The True Effect of Toe Hang

[mjstrong]

So, we all know the claims/theories on putters. Face balanced putters are more fit for a "square-square" stroke, whereas putters with lots of toe hang or better suited for "gated" strokes that go from open to closed.

Sure, I get the theory behind it, pretty simple really, but is it true?

If you place both putters in Ping's Putting Robot's hands, will the blade style putter's face be more closed in the follow through than the face-balanced mallet? I would doubt it...

If you place both putters in a human's hands (really what we want to know), and made the exact same stroke, would the putter's face look any different in the follow through? Again, I would doubt it.

So, then the only possible explanation (if the claim is true) is that the feeling of the putter (face balanced vs. toe hang) influences the player's stroke. If this is true, then a player whom has too much open-close would probably benefit from a face-balanced putter to dampen his tendencies, while somebody whom artificially closes the putter going back, and opens it going through, would benefit from a toe-hanging blade style. Right?

I've never been comfortable with the "science" behind these claims, and I am looking forward to being convinced one way or another...whatever the truth may be.

Any thoughts?

 

[AJV]

I always wondered about this, too. Four years ago Sam Puttlab told me my face was 11 degrees open at the start of forward motion. Open face was the result of an inside curving path and some forearm rotation.

So I switched to a more face-balanced putter not because it fit my stroke, but because I thought it would assist me in fixing my stroke.

In four years I've cut the rotation down about 4 degrees. That's due to practicing some, but I think the change of putter styles has also helped. It still really doesn't ''fit'' my stroke, but I have no intention of going back to a toe-hang blade.

 

[mgranato]

The heavier toe in the “toe hang”, by design, slows down the rotation on the down stroke – the more weight in the toe the more the toe lags behind the heel. The “toe flow” idea should be more like “toe follow”.

This is all assuming the player is completely passive in the equation – which is rarely the case. The design hurdles in some putters can be overcome with some fairly easy compensations. A good stroke should be able to work with just about any putter.

 

[birdie_man]

Interesting thread.

I don't know for sure but I would say I can feel a difference. Something seems odd about having a lot of face rotation with a face balanced putter.

One thing I always think of is that figure skaters stick their arms out (weight outward) to spin slower. Not exactly sure how it fits in at this moment but I write it anyway.

Regardless, I'm sure I will have to fool around with all this now.