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Putting: Starting from scratch


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OK, so I have always been a poor putter. Never gotten the speed right and had iffy contact. After a little work in the 15 foot and in range I now make a ton of the short ones, but in a round sometimes revert back to spray the ball left and right. Basically not making the consistent contact I would like with the face being open and such. I have a ping answer 2 with a bunch of lead tape at the toe and its gotten better but its still not all there. Speed has been an issue recently but the greens around here are just so bad that  I don't even know what to do.

After watching videos of my putting I was disgusted and want to relearn from scratch. Grip, Stance, stroke and whatnot. Ill post a video so you can see. I want a more traditional stroke/setup, I feel like I am standing too upright..

Everything is just...awkward looking.

So does anyone have any advice, drills, videos, people I should model after(Stricker Maybe?), where i should start, etc. Ill post a video shortly.

Also what views of my stroke would be best.

Thanks

I might have missed some stuff sorry.

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What are your putting stats like? For me, visualization is king, if I can't see it drop in my mind I'm not ready to pull the trigger until I can.

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

PSA - "If you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING!"

My Whackin' Sticks: :cleveland: 330cc 2003 Launcher 10.5*  :tmade: RBZ HL 3w  :nickent: 3DX DC 3H, 3DX RC 4H  :callaway: X-22 5-AW  :nike:SV tour 56* SW :mizuno: MP-T11 60* LW :bridgestone: customized TD-03 putter :tmade:Penta TP3   :aimpoint:

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Not really sure about stats because I improved a ton but haven't actually played many rounds and the greens are such shit. When the greens are nice I can see and expect anything under 15 feet going in and outside of that I visualize it lagging really close. I used to 3 putt almost 3 times per round but now it is probably 1 time. I also use to get up and down less than 50 percent and now atleast 80 percent. That is partially from chipping it closer though. I'll go post a video now
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I'll always advocate being relaxed. If your in a stance that is just stressful or awkward to maintain, don't do it.

Also, don't be afraid to slouch your shoulders a bit more and really tilt your head down. The ball is the closest to your body than any other shot in golf, just because your wielding a short club. So, to get overtop of the ball, and see the ball with out looking down the bridge of your nose towards the ball, you really need to tilt your head down. Look at Jack, he looked like he hunched over the ball, one of the better putters of all time.

I always thought Tiger had the best posture, his head is clearly over the ball, looking down. His shoulders are slouched a bit so it allows him to rock his shoulders on a good path to keep the putter from doing stupid shit.

This is something i was struggling with. I would stand to tall and end up hitting it left or right because my shoulders would rotate on a shallow angle, they need to be steeper.

As for grip, and other things, all personal to you.

As for the putter, get fitted for one. If your adding lead tape, not sure if its a good putter for you.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
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Yeah I was gonna say I wanted to be like tiger but wasn't sure if that was a good idea. I tried to get my eyes over the ball and by doing that brought the ball in which I now see I was fixing the wrong thing. Ill work on that slunch thing, it kinda hurts my back but I will do a little bit of lifting on it. From behind the ball my stroke actually looks pretty good which surprised me. Thanks They are taking a long time to upload
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at long last!

slouching over like you were saying leads me to another question. My current putter length is about 30 inches. If i slunch over like you said I would need to make it like 25 inches. am I doing something wrong or is that expected?

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I think the third video shows your problem. You should be putting AT the hole, especially when you're a foot out. (that was humor, for those who may not recognize it :-P ).

I'm no teacher, but your stroke doesn't look that bad to me.

EDIT: It kind of looks to me like you're swinging through and out away from your body, instead of rotating. The putter head seems further out from you at the end of the stroke than it does at contact.

...the world is full of people happy to tell you that your dreams are unrealistic, that you don't have the talent to realize them. - Bob Rotella

Driver - Taylormade R1.
Fairway - Taylormade R9 15º.
Hybrid - A3OS 3 Hybrid.

Irons - Cast CCI 4-AW.

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I think the third video shows your problem. You should be putting AT the hole, especially when you're a foot out. (that was humor, for those who may not recognize it:-P ). I'm no teacher, but your stroke doesn't look that bad to me. EDIT: It kind of looks to me like you're swinging through and out away from your body, instead of rotating. The putter head seems further out from you at the end of the stroke than it does at contact.

I don't understand through and out.

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Nick,

I recommend reading, The Art of Putting by Stan Utley and Unconscious Putting by Dick Stockton.  These are two excellent books that really simplify putting and the mental approach.

Your stroke looks pretty decent from what I could tell.  It was tough for the video to see your set up.  You look relaxed, which is key.

Scott

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Nick, I recommend reading, The Art of Putting by Stan Utley and Unconscious Putting by Dick Stockton.  These are two excellent books that really simplify putting and the mental approach. Your stroke looks pretty decent from what I could tell.  It was tough for the video to see your set up.  You look relaxed, which is key.

I'd add "Extraordinary Putting" by Fred Shoemaker to that list.

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

PSA - "If you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING!"

My Whackin' Sticks: :cleveland: 330cc 2003 Launcher 10.5*  :tmade: RBZ HL 3w  :nickent: 3DX DC 3H, 3DX RC 4H  :callaway: X-22 5-AW  :nike:SV tour 56* SW :mizuno: MP-T11 60* LW :bridgestone: customized TD-03 putter :tmade:Penta TP3   :aimpoint:

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I will get some. Barnes and noble didnt have some of the ones I was looking for but I'll look again. Does anyone know how long my stroke should be? I've been said to have a very long stroke but when I shorten it I feel like I'm punching the ball and it's uncontrollable. Also, my greens are VERY slow an I have a hard time getting the ball to the hole when I'm outside 20 feet. Please advise
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I found that I putt better on slower greens with a shorter, quicker stroke. On faster greens I want a longer slower stroke. For me, I need to slow down the pace because if not then a shorter quicker stroke for me is tough on shorter putts on fast greens.

Get a putter that is fit properly for you (in terms of distance control, not only static weight but the location of the weight - butt of club, halfway down the shaft, putter head).

Get a putter that has the proper shaft flex for your stroke type.

Hit the ball with proper impact dynamics - 1-2° loft, 2-3° AoA (positive), putter head at peak speed or already decelerating slightly.

The easiest way to achieve #3 is often to match your backswing length and follow-through length. All putts should be the same tempo (60-80 BPM, somewhere in there) but vary in the length of the backstroke and follow-through.

This is from another thread.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
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Check out this thread http://thesandtrap.com/t/54411/putting-posture

Looked at the video, handle is too far back at address.  Think you'll see some improvement with the handle a little forward.

Mike McLoughlin

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I agree, that was one of the tips Erik gave me when we were at Whispering Woods. I was standing to upright, and it caused me to be to shallow on my shoulder turn when I putt, my arms were way to straight out. So he had me tilt my head down more and round my back more.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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Check out this thread [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/t/54411/putting-posture]http://thesandtrap.com/t/54411/putting-posture[/URL] Looked at the video, handle is too far back at address.  Think you'll see some improvement with the handle a little forward.   [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/84475/] [/URL]

What are some advantages to a foreword press? I used to have one but stopped because it looks awkward to me [quote name="saevel25" url="/t/70426/putting-starting-from-scratch#post_907676"]I agree, that was one of the tips Erik gave me when we were at Whispering Woods. I was standing to upright, and it caused me to be to shallow on my shoulder turn when I putt, my arms were way to straight out. So he had me tilt my head down more and round my back more. [/quote] I tried that just by gripping down and rounding my back and it also gets my eyes over the ball more so I have a straighter stroke. Which is more consistant and my putter fits the model And [@]vmac[/@] In the long game when I was talking about snapping that knee. I think I was wrong. I went to a remax ld studio with trackman and I think I need to snap it sooner because I have a weight shift of like 7+ inches which brings that heel up. It's also making me hit the driver with about a -2 degree angle of attack. With about 2500 rpm I think

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That' isn't really a forward press, A forward press would be the hands ahead of the ball. Those hands are overtop of the ball. Your putting set up is very much similar to Zack Johnson, but his style is very unique, it works for him.

But in a few thread's Erik talks about float loading the putter. Meaning taking the club back, and you add wrist angle leading the hands forward. This allows you to optimize the clubhead through impact, basically hitting the ball just as the clubhead is slowing down. This, like in the full swing, ensures your hitting with a consistent velocity. Also it ensures your going to hit the ball with the optimal geometry.  What a forward press does, is just set the wrist angle so the geometry is good. Most putters are about 3-4 degrees of loft. So you need to take that down about 1-2 degrees, and then hit up on the ball slightly. Hitting up can be accomplished by ball position.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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That' isn't really a forward press, A forward press would be the hands ahead of the ball. Those hands are overtop of the ball. Your putting set up is very much similar to Zack Johnson, but his style is very unique, it works for him.  But in a few thread's Erik talks about float loading the putter. Meaning taking the club back, and you add wrist angle leading the hands forward. This allows you to optimize the clubhead through impact, basically hitting the ball just as the clubhead is slowing down. This, like in the full swing, ensures your hitting with a consistent velocity. Also it ensures your going to hit the ball with the optimal geometry.  What a forward press does, is just set the wrist angle so the geometry is good. Most putters are about 3-4 degrees of loft. So you need to take that down about 1-2 degrees, and then hit up on the ball slightly. Hitting up can be accomplished by ball position.

ah I see, I started doing that but will contine to do so

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Note: This thread is 3817 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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