Putting Arc.... Does it work?

[kc8kir]

Hey, does anyone here know if the putting arc training aid works well?

I'm looking for something to groove a putting stroke, as my putting is just horrible. I putt something like 40-45 putts a round. It's despicable. I get so frustrated at putting. I just can't get a good putting round going.

If the putting arc works, I might make one out of wood to try out.

Really really really want to start putting better. I hate mallet putters, so I need something to help me learn to swing the blade.

 

[willgolfer]

Try the Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine. Worked wonders for me.

Also probably need to work on your fundamentals (grip, stance, ball position, etc.).

Do you do any practice drills?

 

[kc8kir]

I do a number of drills when I am practicing. Balls around the hole. Balls in a line from the hole. Balls to the fringe. Etc.

My touch is just non existant, especially on the course. On the practice grounds, I can get in a good groove. Try it on the course and nope, no luck. I'm all over the place. Some short, some long, most way off target. It's a nightmare scenario. I three putt like crazy.

 

[Frizit]

Putting arc does work. I wouldn't recommend making one out of wood though. There is a scientific formula for the precise angle that the thing is made on.
Now how precise that needs to be I'm not really sure of though.


I just recently purchased a laser that attaches to the putter face that helps you with your alignment. Still cannot believe how far left I aimed with the putter and then cut across it to get it back on line. I knew I did it to some degree and even asked Brian about it when I saw him in May but he said a lot of good putters aim left and as long as I putted well not to worry about it. But me being the perfectionist I am, I have been working with the laser alignment and my putting arc to really hone a stroke. Still a work in progress but hopefully it will strengthen that part of my game.

 

[detonum]

Putting arc does work. I wouldn't recommend making one out of wood though. There is a scientific formula for the precise angle that the thing is made on.
Now how precise that needs to be I'm not really sure of though.

I think the lie angle of the putter (if proper for the players stroke) would be the optimum angle to build the putting arc.

 

[Richie3Jack]

I'd also suggest getting a putter fitting. Something that has the Mitchell Putter Fitting Studio or similar to that. I just got one done yesterday and it was amazing and noticed an improvement in my putting one day later. My putter is supposed to be at a 71* lie angle and a 3* loft. But when they measure it the putter was at a 70.5* lie angle and a 4.5* loft. By reducing the loft to 3* on my putter, they reduced the skid by about 20%. We tried another putter with 3.5* loft and that reduced by skid by about 25%. There's another putter that I'm pretty sure would be perfect for me and I would guess reduce the skid by about 30-35%, but I haven't purchased it yet. It was such a noticeable difference today even with my own putter. I hit just about everything square and didn't have any issues with the short putts and burned the cup or made quite a bit today. And again, that's only with my adjusted putter which improved the skid by about 20%.

Before I was very erratic with my misses and it started to compound the problem and make me a bit 'yip-ish.'

I have the Z-Factor. Solid product, although I'm thinking of selling mine.



3JACK

 

[Richie3Jack]

I just recently purchased a laser that attaches to the putter face that helps you with your alignment. Still cannot believe how far left I aimed with the putter and then cut across it to get it back on line. I knew I did it to some degree and even asked Brian about it when I saw him in May but he said a lot of good putters aim left and as long as I putted well not to worry about it. But me being the perfectionist I am, I have been working with the laser alignment and my putting arc to really hone a stroke. Still a work in progress but hopefully it will strengthen that part of my game.

There's been a study done that shows 80% of golfers cannot aim straight from 6 feet out. Approximately 55% aim left of the target and 25% aim right. Edel Putters are designed to get the golfer fit so they can naturally aim at the target, but are extremely expensive. Loren Roberts is actually aimed 1* left at address, but then he's at 0.0* at impact. I work with my laser attachment quite a bit as I tend to aim right of the target. Tough to get out of doing.



3JACK

 

[kc8kir]

I imagine it would be a good idea to have a putting stroke prior to spending for a fitting and adjustments. I just need a basic stroke at the moment that won't cop out making a 2 footer. Yes.. I miss those...

 

[vjcapron]

Hey, does anyone here know if the putting arc training aid works well?

Yes it works, and it works very well. It has helped me become a much better putter.

 

[curtisj76]

I'd like to make one out of wood too. All you would have to do is borrow someone's and then trace around it. Sounds simple (I think).

 

[softconsult]

So I am reporting back concerning my results after having my Cameron Red X3
bent to 68 Lie and 5 degree loft. Only comment would be wonderful. Just putts great and this was on very contoured fairly fast greens. Richie3Jack commented on the change in spin rate during his adjustment. Not doubting it at all, but also true that more loft can work great. Depends on angle of attack and shaft lean. I have been changing to arc stroke and toe hang putter for about 3 months now. The flatter lie makes it so much more natural.

 

[Richie3Jack]

So I am reporting back concerning my results after having my Cameron Red X3 bent to 68 Lie and 5 degree loft. Only comment would be wonderful. Just putts great and this was on very contoured fairly fast greens. Richie3Jack commented on the change in spin rate during his adjustment. Not doubting it at all, but also true that more loft can work great. Depends on angle of attack and shaft lean. I have been changing to arc stroke and toe hang putter for about 3 months now. The flatter lie makes it so much more natural

My putter got bent to a 74* lie angle with 3* of loft. Although I'm going to get a Yes! Putter and they are supposed to have 2.5* loft. I've been reading some clubfitter articles and they talk about how too little loft can hurt the roll just as too much can as well. I'm 6'4" tall so the 74* lie angle isn't for everyone. I just hated the way the ball was coming off the putter face before, and now it's very, very good.

The putter fitter did tell me that the C-grooves in the Yes! putters does work, although Yes! advertising of 'zero skid' is a bit misleading. Yes! measures 'roll' as when the ball first initially starts to rotate. The rest of the clubfitting world measures roll once the ball makes a 90* rotation. But they did say the Yes! C-Grooves do help a lot with reducing skid and that they felt the Taylor Made putters with the grooves on them were even better (didn't ask about Rife's line of putters).

But again, highly highly suggest getting fit for putters. Back when I was playing competitively 10 years ago we never had this technology or it was real scarce because I certainly didn't know about it. But now I wonder how I ever putted without it. Short putts are tremendously better.

Although at the rate of putts the OP is having I would suggest looking at the putter stroke (the SAM Puttlab is excellent) and understanding how to read putts and develop touch. Then look at fitting the putter.




3JACK

 

[Robbohank]

I'd like to make one out of wood too. All you would have to do is borrow someone's and then trace around it. Sounds simple (I think).

Curtis,

I think you're making it sound simpler than it really is. I have the wooden model.... primarily because the plastic ones looked a bit flimsy. The wood Deluxe model is much heavier than it looks.

My understanding is that the arc it's modeled after is pretty subtle .... at least it seems that way to me. I can't imagine you'd find someone who could rout out a quantity of 1 precisely the way The Arc was designed for much less money than the "real thing" would cost. (But then again I know some guys simply won't buy the original of anything and feel better if they can knock it off). You might be better off with a 2 x 4 and look for the heel of the putter to move closer to the board on each end of the stroke. What you can't do with a 2 x 4 is let the heel ride the arc and get the "feel" of that stroke.

Kc8 - have you considered The Sheriff?

Robbo

 

[kc8kir]

Considered the Sheriff, but it's outside my budget at the moment.

As an update, I worked at the putting green yesterday to really feel the putter head swinging on an arc, with a slight opening and closing action as a result.

THE DIFFERENCE IN PUTTING QUALITY WAS NIGHT AND DAY.

Short putts became remarkably easy. Long putts had much more feel to them and much more predictable roll. I lined up a few balls that had red lines on them (alignment lines) and watched several roll perfectly along the green. It was like I was putting on an entirely different green.

Amazing that such a little change makes such a difference. I guess I didn't realize how poorly I was controlling the face of the putter through impact. Square was not square. It was wide open.

Very very happy at this point with the difference just feeling the putter swing on an arc produces.

Still gonna look at making a putting arc (or finding one to purchase new or used).

Thanks for all the feedback thus far.

 

[softconsult]

Richie wrote,"Although I'm going to get a Yes! Putter and they are supposed to have 2.5* loft. The putter fitter did tell me that the C-grooves in the Yes! putters does work, although Yes! "


I played with a "Yes" putter, Marilyn I believe, for the last 3 years or so. Rolls out nicely. If you watch the inventor's CD you find that he is a Rock Shoulders, hit up advocate. Most, but not all of his putters are face balanced. Have a friend, who is scratch and uses a Rife putter. It is clear to me that his putts have that smooth roll out quality every time he putts.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

instead of a putting arc, get a plane laster and attach it to the shaft and have it point to a dead straight plane line; you won't EVER miss i promise if you setup the putt right. It's impossible.

 

[mgranato]

The putting arc is a path device, but path only accounts for roughly 17% of the balls direction at impact. Face angle is the much more important 83% of the direction. Path work is fine, but it is far less influencing than having a square face to your start line. IMO, the best ways to improve your made putt percentage is:
1. Improve wedge play. Putting closer will exponentially raise your odds.
2. Improve face angle. A must for consistently being able to hit the ball on line which gives you the base line for improving your reading.
3. Speed control. Vital for maximizing the entire availability of the hole's diameter, and having a repeatable delivery speed will also help in choosing the proper line.
4. Green reading. Once you learn to read greens, then you can learn to read your putts.
5. Fine tuning your path. The best symmetrical arcing path (which doesn't really exist) in the world won't make very many putts if 1-4 aren't there.

 

[curtisj76]

2. Improve face angle. A must for consistently being able to hit the ball on line which gives you the base line for improving your reading.

So how do you work on your face angle?

 

[mgranato]

So how do you work on your face angle?

I use the putting tutor. A length of rope, elevated string line with a block of wood can also accomplish the same goal. Putting lines on your ball will also let you know how square the face was at separation.

 

[matt kluck]

Putting Arc

Tracing does not work!!! End of discussion.
MK