Almost tuck-ered out

After exhaustive (and mentally exhausting) researching and testing of putting techniques, especially the numerous grips (hand positions) golfers use, I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what grip I use, I can miss short putts with any grip.

Having said that, I think there is one method or technique that might help me with all these short stinkers, the ones that I know I should make, yet struggle with week after week. It's something I've mentioned before and, as usual, abandoned in favour of the endless and fruitless search for the holy grail of putting - yiplessness - to use a word I've just invented.

This method is almost as simple as it gets - tucking the elbows in tight for all short putts. It's something that was suggested to me years ago by a golfing colleague who is now shooting 18 under par every round on the great golf course in the sky.

I've also talked previously about tucking in just one elbow (the rear or right for me), but that doesn't quite achieve what tucking both elbows in does. What two elbow tucking does is immobilise the arms significantly, restricting the opportunity for them to move out and over or in and out, thereby changing the swing plane.

Now critics will (quite correctly) say that the swing plane is less than one-fifth responsible for the club face angle at impact - this angle being so important a factor in putting. They will then say that this tucking move will encourage wrist hinging, often blamed for pulled and pushed putts. But I would argue that tucking both elbows in tightly for short putts (say under 5 feet) actually limits the full range of motion of the wrists. And even if they do hinge, the angles created by the arm and elbow positions, mean they tend to hinge in an on-plane or down the line manner.

In reality, this tucking of the elbows makes it feel like there is nothing that can be done in the putting stroke except to rock the shoulders. The short stroke created (necessitated) is actually less likely to cause significant club face angle changes than any of the other methods I've tried.

Of course, this method results in a loss of touch; it is very mechanical, very restricted. But that is what's needed for putts under 5 feet. Even if you have a tricky downhill 4 footer, where you might argue that you need touch, you really don't, you simply need to take an even shorter backswing and rely on the stability of the club face (and your correct green read) to get the putt on line.

I can't guarantee that this tucking will work for everyone. Putting is a game of confidence. I just know that I can't find a grip, a method, a state of mind, whatever, that will work for me at the moment. I need to try something different before I am completely tuckered out by missing so many short putts.