Influence of hand acceleration on putter face angle at impact event: An experimental study in amateur golfers

Abstract

Putting contributes substantially to overall scoring performance in golf, with the putter face angle at impact event widely recognized as the primary factor determining the initial direction of the ball. Previous biomechanical research has indicated that hand acceleration can influence clubhead direction during the putting stroke. However, empirical evidence directly linking hand acceleration to putter face alignment among developing or amateur golfers remains limited. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of forward hand acceleration toward the target on putter face angle at impact event and to evaluate the effectiveness of specific training drills designed to reduce excessive hand acceleration during the putting stroke. Methods: Twenty healthy undergraduate students (mean age: 20.3 ± 1.13 years) who had successfully completed a Basic Putting Technique course participated in this study. All participants were classified as amateur golfers and were assigned to either a control group (n = 10), which followed the standard putting curriculum, and an experimental group (n = 10), which performed the same curriculum supplemented with two targeted drills aimed at reducing forward hand acceleration. Hand acceleration and putter face angle at impact were recorded using the CAPTO putting analysis system at three time points: baseline, week 2, and week 4. Descriptive statistics and paired-sample ttests were conducted using SPSS 20.0 to analyze within and between-group changes. Results: The results revealed a significant association between hand acceleration patterns and putter face angle at impact. After 4 weeks of training, the experimental group demonstrated a significant reduction in forward hand acceleration accompanied by improved putter face alignment toward a neutral position (p < 0.05), whereas the control group showed minimal changes. Conclusion: These findings indicate that targeted interventions aimed at controlling hand acceleration can effectively improve putter face alignment at impact, thereby enhancing putting accuracy. The results provide practical implications for golf coaching and contribute to the development of evidence-based training strategies for amateur golfers.