Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips

Understanding your arc can help you to groove a better stroke

Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips
(Image credit: Tom Miles)

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In this video on strong and slight arc putting tips, Dan Grieve, Head Professional Woburn Golf Club, explains how using a piece of string can dramatically improve the consistency of your putting.

Putting is a game within a game and understanding your putting arc is a great step to mastering the art of performing consistently well on the greens.

We’ve all got our different tendencies and some putting strokes will be straighter and some will promote a strong arc - both are fine. 

However, one key thing you can’t do with the putting stroke is get too far outside the line or too far inside the line. 

Related: Which Hand Leads

What Is The Right Arc?

Should you have a slight arc? Straight back, straight through, perhaps? Or should you have a slightly more exaggerated arc? 

There is no right answer to this question - it’s all about what you feel most comfortable doing and then self-diagnosing what arc you have. 

Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips

The string gives you a perfect visual so you can understand your putting arc

Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips

So, what is your putting arc?

An easy way to establish this is to use a piece of string over the top of your putter.

Set up a straight line, as shown above, then hit a few putts and observe what your putter head does during the stroke.

Related: Putting Technique

By using the string, you can see if your putter head comes inside, stays fairly straight or starts on the outside. 

If your putter starts back too far on the outside, it's likely to lead to a pull, whereas if your stroke comes inside too much, you'll struggle to square up the face at impact - and your miss is more likely to be a push to the right. 

Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips

If your putter comes too much on the inside - as shown here by the line of balls - it's going to be difficult for you to square the face up

Having The Right Putter 

Once you have a stroke that you are comfortable and consistent with - and you know what arc it has - it's vital that you match the style of putting stroke to the putter that you use. 

A heel balanced putter - where the toe hangs towards the ground - allows those with a strong arc to square the face up at impact. 

Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips

My TaylorMade TP Patina Collection putter is a heel balanced model, which means the toe is hanging down

Face balanced putters - such as those found within the TaylorMade Spider range - don't want to swing as much in the toe.

Related: Best TaylorMade Putters

A face balanced model is a much more suitable option for someone with a straight back, straight through arc who doesn’t need as much help squaring up the face at impact.

Dan Grieve
Top 50 Coach

Location: Woburn GC  


Dan is one of the leading coaches in the UK, a Fellow of the PGA and a short-game virtuoso. He has had considerable success with a collection of tour pros, helping them to Order of Merit titles and major victories, and his Short Game School is the most attended in the UK. His students, past and present, include Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Inci Mehmet and Iona Stephen.


Most common problem:

Swing – over the top , help by getting the basics correct at address and making them aware how to get the club online coming down.

Short game – creating spin and feel around the greens, help by educating on what the short game actually is (weak on purpose) and understand bounce and how they can apply it to different lies/situations.


Greatest success story:

Helping Georgia Hall from World No. 450 to No. 6 and winning a Major, two Order of Merits and Solheim Cup appearances.


Greatest teacher:

Alex Hay was a great influence during my first few years at Woburn. In sport more generally Sir Clive Woodward has taught me how to deliver at the highest level.


Most common fault:

Flipped right hand (hands behind the ball). Understand a correct coil/load going back and how to sequence better coming down so the chest opens up and gives the arms space to deliver a stronger impact. Lots of body action drills to enhance the feel, with and without the ball.