Putting ?

[golfshooter]

I have been playing for only 6 months and it has been a steep learning curve I have immensely enjoyed mainly due to the helpful advice from this forum in solving the mysteries encounted. I have now found myself looking critically at my putting realizing nobody has ever showed me the art. I now find myself asking is there a different grip,what posture,what parts of the body should be moving,what stance,should my eyes be following the club to the ball or fixed on the ball? There are probabley more but that would be a start to the art.All suggestions will be gratefully received, it seems to be overlooked in the forum.
Peter

[rotator]

Re: Putting ?

Hi Peter,

Putting is such a personal thing.

Actually, there is lots of discussions on this forum. Do a search on "arc putting", "pendulum putting", "stan utley", "dave pelz", "cross hand", "left hand low", "putting" (for that matter).

You can search many of the keywords above in you tube or The Golf Channel archives, and you will find visual illustrations and tips, which may catch your interest.

There are so many different thoughts on putting, that it's not fair to advise you of the one single way you could go.

Putting is an evolving aspect of your golf game, and you have to find which way is best for you.

Regarding watching the ball or the head of the putter, on that I would say most people would say definitely it is not at all desirable to be watching the putter head. I have a particular quirk of looking at a dimple on top of the ball near the front, but most people would likely say the back of the ball.

Ted

[bill reed]

Re: Putting ?

hi
get Dave Plez book " The Putting Bible" it probably the best book on putting out there.
get it off e-bay even cheeper.
cheers
bill

[BrianW]

Re: Putting ?

I second Bills suggestion to read Dave Pelz Putting Bible. In the meantime I think this video should help you.

http://www.ritson-sole.com/golf-tips...tt-like-a-pro/

[bill reed]

Re: Putting ?

hi Ted
you forgot about looking at the hole and not the ball when putting. that works for some too.
cheers
bill

[rotator]

Re: Putting ?

Brian and Bill,

The reason I held off on making a recommendation on the putting method is I feel very strongly, that some people are predisposed to be a natural arc or pendulum putter. That being the case, the style of putter then becomes important.

I documented in a couple of previous threads (the ones I referred the OP to) my personnal experiences with putting and the relationship of the putting methods and the choice of type of putter which best suits one method over the other.

When I tried out and bought my earlier putters at the practice greens at the stores, I did not know the reason why until much later, but certain putters made the strokes so natural and were getting the ball in the hole. It so happens that the putters were all heel shafted (Pings and Ping types). I tried the pendulum method with those putters, at a time when the pendulum method mainly through Pelz was becoming popular, and I really started to have difficulties and lost confidence. I had serious yips. So, I bought face balanced mallets like Pelz used to compensate, but I still was uncomfortable (as I later thought about it, because my natural tendency was to make an arc stroke, and with the center shafted face balanced putter, I had to make a manipulation with my hands or arms to square the face)

A couple of years ago, I read a Stan Utley article on putting that generally heel shafted putters are compatible with the arc stroke and the face balanced (and often center shafted) putters are compatible with the pendulum stroke. The light went on, it made sense. It also explained why I went through the struggles with my putting. I was, and am, a natural arc putter, like Crenshaw, Faxon, Tiger and so on. I should have stayed with my original Ping Anser, and I would have been better off. Instead, I tried to improve, and in so doing, I was inadvertently mixing the style of putter with the incompatible stroke, and visa-versa.

Once I learned I should stick with a heel shafted putter style, I found that I preferred the hosel of the putter to be very short and without the offset and connected right at the heel, so this was a further variation on the "semi-heel shafted" Ping and Tiger Cameron styles. The one I use is an old beat up Taylor Made of this style, which I picked out of a bargain barrel, and after all my history of problems, I am now an excellent putter.

I strongly recommend new golfers find out for themselves, what method of putting and styles of putters suits them the best.

Ted

[rotator]

Re: Putting ?

hi Ted
you forgot about looking at the hole and not the ball when putting. that works for some too.
cheers
bill

Bill, with sad reference to my previous post, I tried that too.

I also tried a 52" broomstick, Ping B90, which Langer used for some time.

Ted

[golfshooter]

Re: Putting ?

My thanks to everyone.Thats certainly lots to work with.

[bill reed]

Re: Putting ?

hi Ted
i use a 50" ping C10 broomstick and do look at the hole on all putts from about 3 feet out.
from 3 feet in i tend to look between the ball and the hole.
does work but takes a bit getting use to.
i tried to get a ping B90 Langer putter but there so hard to find, happy with my C10 now.

cheers
bill

[golfshooter]

Re: Putting ?

Brian,
Your referance to Ritson Sole site has been an extremly usefull to a beginner such as I. The pendulum stance has me cutting 4 inches off my putter to get the correct arm extention.It made so much sense,I can't believe I was trying to steady bent arms! I had tried to access Ritson but a glitch prevented me.The other information provided by you all I am sure will sink in with more experience
Thanks again to all.
Peter

[rotator]

Re: Putting ?

Hi Peter,

Regarding cutting off some length of the shaft, I was thinking about this during the day and was going to post that thought.

I believe that 90% of the golfers should consider shortening the putter lengths.
Many of the off the shelf putters have 35" lengths. As you discovered, that is too long for most golfers, and certainly for a short person, young people and women. If your stance is bent over, it's more of a factor, as you say the arms get pulled in and cramped.

Many pros have putters shorter than 35", including Mickelson, who is a tall man. I remember Ken Green used to use a 16" putter for a while.

I've always cut all my putters to 33", and my hands are at the bottom of the grip usually. I do the work myself, but to have it done at the shop, it's not that expensive, and they should be able to save the grip. You should note that the putter's swing weight will be reduced, in case you wonder about the different feel. You can add weight at the head if necessary. Another trick is to pour dry sand down the shaft before you seal the top and re-grip. The sand will be loose, but when you have the head down, the sand will be shifted down there.

Ted

[golfshooter]

Re: Putting ?

Hi Ted,
Judging by the looks and comments at the club comp your pretty right about the 90%.My putter is now cut down to 31 inches and has me gripping the putter in the middle of the grip in a comfortable stance for me with my eyes directly over the ball.I have immediately seen results with this change alone,more accurate,and more consistant after only one outing.Think what I could do with practice! When you think about it how can I possibly putt well with elbows and wrists wobbling in a cramped stance trying to hold the putter off the ground! It has been good to be able to give something back to the forum instead of always yelling HELP!
May all your putts be holled
Peter

[golfshooter]

stableford

Hi Ted,
You have a way of explaining things simply,I have a handycap of 18.I therefor get 1 shot extra per hole.If hole 10 is a par 3 and i shoot 4 do I simply write 4 in one column and 2 in the next.I
have looked this up elsewhere and just do not get it,I gotta be brain dead surely
Peter

[BrianW]

Re: stableford

Hi Ted,
You have a way of explaining things simply,I have a handycap of 18.I therefor get 1 shot extra per hole.If hole 10 is a par 3 and i shoot 4 do I simply write 4 in one column and 2 in the next.I
have looked this up elsewhere and just do not get it,I gotta be brain dead surely
Peter

Hi,

I know you asked Ted but maybe this will help:

If you are playing stroke play then you put your actual score against each hole (In the case of the par 3 you mentioned you enter 4) then at the end you total up all your shots into your 'Gross Score' lets say 90. You then subtract your handicap or shots allowed: say 18. So your 'Net Score' will be 90 - 18 = 72. You then fill in the Gross and Net scores at the bottom of the card.

If you play a Stableford game you enter your actual score in the first box, your net score after taking off any shot allowance in the second box and your stableford score in the third box. In the case of the par 3 again it would be: 4 for 3 for 2 points.

I hope this helps.

[rotator]

Re: Putting ?

Clear as a bell, Brian.

Ted