SIK Golf Pro C-Series Armlock Putter Review
The Armlock Putter method is certainly becoming more and more prominent with golfers such as Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson choosing to use it over traditional techniques. The brand that has really embraced the concept is SIK, with a number of heads and lengths available, it’s time to test it out on the magnificent Tavistock short game area at Woburn Golf Club to see if additional consistency and better results can be achieved.
The first thing to look out for with an Armlock putter is how you hold it. The best Armlock putters are much longer than conventional putters – this SIK Pro C sample is 41 inches long, but is available in options from 38 to 43.5 inches – and the idea is to press it against the lead arm. This creates a much higher shaft tilt than normal, which is why this putter comes standard with a 7-degree loft. The technique is perfectly legal under the rules of golf, as long as it doesn’t extend beyond the elbow, and this close connection to the arm, and by widening the shoulders, is said to increase control of the face.
Often, with only the hands controlling the movement of the putter, the angle of the face can rotate significantly at impact and it is difficult to return the putter to square at impact. The Armlock method ensures that larger muscles control the movement, helping to bring the putter back to square at impact more consistently. On this SIK model, you’ll notice that the Jumbo Max grip is oriented so that the wide flat side is parallel to the putter face, providing maximum contact points with the arm, which helps ensure a stable and square alignment from address to impact.
Also think about how you hold the putter with your right hand. While this hand really only accompanies you, you still need to feel in control of the putter, so play around with several hand and finger positions until you find the one that is most comfortable.
After testing it on various lengths of putts, there are certainly some advantages in how it promotes more repeatable action on the green. It feels more robotic than a traditional stroke and that feeling takes some getting used to, but with time and practice, the feeling quickly becomes second nature and we have seen the biggest gains on short putts. Sometimes golfers may guess over the ball on short putts and try to push or pull the putt at the last minute, but with the Armlock method, there is less scope to manipulate the club, so as long as your alignment is correct, you should find yourself more prolific from 6 feet and in. With long putts I had trouble judging the distance, but it gets easier with time.
The Descending Loft technology used on the face of the racquet, divided into four sections, reduces the loft by 1° from the top of the face to the bottom. This prevents any change in the angle of the head at impact from the address, which often causes the ball to hit different parts of the face, leading to less predictable strokes. This basically creates a greater margin for error, which is something any level of golfer will appreciate.
I also liked that the angle of the SIK Armlock putter encourages you to place your hands higher and the shaft more vertically – another way to effectively remove unwanted wrist action from your stroke.