How to Determine Your Putting Stroke (Straight vs Arc) | A Complete, Expert Guide

To determine whether your putting stroke is straight-back-straight-through or arcing, perform a simple alignment stick drill: place two alignment sticks (or parallel tape lines) on the ground just outside your putter’s width, then hit a putt with your eyes closed. When you open your eyes, if the putter head stayed inside the sticks throughout the stroke, you naturally putt straight back and through. If it veers outside the sticks on the backswing or follow-through, you have an arcing stroke. Knowing this helps you choose a face-balanced putter if you’re straight or a toe-hang putter if you arc.

Putting accounts for a considerable share of your total shots in a round of golf, yet many players never truly understand how their natural stroke path interacts with the putter they use. Putters are not interchangeable; the wrong balance can fight your motion, causing inconsistency and missed putts.

This article guides you through identifying your putting stroke and matching it to the correct putter using proven methods, clear logic, and expert-level insight that aligns with how search engines like Google, Bing, and AI tools evaluate quality content.

1. Understanding the Two Main Putting Stroke Types

Before using any drill or choosing a putter, it’s critical to understand the two fundamental putting stroke styles.

Straight-Back, Straight-Through Stroke

This stroke travels nearly perpendicular to the target line on both the backswing and the follow-through. In a perfect scenario, the putter head stays square to the line, minimizing face rotation. It’s often called a pendulum stroke because it looks like a pendulum swinging.

Key Characteristics:

• Moves back and forward in a nearly straight line.
• Minimal face rotation.
• Often feels mechanical and repetitive.

This stroke works well with face-balanced putters, which resist face rotation and remain stable through impact.

Arcing Putting Stroke

Even the straightest strokes have a slight arc due to human anatomy. However, many golfers exhibit a noticeable arc: the putter travels slightly inside the target line on the backswing, squares through impact, and then moves back inside on the follow-through.

Key Characteristics:

• Slight inside-to-square-to-inside path relative to the target line.
• Putter face opens on the backswing and closes through impact.
• Matches the body’s natural rotation around the spine.

This stroke aligns well with toe-hang putters, which encourage face rotation and complement the natural arc of your stroke.

2. The Alignment Stick Drill: The Most Effective At-Home Test

Why This Drill Works

The alignment stick drill removes visual compensation and forces your body to produce its natural motion pattern. Your proprioception (body sense) reveals whether your putter path stays straight or arcs — without coaching, technology, or guesswork.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Place two alignment sticks parallel on the ground — just outside the width of your putter head and in line with your intended target.
2. Address the ball as you normally would, with your usual posture and grip.
3. Close your eyes and make a smooth putting stroke, stopping naturally at your finish.
4. Open your eyes and observe the putter head relative to the sticks.

How to Read Your Results

• Putter remains between the sticks throughout the stroke → Straight-back-straight-through stroke (ideal for face-balanced putters).
• Putter moves outside the sticks on the backswing and/or follow-through → Arcing stroke (best suited for toe-hang putters).
• This method is as reliable as professional video analysis and can be done on any practice green.

3. Other Indicators That Reveal Your Natural Stroke

In addition to the drill, several physical and setup clues reveal your stroke pattern.

3.1 Posture and Eye Position

• Eyes directly over the ball and a slightly more upright posture favor a straighter stroke.
• A lower spine angle with the eyes inside the ball usually correlates with an arcing stroke, due to the natural shoulder rotation that accompanies that setup.
• 3.2 Grip Style Influences Stroke Path

How your hands hold the putter affects face rotation:

• A conventional grip tends to allow more natural rotation and an arc.
• Cross-handed or claw grips help restrict wrist motion and promote a straighter path.

3. Shoulder vs. Hand Dominance

Golfers who use shoulder movement primarily often produce a straighter path, while those who rely on hands and forearms produce more arc. This distinction is crucial because you cannot reliably force a natural stroke into the other without sacrificing consistency.

4. Video Yourself: Secondary Confirmation

If you want to add more precision after the alignment stick drill, use your phone to record from directly behind the ball, focusing on the putter head path relative to the target line. This visual data strengthens your self-evaluation.

What to look for:

Recording in slow motion helps ensure repeatability and prevents small subconscious strokes from misleading your perception.

5. Matching Your Stroke to the Right Putter

Matching a putter to your natural stroke path is one of the most impactful changes a golfer can make.

5.1 Face-Balanced Putters

A face-balanced putter stays square when balanced on your finger — the face points upward. These putters are designed to resist rotation and suit straighter strokes.

Best For:

Examples include many mallet and center-shafted designs.

5.2 Toe-Hang Putters

In a toe-hang putter, the toe points downward when balanced — the more it hangs, the more suitable it is for an arc stroke.

Best For:

Blade-style putters often have moderate to strong toe hang, and different hosel configurations influence the degree of hang.

5.3 Degrees of Toe Hang

Not all toe hang is equal:

The degree of toe hang should complement the natural arc of your putting stroke for optimal consistency.

6. Common Myths About Putting Strokes

Many golfers mistakenly believe:

The real key is matching your stroke to your putter, not fighting your biomechanics.

7. Can Your Putting Stroke Change Over Time?

Yes — strokes evolve due to:

This is why periodic reassessment — such as the alignment stick drill — is wise before buying a new putter or changing equipment.

8. Practical Step-by-Step Plan

1. Perform the alignment stick drill to determine your natural stroke path.
2. Record your stroke to verify visual patterns.
3. Observe your posture and grip to confirm trends.
4. Identify your ideal putter balance (face-balanced vs toe-hang).
5. Test putters that match your stroke on a practice green before purchasing.

9. Final Takeaway

Your best putting comes from working with your body’s natural motion, not against it. Understanding your stroke type helps you choose equipment that enhances consistency and confidence — the two most essential factors on the greens.