp rating of 11.5, switching between a standard putter grip (SP) and an arm-lock putter (ALP). They tracked every shot to see if the arm-lock grip improved consistency and accuracy in each group.

Key Results

1. Impact on Tremors and the Yips: The biggest beneficiaries of the arm-lock grip were golfers with tremors or yips. Using ALP, they needed an average of 2.7 fewer putts across 36 holes. These improvements mostly came on shorter putts (5 to 7 feet), where the reduction in jerky movements made a significant difference.

2. For Golfers Without Tremors or Yips: Interestingly, golfers without these issues putted slightly better with their standard grip, needing about 2.3 fewer putts with the SP. This result suggests that the arm-lock grip might not be ideal for every golfer. However, around 25% of golfers without tremors or yips actually performed better with the ALP than with their regular grip.

3. Control of Clubface Angles: For nearly everyone, arm-lock putting reduced variation in clubface rotation, loft, and lie at impact. This suggests that golfers who struggle with keeping the clubface square could benefit from the ALP’s stabilizing effect.

4. Backstroke Length and Adaptation: With the arm-lock grip, many participants lengthened their backstroke compared to their usual grip. The study also noted that players adapted to this longer stroke over time, even when switching back to their standard grip. Essentially, the arm-lock technique seemed to help players develop smoother, more consistent strokes overall.

Takeaways for Your Game

1. If You Struggle with the Yips or Tremors: The data here is pretty clear—the arm-lock grip can make a big difference, especially on those make-or-break short putts. If you’ve tried various solutions and nothing seems to stick, arm-lock might be worth a look.

2. Clubface Control: Even if you don’t have the yips, but tend to struggle with clubface consistency at impact, arm-lock could help keep the clubface square. This might not show up in every putting scenario, but on average, it helped participants limit misalignment at impact.

3. Not One-Size-Fits-All: Although the ALP grip helped many, it wasn’t the best for everyone. If your putting stroke is already solid and consistent, there might not be much improvement switching to arm-lock. But if you’re looking for something that smooths out your stroke, it’s worth a test.

4. Learning Curve: Non-golfers and experienced golfers alike were able to adapt to the arm-lock within a single session. So, if you’re concerned about a long adjustment period, this study suggests you can pick it up pretty quickly.

Bottom Line

Arm-lock putting might just be the answer for golfers who battle tremors, the yips, or struggle with putter face control. Whether it’s a silver bullet or just another tool in the bag depends on your unique putting challenges, but it’s clear this grip style has the potential to offer improved stability and consistency.

If you decide to give arm-lock a shot, let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear if it’s helping to tame the putting demons and bring more consistency to your game.

Finally...

• Advertise your business to 35,000+ readers of this newsletter.

• Shop Arccos Golf here. (Use code DATALOU15 to save 15%)

• Join Team Titleist here.

• Shop StrackaLine Green Books here. (Use code DATALOU15 to save 15%)

• Listen to the “Hack it Out Golf” podcast on Apple or Spotify.

• Submit ideas or feedback here.
  
  Have a great week!