Paul Runyan, Putting method

[kc8kir]

Just wanted to put this out there. If you are struggling with putting, pick up the book "The Short Way to Lower Scoring" by Paul Runyan.

Paul Runyan, also known as "Little Poison" during his days on tour, was possible the best short game artist ever. His wrist firm chipping style is now the preferred method amongst PGA pros for teaching chipping. Runyan was a very small man, and by no means a long hitter, but his short game was incredible. His stats actually prove he had a better chance of holing out chipping than putting for medium to large distances! Runyan ran a short game school in California, until his death several years ago, that was very popular amongst tour pros. Jack Nicklaus himself took a lesson from Runyan (back when Runyan taught in South Florida) to improve his chipping technique.

The putting grip he shows in his book explains in detail how to make the body keep the face of the putter square with little to no effort. It is very natural and an easy transition from the standard overlap putting grip.

Try it. I was amazed at how well it works and that I never heard of this grip technique before. You don't have to think about keeping the face square, it just stays that way through the swing. You just focus on speed.

[sonicblue]

Can you elaborate on the grip?

[mikelz]

  sonicblue said:

Can you elaborate on the grip?

Please. I cannot stop pulling short putts.

[sonicblue]

Reading online, what little I could find, it appears that the grip entails "supinating" both forearms. Basically, you point your elbows inward, toward your hips, and the inward joint of your elbow faces away from you. The idea is, as far as pulls go, we do so because we "yip" and that front forearms "supinates," and the putter goes offline. This method fully supinates the forearms at address, leaving them no room to go any farther during the stroke.

I've personally already implemented a grip like this on my own this year. If you imagined making the Allstate symbol with your hands, like a little bowl, and place the putter in your hands that way. The palms face each other, maybe even slightly outward. You can definitely feel the concept of them being "locked" and you just stroke with your shoulders.

[kc8kir]

I'll scan an image later tonight. It involves the fact that anatomically, your hands naturally face at 45 degree angles (hold your arms and hands out in front of you, and you will find 45 degrees facing inwards and upwards a very natural position). Putting the hands together this way on the putter results in no adverse pushing / pulling from either arm. You are free to rock your shoulders and the putter will not twist.

[mikelz]

  kc8kir said:

I'll scan an image later tonight. It involves the fact that anatomically, your hands naturally face at 45 degree angles (hold your arms and hands out in front of you, and you will find 45 degrees facing inwards and upwards a very natural position). Putting the hands together this way on the putter results in no adverse pushing / pulling from either arm. You are free to rock your shoulders and the putter will not twist.

Thanks, dude.

[mellojoe]

Is this it?



I did a Google search and found this old article on GolfOnline.com which printed exerpts from both Paul Runyan's Book for Senior Golfers and The Short Way to Lower Scoring .

[kc8kir]

That's his address to the ball for putting, but you can't see the grip.

Look for the scans later tonight.

[natureboy]

Here's the putting / chipping grip. I think it's important that while the hands are 'opposed 90*' to each other, they don't seem to have an equal relation to the horizontal. The left hand is really turned under a lot (palm up) so that the fingernails are lying flat along the top of the shaft while the right hand palm is facing the target a bit more and the fingernails are lying flay along the side of the shaft. I think this allows for the 'natural' / 'unconscious' release or 'tap' of the wrists through impact that he describes.