Bobby Locke Putting Stroke

[jpvegas1]

Bobby Locke has been acknowledged by most experts as one of the top putters of all time. Had some time on my hands and was able to locate one video of Bobby Locke's putting stroke.

I don't know if there is enough here to do an analysis, but wonder if any of the resident putting experts, could analyze or give an opinion on his method and anything that could be used by another golfer.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNub9nIfeBQ[/media]

 

[Brian Manzella]

Perfect!

Funny, looks like my personal putting stroke pattern with a right aim, like Tiger.

Now I see why they thought he hooked his putts!

You see, the "U-Plane" in putting is very important, becuase you have a RESULANT PATH vector off of the Horizontal Plane Angle (or base line or plane line or direction of swing).

You have to hit putts with the putter on the way up, unless you do a lot of finiggling, and that means the path will be CLOSED to the HSP.

So, you have to either have your putter face slightly open, and cut the ball slightly, or aim right.

Arthur and Eldrick.

Who knew?

 

[dominicscaife]

Lots of right hand. Looks almost like a flip.

Tiger always emphasizes putting is dominated by the right hand.

There is definately something to the aim right idea, the same idea helped Sergio Garcia when Utley fixed his putting a few years back by suggesting Sergio hit "baby draws" with his putter.

I wonder if there is a subconscious thing going on too - which is why it is widely accepted that for right handers; right to left putts are easier than similiar left to right putts.

i.e. aiming left is more uncomfortable at a subconscious level.

 

[mjstrong]

Lots of right hand. Looks almost like a flip.

Tiger always emphasizes putting is dominated by the right hand.

There is definately something to the aim right idea, the same idea helped Sergio Garcia when Utley fixed his putting a few years back by suggesting Sergio hit "baby draws" with his putter.

I wonder if there is a subconscious thing going on too - which is why it is widely accepted that for right handers; right to left putts are easier than similiar left to right putts.

i.e. aiming left is more uncomfortable at a subconscious level.

I've always had an easier time with "slice putts" going from left to right, and I attributed it to my "pull stroke." I usually have a tough time starting my putts high enough to the right.

 

[niblick1]

Lots of right hand. Looks almost like a flip.

Tiger always emphasizes putting is dominated by the right hand.

As many people here have said, there are many different putting patterns and some may work for you and some may be poison, but over the last year I spent a lot of time on The Sheriff trying many different patterns and the pattern that works best for me is one where I think about having almost no butt-end "travel" to the putter, feel like the stroke is all right hand (with a left hand low very lightly on the club just for a little stability) and I flip or almost flip and try to hit up on the ball. When you watch video of pros in the 40's and 50's a lot of pros had much more hand and wrist in their strokes -- granted, the greens they were playing on were much slower.

It's funny how little variation I see in putting strokes among D1 golfers (two teams play at the course I play at). They almost all have identical looking stokes. But I lose all feel when I try to putt using the standard straight back shoulder strike that is in vogue today.

I wonder if there is a subconscious thing going on too - which is why it is widely accepted that for right handers; right to left putts are easier than similiar left to right putts.

i.e. aiming left is more uncomfortable at a subconscious level.

i think that's a great observation. Very possible.

 

[niblick1]

I've always had an easier time with "slice putts" going from left to right, and I attributed it to my "pull stroke." I usually have a tough time starting my putts high enough to the right.

I have only played with one other golfer who said that -- a low handicapper I play with frequently who is astounded that most righties prefer right-to-left over left-to-right. I'd like to see his stroke and your's on one of those slow motion putting video machines to see what is different.

 

[mjstrong]

I have only played with one other golfer who said that -- a low handicapper I play with frequently who is astounded that most righties prefer right-to-left over left-to-right. I'd like to see his stroke and your's on one of those slow motion putting video machines to see what is different.

My typical miss is a pull from the inside 10 feet range, is this similar to him as well?

 

[mjstrong]

But I lose all feel when I try to putt using the standard straight back shoulder strike that is in vogue today.

Me too. I like having feel in my arms and hands, but suffer from the pulls mentioned above. i am sure that there must be a happy compromise somewhere...

 

[niblick1]

My typical miss is a pull from the inside 10 feet range, is this similar to him as well?

I'm not sure. I haven't noticed that problem. I'll ask him and report back.

 

[jpvegas1]

Now I see why they thought he hooked his putts!

You see, the "U-Plane" in putting is very important, becuase you have a RESULANT PATH vector off of the Horizontal Plane Angle (or base line or plane line or direction of swing).

You have to hit putts with the putter on the way up, unless you do a lot of finiggling, and that means the path will be CLOSED to the HSP.

Brian, can you explain the "U plane" and why the path will be closed to the HSP.

Thanks.

 

[tongzilla]

cuz the clubhead is going IN when it's going UP, so to "compensate", path needs to be closed.

 

[jpvegas1]

Thanks Leo.