"The Putting Bible" by Dave Pelz

[Mark5]

There is some good stuff here. Peltz books with his gadgets and methods, balances out the Zen golf books on my shelf. As the Dali Lama says's "You need to know the rules so you can properly break them."  In breaking Peltz's "rules" I know why what I'm doing works.

Example: I don't like rear shafted putters and find his "pure" straight pendulum stroke imposible.

[JoelCochran]

I am a huge fan of Pelz's Short Game Bible.  I recently read his Damage Control book, which was good reenforcement for stuff I already knew.  That being said I was anxiously awaiting this book, which I have finally been reading through.

Unfortunately, I find most of the book not worth the time.  At this point I'm not sure if I'll even finish it.  Unlike the short game book, where I found value in all the scientific analysis, here it feels contrived and overdone.  Many of the graphics are unnecessary, and he *really* goes out of his way to define terminology that (IMHO) adds little or nothing to the conversation.

In the end, he is advocating a pendulum by creating a straight vertical line from the shoulder to the hands.  I'm pretty confident I know where he is going, because it is how I was taught to putt in the 90s (but no longer adhere to).  I also know that (for me) even with this pendulum, trying to keep the putter head square to the target line at every position requires too much effort.

My recommendation for this book is to skim through it, take what you will from it, and quickly move on.

[JoelCochran]

I failed to take my own advice and I'm still trying to slog through this book.  It's just too much information, I'm not really reading it all, but I stop on things that pique my interest, like the effect of wind on putting.  I rolled my eyes a bit when he got to the part about where on the dimples to strike the ball.

[jasonsaturn]

His data was ground-breaking for "The Short Game Bible," and that book helped everybody.  I think he "jumped the shark" writing a book about putting. He had a lot to get out to the public for SGB, but the putting book is not great.  His strong opinion about "straight back" over "screen door" seems manufactured and lame.  Tiger putts "screen door"-nuff said.

[jasonsaturn]

This is pretty much where I stand.  I too feel I balance his heavy-tech books with Fearless Golf and Zen Golf .

[pjwalsh606]

Dave Pelz is really awesome i took one of his weekend courses and still to this day the one item i always keep in my mind is 17" beyond the hole!

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by pjwalsh606

Dave Pelz is really awesome i took one of his weekend courses and still to this day the one item i always keep in my mind is 17" beyond the hole!

Read this thread: http://thesandtrap.com/t/46450/putting-capture-speed

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Read this thread: http://thesandtrap.com/t/46450/putting-capture-speed

And to be fair (speaking to all), capture SPEED is what's important. A putt that goes six inches past the hole uphill might be rolling at the same speed as a putt that goes three feet past the hole going down the same slope (though that'd be a pretty fast, tilted section of the green).

The 17" thing is too far though, IMO.

[pjwalsh606]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Read this thread: http://thesandtrap.com/t/46450/putting-capture-speed

That is an interesting analysis!

[NewbieGolfer77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Lex

None

I think one of the Pelz "bible" books explains this.

Random thoughts on Pelz: I don't know if I'd call him a "guru." In the general connotation of that term, he's an anti-guru. He's not someone who sits in the lotus position chanting eternal truths bestowed upon him by some ethereal deity, while pilgrims sit at his feet writing them down.

In sanskrit gu means light and ru means darkness. All a guru is is a teracher that enlightnes someone and takes them from the darkness(ignorance of something) ot the light (knowledge).

So anyone who is a teacher is a guru. The stuff you said,(even though you were probably joking) is just western ignorance.

That being said, i did read hiss short game bible. It had lots of great tips and information and it certainly helped my shortgame.

-Dan

[iacas]

Originally Posted by NewbieGolfer77

In sanskrit gu means light and ru means darkness. All a guru is is a teracher that enlightnes someone and takes them from the darkness(ignorance of something) ot the light (knowledge).

Learned something new and it's barely 10am! Thanks Dan.

[NewbieGolfer77]

Your welcome and forgive all my typos. It was late

Also, when i said ignorance, i just meant without knowledge. Somehow here in america due to certain social circumstances, the word "ignorance" is often protrayed as something derogatory. I was just trying to share what i had learned from someone as well.

Have a great thursday/friday.

-Dan

[boil3rmak3r]

Reviving an old thread since I recently read this book... Since I'll be making the switch from a belly putter to a traditional putter, I bought this book a few months ago and have been practicing the techniques. I have been pleasantly surprised at the success I've had so far. There's a ton of info in the book (which I like because I'm a technical guy) - some of which I feel is great, and some that I feel are too trivial to even bother with. Reading previous reviews, two things surprises me: 1: why do so many favor the screen door approach? While only a machine could keep the putter face perfectly square during the entire stroke, Pelz's method gives you the greatest opportunity to attempt to accomplish this. Furthermore, it doesn't seem awkward doing it... What would be better, a putter face that opens 5* on the backswing and then closes 5* on the through swing, or one that only opens and closes 1*? I would say the latter... 2: Erik - you state that you think 17" is too far past the hole for perfect speed. I know you are into experiments and supporting data. Pelz obviously came up with this number based on extensive research. Why don't you agree with it. Is it because of the likelihood of missing the comebacker? A drill within the book that really opened my eyes was the one where you putt in a door frame with a dowel attached to your shoulders. When I first tried the drill, it really showed me how much I rotated my shoulders and I hit the door frame immediately. I plan on using this drill to keep my shoulder lines on target better. Overall, I think this is a great book and feel it can make me a very good putter with the short stick.

[dataris17]

I've never read this book, but browsed the thread a few days ago and today and I have two thoughts:

1. I read what everyone was saying about the 8 seconds rule and I certainly didn't conform to that rule prior to the thread. I went out on Monday with this in mind and a slight alteration to my routine and on my first 9 I had 14 putts and shot +3 (39). The second 9 I didn't putt quite as well (it was either 16 or 17 putts), but the point remains. I think there's something to be said that I had better muscle memory on the speed of the putts. I had quite a few 20+ foot putts that I put to tap in range, and usually I struggle from that distance. Number of putts aside, I can say with confidence that I know I putted better than I usually do, and that's the important thing here.

2. Perhaps the 17" rule is more of a mental trick? Given that people seem to have a tendency to hit putts short rather than long, maybe it's not that we're actually hoping to hit the ball at the speed that it will be 17" long, but rather than using that as a mindset will help you hit the ball at the right (or more right?) speed. Just a thought. Like I said, I didn't read the book. Even if that isn't the point, I think there could be something to it, some people really need to be tricked into at least getting the ball there.

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

Reviving an old thread since I recently read this book...

Since I'll be making the switch from a belly putter to a traditional putter, I bought this book a few months ago and have been practicing the techniques. I have been pleasantly surprised at the success I've had so far.

There's a ton of info in the book (which I like because I'm a technical guy) - some of which I feel is great, and some that I feel are too trivial to even bother with. Reading previous reviews, two things surprises me:

1: why do so many favor the screen door approach? While only a machine could keep the putter face perfectly square during the entire stroke, Pelz's method gives you the greatest opportunity to attempt to accomplish this. Furthermore, it doesn't seem awkward doing it... What would be better, a putter face that opens 5* on the backswing and then closes 5* on the through swing, or one that only opens and closes 1*? I would say the latter...

2: Erik - you state that you think 17" is too far past the hole for perfect speed. I know you are into experiments and supporting data. Pelz obviously came up with this number based on extensive research. Why don't you agree with it. Is it because of the likelihood of missing the comebacker?

A drill within the book that really opened my eyes was the one where you putt in a door frame with a dowel attached to your shoulders. When I first tried the drill, it really showed me how much I rotated my shoulders and I hit the door frame immediately. I plan on using this drill to keep my shoulder lines on target better.

Overall, I think this is a great book and feel it can make me a very good putter with the short stick.

Unless you're using a very, very short putter (See Robert Garrigus) and crave back problems, I believe Pelz SBST requires manipulation with your hands to maintain SBST.

Screen door approach or a gate? I do not understand that description. In the version of the typical arc stroke that I was taught, the idea is for the putter face to remain square to the arc. There is no hand manipulation. The putterhead remains square to the arc. If your ball position is correct, it will travel on the line you have chosen.

I'd rather have my putter remain square to the arc without manipulation than a stroke that will require some manipulation. You stand to the side of the ball, so naturally, you will have an arc unless you introduce another variable...

[minitour]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Unless you're using a very, very short putter (See Robert Garrigus) and crave back problems, I believe Pelz SBST requires manipulation with your hands to maintain SBST.

Is this based on science, or is this like everyone (myself included) who thought that S&T; would cause massive back problems?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by minitour

Is this based on science, or is this like everyone (myself included) who thought that S&T; would cause massive back problems?

Just a basic understanding of the plane of rotation. You could go SBST with your upper back horizontal to the ground.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by minitour

Is this based on science, or is this like everyone (myself included) who thought that S&T; would cause massive back problems?

Just a basic understanding of the plane of rotation. You could go SBST with your upper back horizontal to the ground.

When you talk over my head all I hear is "blah-de-blah-de-blah-blah".