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Putting Putter Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 7 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

3-Foot Putts: The Ball-Under-the-Wrist Drill

Missing a one-meter putt ruins a round. Adrien Dubois of InsideGolf pinpoints the main cause: hands and wrists that cause the putter face to rotate. His drill—a simple ball wedged against the grip—can be put into practice the next time you’re on the putting green.

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Adrien Dubois
Adrien Dubois · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

20 minSame problemLearning to Putt: From Grip to Speed ControlPaige Spiranac · Beginner4 minSame problemNelly Korda's Left-Hand-Low Putting: Interlocked GripNelly Korda · Beginner / Intermediate7 minFrom the same proCompressing the ball with your irons: Adrien Dubois's drillAdrien Dubois · Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Adrien Dubois points out that from one meter away, pros make 95% of their putts, while amateurs miss far too many. For him, the priority is the putter face, which determines 90% of the ball's path. The problem he sees most often: moving hands and wrists, which open or close the clubface and send the ball to the right or left of the hole.

His exercise: Place a ball between your wrist (or forearm) and the end of the grip. When the wrist moves, the grip moves closer to the forearm; the ball blocks this movement. All that remains is the log used to make the pendulum, and the clubface remains square. He suggests spending half an hour on the putting green: first, a one-meter putt on an almost flat surface where you know the slope, then on a different slope, and finally at various distances. Without using your wrists, the speed comes from your body, which also helps you achieve speed control for longer putts.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. On the putting green, choose a putt that's about one meter long and almost flat, and make sure you know the slope.
  2. Align your line of fire to rule out the direction of fire as a cause of failure.
  3. Place a ball between your wrist—or forearm—and the end of the grip.
  4. Swing while keeping the ball in place: only your upper body should move like a pendulum.
  5. If you miss a putt on a known slope, assume that the face was misaligned and try again.
  6. Repeat the exercise on other slopes, and then at different distances.

Key Takeaways

According to Adrien Dubois, the putter face determines 90% of the ball's path.
The moving tabs open or close the face.
A ball between the wrist and the end of the grip hinders hand movement.
It's the torso that makes the pendulum swing, not the hands.
Without wrist movement, the speed comes from the body: speed control becomes more consistent.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Move your wrists during the putt, which causes the clubface to rotate.
  • Let the right hand take the lead for a right-handed person.
  • Focus on generating speed with your hands rather than with your body.
  • Practicing on unfamiliar slopes before you've gotten the hang of it.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Half an hour on the putting green with the ball under my wrist
  2. One-meter putts on nearly flat ground, with a known slope
  3. Same exercise, but on a different slope
  4. The same exercise at different distances for speed control

Your Questions

Why do I miss my putts from one meter away?

According to Adrien Dubois, this is most often because the hands and wrists move and cause the putter face to rotate. The ball then goes to the right or left of the hole.

How does the wrist ball exercise work?

Tuck a ball between your wrist—or forearm—and the end of the grip. If your wrist moves, the ball falls: you have to use your torso to swing it.

Does this exercise also help with long putts?

Yes. Without using the wrists, speed is generated by the body, making it easier to control and replicate, which improves speed control.

How can I tell if my problem is caused by my face?

Take a putt with a known slope and align your line of play. If you still miss, the only remaining cause is the orientation of the clubface.

Learn More

All “Putting” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Learning to Putt: From Grip to Speed ControlAll the basics of putting in order: grip, stance, eye focus, arcing stroke, reading the green from four angles, the “one potato, two potato” tempo, and two exercises for controlling the stroke. Tommy Fleetwood's Short Game: Chip, Bunker, and Long PuttThree of Fleetwood's pre-shot routines around the green: the “lofted putt” chip, the bunker shot aimed at an impact mark, and the long putt read from the low side. Nelly Korda's Left-Hand-Low Putting: Interlocked GripNelly Korda putts left hand low, fingers interlocked, so she moves the putter with her chest rather than her hands, especially under pressure. Adrien DuboisAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Adrien Dubois). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

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