concepts from a great putter
 

Last week a tour player came down to my place to work on his golf swing. He made the cut at the FEDEX, but came down immediately following his last round before heading home out west.

We worked for a couple of hours on basic principles of the golfswing such as prelimenary address, hinging, and going down and out to full extension.

Before he left, I asked him some things about putting. Afterall, he is known as a great putter and he's been on tour for 20 or so years. This is what he said:



Concentrate on the "whole" ball during the stroke. Alot of us tend to watch the putterhead move back. If you do this you will not putt well.

The average putter length on tour is 34 inches.

Most of the great putters putt with their hands closer rather than farther away from their body.

Practice moving the putter at YOUR rythm. I know what mine is, make sure you know what yours is.

Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.

Will have to try the "whole" ball concept as I am guilty of watching the putterhead.

The Patriot
 

"Remember boys, aim small, miss small." Mel Gibson in The Patriot

Of course he made a hole with the ball.

Thanks for the tips vj.

I think it's bunk to look at one concentrated spot on the ball too...I'm gonna try to kinda "defocus" on the whole ball....I'm also guilty of watching the putterhead from time to time....usually happens when you're unsure/anxious I think.

The tempo thing is good too.....everyone tells me my stroke is too long....I don't think it really is.....that's just the way I do it. Like David Toms type-deal.

...

I also like to pick out a small target to roll the ball over....usually about a foot away so my aiming is fool-proof.

With the tempo idea I think a metronome is invaluable. My tempo is pretty slow, I found 55 beats per minute is perfect for my stroke so I just set the metronome accordingly and work on distance control with it on the entire time. As an example, Dave Pelz says his stroke is at 70 beats per minute. Start on one beat, end of backstroke on the next beat, impact at the next beat.

Matt

I like the whole ball concept. Similar to Tennis, when I play badly, I'm watching my opponent and not the ball....

Putting Drill
 

vj

I am a fairly good putter...and I sometimes practice putting not looking at the ball but rather at the hole. It is amazing how the eyes can communicate to the hands the direction and force required. There also is no head movement when using this putting drill. I have had friends even do this for an entire round of golf.

When player's eyes begin to anticipate the hit problems can arise. Most always it is because their practice of mechanics is lacking, however, the eyes need to be calm when you putt. If looking at the hole remedies this for a while....great!

great advice
 

This is great advice. I use this in ALL shots, including putting. I would add: this intermediate target should be as close to the ball as you can get it. It's always easier to aim at a blade of grass within 6 inches of the ball, rather than at a hole that's 40 feet away.

Seemingly, the better putters aim precisely and use a close intermediate target. The worst putters aim in a general area that's too far away from the ball.

Most players don't aim well because they have never been puttter fit 2 Aim....David Edel....is the next Scotty Cameron..His fitting system is superior to all others and His artwork is as good ....if not better than the "Crown" of Putters..Mr. Cameron...

Putter Fit..

Head Design
Head Material
Hosel Shape
Offset
Impact Loft
Lie
Length
Etc...

www.edelgolf.com

This is very similar to the "Quiet Eye" theory that GD wrote about a while back. The best putters focused on the back of the ball and a small spot in the cup or on the line whereas poor putters gaze was all over the place.

putters
 

Got one...love it!

Looks like an interesting fitting system---too bad it's mostly west coast locations. Guess I'll continue to base my putter selection on feel.

Don't rely on feel...she will lie to you just to get in your pockets...Just because she looks good and feeels good doesn't mean she's someone you should be married to....I had a Napa by Scotty Cameron... given to me by PGA Tour Player, Neal Lancaster...beautiful putter..best feeling of all of them...from 6 ft on a laser I aimed approx. 2 cups to the left then proceded to ruin my stroke by downstroke loading and blocking them right into the hole occasionally....now putting with a "Fax Day"...Circle T..Not hte purttiest girl at the dance ....feels good in my arms and I can split her in the middle!!! with a laser ..she's lookin where I'm lookin!! So it's not a sale for edelgolf..just the best putter fitting you can get!!!!!No matter what the brand!!!!

Fitting
 

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Sounds real good(Edel)!!!

Mike Shannon does something similar, but this sounds very good.

If the putter is actually aimed where you think it is... you have a better chance.

Yeah..but does Mike Shannon make putters?


Or just Teach Putting?


You see..this is NOT even close to the Slazenger Fitting sytem with Kirk Currie....

This dude is going to be picked up by someone very large in the Industry....

Insider Trading????

Intermediate target is good only to get the general direction of your putt. To master precision aiming, you must learn to aim to a blade of grass from 1 to 100+ feet by seeing a straight line with your eyes and head swivel (with neck parallel to ground). Once you can do this you will know how rubbish it is to line up with the logo.

I agree Tong Tong..Learning to Aim the Logo or a is all rubbish...Unfortunatley most golfers are so ignorant to the fact they are putting with putters..they will never aim..I mean NEVER...no matter how often they practice or eye doctors or psychiatrists...or???????

Do you think a degree of loft would affect aim?

How about 1/16 of a degree of offset?

How about the Head design of a long,skinny rectangle versus a fat half circle?

What about color of Head material?

What about the Location of the Line on the Top Line or the Flange or no line at all?

The height of the Toe versus the Heel?

The Lie angle?

Left Eye versus Right Eye?

Ball location?

Plane of the Eyes...right., parallel or left?

Distance from the ball?

and so....and... so on!!!

curves versus straight lines
 

I'd have to disagree with Tong, only on one point. I like the eyes and head swivel for the straight liners. I think that's very good information. But, there are those that see curves. Let's not forget them. When one uses a visually curved path, the (straight line) head swivel must be abandoned. The head will move in any way that it must to let the eyes trace the curved path that the ball will take. Some see the straight line that shoots 2 ½ cups outside the hole. Some see the entire path of the ball which is the curved line. Some see both. There are some that don't visualize the straight line, so there can't be one way for the head to move.

It might be interesting to ask everyone what they use.

When you see a curved line, does that mean you physically try to putt the ball in a curved line? I don't think so. Instead, you still make a STRAIGHT PUTT, but the slope is what causes the ball to curve.

For those curved liners out there, whether you realise it or not, you have automatically seen the straight line once you have visualised the curved path of the ball. The straight line is simply the starting direction of the curved path.
Vice versa for straight liners. You cannot know where to point your straight line unless you can visualise how the ball is going to curve into the hole. By seeing one you see the other.

I see both
 

I see both, and as a result will make friendly wagers with anyone on the putting green. ;)

One of my best friends says he cannot see the curved path of the ball when he's putting. He understands the elementary fundamentals of slope and gravity, and he takes them into consideration in assessment of the putt. But, he cannot see the curved shape when putting. His lowest 4 day total in an event is 15 under par, so what does he know (straight liner)?

Anyone that can putt it into a hole smaller than the Grand Canyon understands that line is first and distance is second. By getting the initial direction first (straight line for Clubface and Plane Line tracing), then seeing the distance needed (Power Regulation on the curved line), putts can be made. This separation of duties is a must.

If you've done your homework (practice), then you should be able to trace a straight line with a Hinge Action. If you're playing, you should be able to visualize the ball going into the hole.

The practicer or technician, doesn't like the swirling wind that wreaks havoc on his trusted Venturi Effect, when hitting a shot into the air. The slopes on the green are out of his control, as would be the swirling wind. He doesn't like to see something knocking his ball off line.

The player or artist in putting sees the slopes on the green as if he could judge the swirling wind affecting a full shot. He permits gravity to have its way with his ball. Technicians don't like the forfeit of control.

I think that there is a blend of technical prowess and art that makes a great putter. IMHO, it's also why two of the greatest technicians in the game were driven to the brink of insanity when putting: Moe Norman and Ben Hogan.

I see both... but I 'feel' the curved path when I'm visualizing the putt rolling into the hole.

Nice image - indeed, good putting is like dancing with gravity.

Unfortunatley for all you folks that want it straight..by definiton there is a thing called "curvilinear"...I agree it's not a straight line between two points...but a curved line between to points...Thank God... He made things all different sizes and shapes...otherwise there'd only be one way.....We'd all look the same and Teddy I'd Feel awful sorry if you had to look like me!!!

You see at one point in the history of Man the earth Looked Flat...Why was this....because the horizon appeared "flat, level, and straight"


But some dudes fugured out that the earth was round,uneven,and not very straight"

So is the Golf Swing/Putting Stroke a Straight Line or a Circle ...Ted?......

Yes...I love that answer!!!

I disagree vehemently on two points, Ted.
Firstly, I think speed comes first. If you break down why putts miss, the first port of call should be whether the capture speed was good or at least close. From there you can determine, whether you have hit the lines chosen and whether you've got a stroke(as in ability to hit on the line you want stroke, whether that be straight line, curved, curvilinear, arcing, or dare I suggest simply a knowledge and ability to putt straight), or whether you can aim straight or not. Then you go to work on whatever weakness needs to be addressed.

Secondly, I think it is a MASSIVE leap to suggest that two of the greatest plane line tracers AND artists to play the game suddenly became bereft of those talents once they stepped on the green.

Regards,
D

one thing on the putting plate at a time
 

I'm not talking about addressing one's weakness. I'm talking about what a person's thinking about when making the stroke. You can have one of two things on the plate, line or speed. Clubface and Plane Line can be established at Address, then they take the backseat. Those that are not thinking about speed (power regulation) when they make the stroke are not as good as they could be.

It's not a massive leap by any stretch of the imagination. I recall one of the legends making a statement that putting shouldn't be part of golf. And, I guess you missed the footage of the other looking like he was putting through a pool of his own vomit in the later part of his career. I've got the video if you'd like to watch...

I agree that one should not think about line control when over the ball.
Whether one should be thinking about speed is up for debate.

"I think that there is a blend of technical prowess and art that makes a great putter. IMHO, it's also why two of the greatest technicians in the game were driven to the brink of insanity when putting: Moe Norman and Ben Hogan."

Norman and Hogan both had this blend.
Norman did not care about putting.
Hogan undervalued it.
Are you saying that Hogan wasn't an artist on the golf course?
And that neither golfer had that blend?
Is it possible that putting demands different technical attributes than the rest of golf?
I would love to one day see your video.
How about a TGM analysis of why Hogan couldn't putt, and/or his artistic deficiencies?

Putting
 

Players known as good putters...

Bobby Locke
Ben Crenshaw
Dave Stockton
Billy Casper
Brad Faxon
Morris Hatalsky
Jack Nicklaus
Nancy Lopez
Alan Doyle
Loren Roberts

What do these putters have in common? They ALL have different styles.

I heard Dave Stockton say the other day that he thought Michelle Wie had a good stroke... "but it looks like she is TRYING TO MAKE THEM." He said something like, "just make a good putt, and let the ball get in the way of the hole." "Don't try to make it." Maybe this in TGMese is similar to STEERING, which is related to QUITTING.

Ben Crenshaw says:

"Try to stop the ball as close to the hole as possible." (rather than thinking about getting it in)

I'm getting tired of Moe Norman being compared with the likes of Hogan etc. when talking about success in golf. These two aren't even in the same universe wrt golfing success and that's not meant to slag Moe in any way, that's just the facts.

Great to read I'm not the only one that feels ball logo alignment (to the hole) is crap. As if we need to introduce another alignment in to the equation!

Putting doesn't have to be part of golf-we're trying to put the ball into the hole with every shot that can reach it.

On the mental side: I read the Rotella book on putting and short game about always thinking that you will make the chip or putt vs leave it short or way past. I subscribe to the theory that the brain responds best to DOs rather than DONTs.

The reason IMO that Tiger and Jack are two of the best ever was their GUTS, the ability to WILL a putt into the hole.

CW

New Zealander Bob Charles is often forgotten when it comes to lists of putting genius.
I have never seen anyone roll them in from everywhere for so long.
10-3-H Paw (Elbows Bent). A Stroke that has stood the test of time. 50 years or so.

I think that this is a good point in that "hole line" steering on breaking putts inevitably, in my hands, leads to misses! BUT some concept of distance to target is needed. Distance targets don't cause steering problems though. There was a recent article in golf monthly, i think,which showed benefit of putting whilst looking at hole throughout the entire stroke. Took less than 30 mins practice for a group of average players to outlag putt a similar group of players who spent the same 30 mins practice normal style. Effect not present on short putts though.

Not sure of quality of statistical analysis of their study but they claimed about 9 inch difference between two groups. ie one left putt 2.5 feet from hole, other 3.25 feet from hole. Not massive but it helps my lag putting alot, except where there are large up/downhill breaks. All i feel in my hands is the weight of putt that my eyes feed into coconut!

FORGET STROKE MECHANICS - helps me - but to get to next level will need to bring some analysis back into game, i think. Tiger's long putts in Hoylake were superb!!! Forget critics of the "patchy" greens - that is what they look like in summertime - he just putted well!!

Utley
 

Stan Utley says he is PROCESS ORIENTED, rather than TARGET ORIENTED when putting. He thinks one should have some mechanical thoughts, and if a good stroke is made, the putt will be good.

I would think you need to be one or the other. Mixing them... may cause a yip attack.

What makes putts? A combination of speed and line makes putts. How do you make more putts? Practice your mechanics, practice "target conscious" putting, Practice putting just as you play. After hours and hours of practicing the above, putting becomes pretty simple. Remember not to live in just one area of the putting game. Practice all three elements as Homer set forth.

You Forgot One Thing
 

You should also practice reading greens or at least study how and put into practice green reading techniques. The best putting stroke in the world will miss most of the time if the putt is misread. The great putters are all great readers of the green and it is a skill that can be acquired.

Totally agree!!!

Learn to read direction and speed..

VARDA

Like Snooker
 

As an aside in snooker it is common practice to be taught to look at the object ball and not the cue ball. In fact looking at the cue ball is often described as a fault as its said to be like playing with your eyes closed. I find this an interesting fact as the striking of the cue ball in snooker is just as if not more a precise task than the golf putt.

This is the equivalent of much of the golfing "hoary old chestnuts" that still prevent us from playing golf as well as we might.

No good focusing on what we are not involved with. We, in your example - and I play a lot of snooker - must focus on the ball being struck by the cue. Imprecise contact with the cue ball, despite focussing on the object ball, will damn the shot to eternity.

A golfer, as should a snooker player, must focus on what he is hitting rather then what he is hitting at.

Sure, make your alignments and set out your objectives and ways of acheiving them - then focus on what you need to do to get the job done. That is hitting the golf/snooker ball correctly and accurately.

If the preparation you did before striking the golf/snooker ball was thorough then the outcome, when focussing on the primary objective - the golfball/cue ball - should be a forgone conclusion.

Good thread.

Why are the great putters great readers?
What makes one a great reader of greens?
What are the skills?

I'm Not an Expert, But...
 

Sort of a chicken / egg situation. Basically, though, pure strokes in the wrong direction with the wrong speed miss. Great putters are known for not missing much and certainly not when it counts most.

Attention to detail. Acute awareness of surroundings. Knowledge of agronomy. Look, look, look, at every ball that rolls on the green from any direction. Each will offer clues. Course architecture / construction will dictate paths for drainage for each green (find the drains). Feel the slope with your feet as you walk the green. Good eyes. Lasik hasn't been a big hit on tour just because the guys look better without glasses. Finally, supreme confidence in the read is paramount. There can be no doubt; the best always commit to the line and speed dictated by their read. There are probably many that I have missed that folks will point out.