Putting technique.
 

There are a few posters here that claim to be excellent putters. There are quite a few posters who claim to be terrible putters. Which got me to thinking.

Years ago I used to follow advice like the following: Make sure your putter face is square to your line at all times. This is the most common fault with poor putters and takes the most work and concentration, but will pay off huge if you have the determination to get it right. I was an above average putter, but struggled with distance on longer putts. I also suffered from the yips occasionally.

Then I discovered the open-to-closed putting stroke. At first it felt scary on short putts, but I stuck with it and it has served me very well.

So which style do you use 2p2ers?

Re: Putting technique.
 

Had to vote "I don't know" because "[censored] what day is it?" wasn't an option.

I'm usually a terrible putter, but every once in a while I have a day where I'm lights-out good. A big reason is that I have zero consistency in my putting stroke. I also change grips and putters a lot due to a tendency to go on monkey golf tilt.

I will say that I tend to get a more consistent roll with a gated stroke than with straight-back-straight-through - distance control with SBST is a big issue for me as well.

Re: Putting technique.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I will say that I tend to get a more consistent roll with a gated stroke than with straight-back-straight-through - distance control with SBST is a big issue for me as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is both mental and physical. Straight back and through always had me focused so much on the line, which can lead to poor distance control in addition to a more inconsistent striking of the ball.

I read once that Loren Roberts claimed he could make a putt on any green if he hits it the right speed. I have put this idea into practice in my game by telling myself before putts "it's the roll, not the hole." I commit to the line and then focus completely on roll and speed. And wouldn't you know more of them go in when they are rolling true up to the hole.

Re: Putting technique.
 

I went with open-to-closed because I've heard that's an optimal stroke. However, my putter is the Ping Cra-Z or whatever it's called, and I think that's optimally designed for straight back, straight through.

Plus even if I'm having a good putting day I often have a real problem shutting the face, so the outcome is a lot of putts out to the right. That may have something to do with the putter and its design, dunno.

Re: Putting technique.
 

Some advice I found on choosing a putter to match your stroke. Seems sensible.

When choosing a putter, consider your stroke path. There are generally two types of stroke paths; gated, and straight back straight through. The type of stroke you have greatly influences the type of putter that would be best suited to making your putting solid. Here is what the reccomendation is:

Gated stroke - to find a putter best suited to you find something that is NOT face-balanced. You will want to try putters that have toe hang so that when balanced on your fingers, the toe hangs lower than the heel. These types of putters are things like the anser/newport and other blades of the like as well as the truly blade putters. These type of putters allow the face to open and close with the gated putting stroke, and therefore are not fighting your stroke style. Attempting to putt with a face balanced putter can certainly work, I will not say that it can't happen, but it certainly can at times fight your stroke. However, I will caution you on this, sometimes face balancing is due to shaft position (i.e. the futura by cameron) and not the actual weighting, these putters can still work quite well with a gated putting stroke.

Straight back and through - Face-balanced putters are great for straight back and straight through. These putters facilitate the ability to keep the putter face square to the target line and prevent it from wanting to open and close.

Re: Putting technique.
 

Pretty sure it's impossible to have a perfectly straight back and thru stroke unless you're manipulating your wrists so much that it would make a nice, smooth stroke very difficult.

Re: Putting technique.
 

Not really...it's actually quite simple...and it's a whole lot more likely for you to hit the ball with your putter on-line with SBST than barn-dooring it.

Re: Putting technique.
 

I put open-to-closed just because my stroke isn't perfectly straight back and forward. I guess I'm not sure what exactly is meant by either of them :/

Re: Putting technique.
 

Can someone plz explain briefly what u guys r talking 'bout..? What are the different putting styles?

Re: Putting technique.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Can someone plz explain briefly what u guys r talking 'bout..? What are the different putting styles?

[/ QUOTE ]
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5540/puttingfa6.jpg

Re: Putting technique.
 

i have found it doesn't really matter which one you pick.

the two most important factors in putting are extremely light grip pressure and rhythm.

i can pretty much throw any stance out there and any stroke i want, claw grip whatever, and i am basically the same putter as long as i keep my rhythm and grip pressure good.

Re: Putting technique.
 

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Putting technique.
 

I'm a SBST merchant.

However I have often had the yips, plus have a tendency to pull short puts as I decelerate into the ball.

I finally cured these faults by standing extremely closed at address, making a pull almost impossible to do without seriously breaking my wrsits. It's very muck like Briny Baird - except I was doing it first! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Putting technique.
 

I putt sidesaddle, so no problem keeping the putter face straight back and straight through.

Re: Putting technique.
 

I putt straight back adding loft, then straight through delofting. Best way I can explain it is the heel and toe both move toward the ball line going back and the same on the through stroke, but that movement is subtle.

I used to putt in an inside square inside arc, and I was very streaky, now I'm very solid. SBST is no good if you shut the loft down going back and add loft through impact (which is what most amateurs do that try to SBST).

Face balanced putters(like the 2 ball) suit SBST, blade putters like Crenshaw and Mickelson use favor arc putting.