Putting Myths

[Mayhem]

I don't usually read Australian Golf Digest as I have a subscription to another golf magazine but I picked up a copy at the airport last month to read on the plane.
Not a bad read but I won't change my subscription. It was good to see Ozgolf get a plug in the travel section though. West Aus is just the best!!

Anyhow....there is a article in there about putting myths by Pat O'Brien. It talks about three things that are no-no's when putting: Myth correction

1) 'Grip it in the lifeline' instead grip it in the fingers
2) 'Set your eyes over th ball' set your eyes inside the line of the ball and not over the ball.
3) 'Swing straight back and through' Swing the putter through an arc and not straight back and straight forward.

I was shocked as I was guilty of all three and have infact been practicing what they say never to do. I am not a great putter but as I have been practicing I have been improving. I have never gone sub 30 for 18 but I have reduced my three putts per round.

The theory in the mag sounds okay. Does anyone 'in the know' agree or disagree with the sugestions from Pat? any opinions would be appreciated.

[Scottt]

Eyes over the ball or inside - personal preference
Arc stroke of straight back straight through - personal preference

So yeah, I disagree!

[virge666]

1 - Always in the life line - it takes the little muscles out of the putting stroke.

2 - Eyes definitley behind - most of the top putters do this.

3 - Can be either - up to you. Match the putter to the process.

[Michaeljames92]

Well don't all putting strokes have a little arc in them? Isn't it almost impossible to keep the putter straight back and then manipulate it to go straight on the forward swing? Utley is an endorser of the 'arc' stroke seems a much more easier method than SBST

[Scottt]

2 - Eyes definitley behind - most of the top putters do this.

I thought it was over ball vs inside the line, not over the ball vs behind the ball? Am I wrong, or have I misunderstood your post?

[Mayhem]

1 - Always in the life line - it takes the little muscles out of the putting stroke.

2 - Eyes definitley behind - most of the top putters do this.

3 - Can be either - up to you. Match the putter to the process.

Cheers Virge.

By eyes behind I presume you mean over the ball, therefore behind the line.

I use a mallet putter on the course but spend some of my practice using a blade putter. Can you suggest which type of putter would suit an arc type swing as compared to SBST?

[Mayhem]

Eyes over the ball or inside - personal preference
Arc stroke of straight back straight through - personal preference

So yeah, I disagree!

good good.

I tend to think if you get a good enough routine with either you will be fine. Lifeline I think is more important as it makes your bigger muscles do the work and allows fewer little variations in your stroke as would be the case if your wrists and fingers were involved.

I practice with golf balls that have a line on them. If I can make that line roll straight over and to the target i am on a winner. If I read the line right on the course this tend to help my putting a lot.

[oldmannoodles]

1) 'Grip it in the lifeline'
Utley recommends the lifeline but I reckon personal preference dictated by the size of your fingers and hands and also your grip size preference.
2) 'Set your eyes over the ball'
Over or slightly inside are both widely used. Don't see too many successful putters with their eyes outside.
3) 'Swing straight back and through'
Personal preference dependent upon your natural stroke and putter preference (e.g. face balanced, heel shafted, low/high toe hang, centre/heel shafted)

[Andrew_S]

I recently had a 'light bulb moment' with my putting. I started to notice that a lot of pros weren't resting the base of their putters flat along the green, whereas I was forcing the base of the putter to sit parallel with the ground.

The heel of the putter rests close to the ground and the toe in the air (on a bit of an angle) as opposed to sitting flush with the green. I tried this and all of a sudden my putts started going straight!

[ParMaster]

What do you mean by "Grip it in the Lifeline." ?

To me there is too much crap involved in putting. (IMO) There is fk all difference between a putter that costs 30 dollars and one that costs 450.

When i putt i don't think anything. Put your eyes wherever you like...swing however you like. To me as long as you feel comfortable with your equipment and technique then all you should focus on is getting it in the hole.

Just do what feels comfortable and the result shouldn't be too bad.

(Of course if you have a terrible stroke or if the putter doesn't fit you then you probably won't sink the putts.)

P.S Awaiting abuse/flaming of this post.

[oldmannoodles]

Agreed ParMaster.

Putting, unlike the full swing, does not require as many basic fundamentals and allows for far more personal variances in style. Apart from some very basic notions (including those that are being discussed in this thread), anything goes if it works for you.

[Andrew]

The greatest putting myth is that 100% of putts left short don't go in. That's crap! I've seen many putts left short that went in, but only when the hole was closer than I thought it was.

As far as the eyes not over the ball thing goes. I have my eyes inside the line but curve my vision so my eyes think they are over the ball. (It's the same technic I use for looking around corners)

[Toolish]

Agree with Virge.

Have the magazine at home, haven't read it yet but had a quick flick. The reasoning given on the lifeline one is something about fingers controlling the feel or something like that, what a load of crap, the feel of the stroke length is there through your shoulders, by the time your fingers feel they have hit it too soft it is too late anyway buddy.

The arc is fine, and I know personally I putt way better with my eyes over the ball, although I tend to drift to an inside set up so have to monitor it.

[razaar]

I like the analogy of the early 1900's regarding the eyes in putting.
Imagine a tri-angular piece of ply standing vertically along the path of the putt. The height of the 90* section is 4ft 6 ins (at the ball). If the puttee's eyes are directly over the ply (or over a straight line extending behind the ply) the vertical and horizonal sight lines are on the same plane. If the eyes are in a different vertical plane to the ply, then the vertical and horizontal sight lines will differ. Something to think about.;)

[Russ]

Whilst they're good ideas to try if putting isn't your strong point, I agree it all comes down to personal preference on what works for you. Take a look at the 20 best putters on the PGA tour. I'm sure you'll find 5 different grip positions, different shaft types, head weights, stances etc. It's golf - whilst there's a theoretical idea on how things are suppose to work - everyone is different, and what works for one, doesn't guarantee it will work for all, regardless of whether it should or not.



Where does everyone have the ball lined up in their putting stance? I noticed yesterday that since I've had my new putter, I have the ball a fair way forward in my stance. With my previous PING I had the ball dead center, half way between my left & right foot. - now, I have the ball sitting around 1/4 of the distance (closer to my left foot) - and I've never putted better.

[Dotty]

I recently had a 'light bulb moment' with my putting. I started to notice that a lot of pros weren't resting the base of their putters flat along the green, whereas I was forcing the base of the putter to sit parallel with the ground.

The heel of the putter rests close to the ground and the toe in the air (on a bit of an angle) as opposed to sitting flush with the green. I tried this and all of a sudden my putts started going straight!
In the 1970's, Isao Aoki is the poster-boy for this.

3067

A handy way to check your where your eyes sit. Get a metre of string, tie a light weight (spoon, pen, etc.) on one end and tie the other end to the bridge of your glasses/sunglasses.

[moree golfer]

I have taken Pat O'Brian's advice on grip on the putter ie. the palm of my right hand doesn't touch the club, only the tips of my right thumb and forefinger. i do hold my putter in my fingers more atm and I seem to be getting more putts to drop under pressure. I think it is a case of horses for courses.

[Webster]

Hold the putter any way that feels comfortable.

Eyes over the ball or inside the line, but never beyond.

The putter should be swung in an arc. To try to maintain a square to square action is unnatural and leads to a disconnect of the right side on the backswing causing the putter to move off plane and strike the ball inconsistently at impact.

There needs to be a "hit" through the ball ratehr than a "stroke". Crenshaw talks about the act of "quiet violence" through the ball in one of his books or articles somewhere.

The key to consisitent putting is a realiable hitting action through the ball, being no different to any other shot played in the game.

[Johnny Canuck]

It's funny that this thread has just come up.

This week, for no reason whatsoever, I started holding the putter in "the lifeline" of my right hand (I putt cross handed). It just felt comfortable and very controlled. It was going to be an experiment, but seeing as how a lot of people are saying this is a good thing, I might persist with it.

I've also made a consistent effort to make my swing more arched as I have become a straight back guy, which gets me in trouble as I end up going outside the line, which is death.

Putts I hit with a slight bit of arc to the backswing at feeling fantastic. It's just going to be a case of committing it to muscle memory.