Linear Putting Stroke Drill

Set the pathpal to 70 degrees and position it along your target line. Place the heel of the putter against the inside edge of the rod at address, squaring the putter face to your intended line. As you stroke the putt, ride the heel along that inside edge — the rod acts as a rail that keeps the path linear and promotes a near-zero path through impact. Jason verifies this in real time with SAM Putt Lab data, and the path screen consistently shows the straight, linear stroke the heel-riding technique produces.

At 70 degrees, the pathpal sits at an angle that promotes a slight natural arc while keeping the overall path very linear — producing what Jason describes as a near-zero path through impact. A perfectly upright 90-degree rod would encourage a completely straight-back, straight-through stroke that fights the natural arc of the putter. The 70-degree angle is a precision compromise: it allows the putter to follow its natural arc while the heel-riding technique keeps the path tight enough to start the ball on line consistently.

The notches along the pathpal rod serve as physical measurement markers for backstroke length — Jason uses them as a calibration tool, particularly for an 8-foot putt. For that distance, a golfer should only reach the second or third notch on the backswing. If the putter moves past the fourth notch, the stroke is too long — which creates excess deceleration through impact, unwanted rotation, and inconsistent pace control. This turns the pathpal into a complete putting station: path, face, and stroke length all controlled in one setup.

SAM Putt Lab is a precision putting analysis system that measures putter path, face angle, impact point, loft, and tempo in real time — it's widely used by tour-level putting instructors including David Potts (also featured in the pathpal series). Jason uses SAM Putt Lab alongside the pathpal to show his students the path data on screen while they practice the heel-riding drill. The combination of physical feedback from the rod and data confirmation from the technology creates a closed feedback loop — students see the near-zero path number while simultaneously feeling what produced it.

A linear stroke keeps the putter on the target line as long as possible through the hitting zone — the face stays square to the line throughout the stroke rather than opening and closing with rotation. An arc stroke allows the putter to travel inside on the backswing, square at impact, and back inside on the follow-through — matching the natural rotation of the body. Neither is universally correct, but for golfers working on a more consistent start line, Jason's 70-degree linear approach reduces the variables at impact by keeping the face square longer, making it easier to roll the ball on the intended line.