Pulling putt's

[FortAsel]

I'm pulling everything with my putter, and I was wondering what could cause that.

Thanks for your advice in advance

[goblue107501]

I putt with a straight back - straight through motion and will pull putts from time to time also. Usually it is because my right hand gets too active (I try and keep it still) at impact and closes the face a little. Sometimes I will notice that my stance was a little closed and the straight motion has no where to go but a little left.

[ks8829]

Stand taller and not so bent over.

[SubPar]

I'm pulling everything with my putter, and I was wondering what could cause that.

The most common flaw is peeking a little through impact. Keep the head still. On a 6 ft putt you should not see the ball go in the hole (Gary Player).

I have to prove this to myself frequently when I start to get "the pulls". best illustration: Set yourself up with a straight 4 footer and putt with your eyes closed a few times. The first time I did it I was shocked to make 11 of 12 six footers... with my eyes closed. When my eyes are closed I don't move my head at all. I just make the stroke I practiced, on the line I chose. Even when you don't think you are doing it, there is a strong urge to look at the ball and follow it off the putter face. Also, be sure to make your stroke like there is no ball. Swing back and through evenly with no "hit" in it. See David Toms or T. Woods. Subpar

[jaymst]

Thanks so much........This sounds exactly like what my problem is and I will be anxious to try these techniques next time I play.......which may be tomorrow.

[FortAsel]

Went out to try it today. None of it is working....
I'm getting frustrated.
I've been practicing on a putting mat for the last 2 hours or so and as soon as I put the ball rolling on the correct line (I have a line on the ball so I can see if i made anything wrong), it just gets away from me... Its like it looks like I've found the "secret", and then it just vanishes into thin air...

[JMReynolds]

I had a friend who had that problem and he damn near tried just about everything, what he did was just putt cross-handed. I know it's not good technique, but you've got to try something =] Give that a try since nothing else is working. It's going to seem really uncomfortable, but it may work for ya. Let me know if that helps.

[BigDaddy_Sean]

if i've got the pulls i try to stiffen up my right wrist. Mentally only think about that wrist, stiffin it up a little and don't relax it.

your right hand might be a little too active in your putting and if you stiffen that wrist up it should keep things square.

[clemsontiger]

The biggest problem that I have when I am pulling putts is keep my head down.

I find myself looking to see where it goes before I get through hitting it.

That is just what I do, put I do not pull as much if I listed for it to go into the hole instead of looking for it to go in.

[ks8829]

I stand tall and have my arms hang straight without any bend in the elbows and I found this helps me connect with the putter in a way that my wrist do not break down, so when I am putting my shoulder are moving the putter and my arms and wrists are one piece and without movement.

[andre112]

check if the flat part of the grip and the club face are at 90 deg angle?
i saw quite a few off the shelf putters have a slightly closed or opened face.
(bad quality control)

[sonicblue]

I had a friend who had that problem and he damn near tried just about everything, what he did was just putt cross-handed. I know it's not good technique, but you've got to try something =] Give that a try since nothing else is working. It's going to seem really uncomfortable, but it may work for ya. Let me know if that helps.

Cross-handed is not only a perfectly acceptable technique, but thought by many to be the superior one.

OP: My putting really turned around when I started doing something. I was watching a tournament, and the camera happened to focus on Mike Weir's hands while he practiced a putt. I noticed his hands were completely still. I mean, it was amazing how they didn't twitch, turn, hinge, nothing. From that day on, on my practice routine consists of: 1) Taking one or two practice strokes - completely ignorant of speed or line, just a practice stroke - focusing on nothing but the fact that my hands should be completely still during it. 2) I adjust my grip, and then take one or two practice strokes again, this time focusing on the hands, but also feeling the speed. I then step up to the putt, check my alignment, and repeat that last practice stroke.

[MPS67]

Fortasel,

Does your putter design coincide with your putting style?

You'll want to use a balanced putter for the straight back, straight through approach. Unbalanced putter for rotary putting method.

[sonicblue]

Fortasel,

It might be worth noting that one of those putting guru guys found that, IIRC, only two PGA pros on the entire circuit actual putt straight-back, straight-through. Nearly everyone, to some degree, uses an arc.

[MPS67]

It might be worth noting that one of those putting guru guys found that, IIRC, only two PGA pros on the entire circuit actual putt straight-back, straight-through. Nearly everyone, to some degree, uses an arc.

I agree. It would be extremely difficult in keeping it perfectly completely straight back and through as it would require extending, contracting, and then extending the arms during a pendulum type swing.

Here's a link with a tidbit of information for which putter design is suited for which putting stroke. LINK Balanced face - (almost) straight back and through, pendulum putting stroke. Balanced toe - out, to in, to out putting stroke.

[JMReynolds]

Cross-handed is not only a perfectly acceptable technique, but thought by many to be the superior one.

That's good to know, I appreciate you straightening me out with that. Didn't mean to offend any cross-handed putters on the boards by saying it was bad technique. I was misinformed.