How do you putt?

[jbrunk]

I mean, how do you putt the right way? It seems like a stupid question, but I am curious how the better putters/players on this site putt.

I have always considered myself an average-slightly above average putter, but I don't make as many 5-6-10 footers as I think I should. I don't 3-putt much and I avg about 32 putts per round. I use a forward press and 'hold that through impact'. I get a decent roll most of the time but struggle with speed. I find that if I don't forward press I got a ball that bounces too much.

Any ideas for good mechanics on putting????

 

[ggsjpc]

I mean, how do you putt the right way? It seems like a stupid question, but I am curious how the better putters/players on this site putt.

I have always considered myself an average-slightly above average putter, but I don't make as many 5-6-10 footers as I think I should. I don't 3-putt much and I avg about 32 putts per round. I use a forward press and 'hold that through impact'. I get a decent roll most of the time but struggle with speed. I find that if I don't forward press I got a ball that bounces too much.

Any ideas for good mechanics on putting????

If you struggle with speed, you are probably over accelerating in the downswing making it difficult to control pace. Focus much more time on pace than anything else.

Your putter may have too much loft on it causing you to forward press it to keep the bounce down.

 

[suns11111]

Use the claw, never putting more solid. Hit the sweet spot. I focus on just leading with the left arm where I want the ball to go, make sure the left wrist does not break down and rule #1 SPEED! Also really focusing this year visualizing the ball fall in the hole.

JeffS

 

[puttmaster]

To get a feel for green speed, I begin every putting practice session -- and every pre-round warm-up session -- by putting with right hand only. It's an "improve your speed" drill taught by Bama golf coach Conrad Rehling that I've continued using for more than 30 years.

It's important to get in your normal putting stance, then take the LH (lead) off the putter, then make a full stroke with RH only. I focus on keeping the bend in the RH wrist constant throughout the stroke. Great drill to help ingrain rhythm and tempo, as well as speed control.

After 12-15 putts with RH only, I add the LH and focus on the LH controlling the putter face while the RH helps control the speed. After doing the drill for so many years, I'm just as confident putting on the course with RH only as I am with both hands.

 

[Jay845]

I recently added a jumbo grip to my putter (biglite grip by Yes). I am making more 10 footers than ever. Seems to really quiet my hands

 

[lookingtolearn]

Here's how I do it

I set up with a reverse overlap grip, natural arm hang, a straight "gaze," a square setup, and a vertical clubshaft which points toward my belly button.

The stroke is on an inclined plane with the clubface square to the arc (sheriff style). To control lowpoint and keep the center of the arc close to ground, I keep the butt of the club pointing at my belly button throughout the stroke.

The motion is a combination of shoulders, arm swing, and wrists. I just let the club make the same motion that it does when I swing it back and forth. The backswing is long enough to let the club swing through, without the need to "add" anything on the way down.

For drills, I use the Sheriff (which I highly recommend) to work on mechanics, hit balls in a line to work on rhythm, and putt to the fringe to work on distance control. I will also do the Mickelson drill to work on short putts and gain confidence.

 

[softconsult]

"I don't make as many 5-6-10 footers as I think I should."

Yes, but maybe it's just that your expectations are too high. Check the
web for percentage of 5 - 6 - 10 footers made on the tour.
You will be surprised how low it is.

My league has a low putts per round prize. I have always found it silly.
Low putts per round may simply be the result of high chips per round.

 

[Richie3Jack]

The percentages on the Tour may be low, but they are playing extremely tough pin conditions most of the time. Annika Sorenstam found that out the hard way. Then again, they are playing in much much smoother greens which helps but that may be offset to a degree by how close they can get the ball to the pin.

I used to be a really great putter, but after an 8-year layoff I came back putting great again, but for the last 2 months I've been putting lousy. I got hooked up to a SAM Puttlab and my backstroke was arced, but my thru stroke was more straight-ish. I tried to arc the thru stroke, but that wasn't working. I'm now more SBST and having a little better success, but it's still not that pretty.

Yesterday I just concentrated on the basics for me:

1. Read the fall line and the putt.

2. Aim the putterface using a proper head swivel.

3. Focus on speed.

4. Keep your head still and hold your finish.

I putted better, although it was nothing great. I plan on getting a putter fitting soon. I have never had a putter fitting, so we'll see how that goes. But concentrating on speed is very advisable if you ask me.




3JACK

 

[softconsult]

I have up putted with mallet putters for a very long time. Always putted by rocking shoulders, and kept the putter going straight back and through. I have always been a pretty decent putter with a smooth stroke.

So for Christmas I bought a Scotty Cameron Red X with the plumber's neck.
This is a toe hang putter. I bought a certain putting guru's book (Already another guru's book that preaches what I was already doing). So I have had some success with the arc putting stroke. Problem was that the author wants a flatter then normal lie angle and more loft than standard. Couldn't find anyone with a putter lie/loft machine in my area.

Last Friday I was coming through Knoxville, TN returning from a business trip and stopped at a shop with a Mitchell Putter machine. $5 later I had my putter at 68 lie and 5 degrees loft (Cameron's are std at 4 degrees so not much change). It looked great in the shop. Tops of my forearms perfectly in line with the shaft. Stopped at a course and spent an hour hitting putts.
Very nice improvement. Ball rolling out nicely.

Tournament tommorrow on contoured greens that a very fast. We shall see.

 

[birdie_man]

I use a double overlap (with right hand curled under a good bit for some reason) and use my right arm to make the stroke.

Somewhat similar to Nicklaus...not as good yet.

Eyes over line...steeper shoulder turn...a like to give in a bit of a rap at the end (physical not verbal)...

I tend to focus on line and trust that my mind will take care of speed based on my observations. (sometimes will take a practice stroke sometimes not...I don't usually consciously feel speed)

Always fooling around but for now that is my "go-to." Still working on all kinds of stuff...mechanical and pre-shot.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Last Friday I was coming through Knoxville, TN returning from a business trip and stopped at a shop with a Mitchell Putter machine. $5 later I had my putter at 68 lie and 5 degrees loft (Cameron's are std at 4 degrees so not much change). It looked great in the shop. Tops of my forearms perfectly in line with the shaft. Stopped at a course and spent an hour hitting putts.
Very nice improvement. Ball rolling out nicely.

Tournament tommorrow on contoured greens that a very fast. We shall see.

Soft,

How does that putter fitting work? I plan on getting a putter fitting soon with the Mitchell Putter Machine, perhaps next week. But I want to get a better idea of what goes on when you do that.




3JACK

 

[softconsult]

This wasn't really a fitting per se. I was simply targeting the flatter lie that, (reference avoided), recommends , 68/69 and 5 loft. So Cameron std. is 71 - 4 and I figured 68 - 5 sounds interesting. I then had the guy observe from the rear and he confirmed that the head was soled flat and the shaft was running up my arms. Going to have some real world observations in about 4 hours.