If you’ve ever had an opportunity to watch the game’s top players practice you know that they spend a lot of time on the putting green.

You also know that sometimes they rely on STRANGE drills to improve their game, and for elite players like Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker this means practicing putting with one arm.

While it might seem odd, putting with one arm can actually be one of the best ways to improve your stroke.

To make the most of the one arm putting drill just follow these simple guidelines:

Choose an arm. Some pros will practice one handed putting with their lead arm (left arm for right handed golfers), while some practice one handed putting with their trail arm (right arm for right handed golfers). I suggest working a little on both to find your favorite.

Start with short putts. I like to practice my one handed stroke on putts that are 3-4 feet away from the hole. This allows me to keep my stroke under control and also build confidence by making a high percentage of the putts that I hit.

Feel the weight of the putter. When you swing your putter with one hand you will be amazed at how much you can feel the weight of the putter head as it swings back and forth. The key is to keep your grip pressure light and let the putter hang down from your arm naturally. This will help you create a natural pendulum motion and a great rhythm to your stroke.

Accelerate through the ball. With only one hand on your putter it’s going to be a lot harder to control. If you want to put a good roll on the ball you need to let the putter swing naturally and accelerate through the ball. Just imagine your putter head as a giant wrecking ball swinging down from your arm and crashing through the ball at impact.

After practicing this drill for 10 or 15 minutes try putting both hands back on your putter. You’ll be amazed at how much smoother your stroke feels, and how much more confident you are on the green!