Forward Press

[iPutt]

How much should you forward press with a putter? I've been experimenting and I feel that when I forward press a lot, I tend to make better contact. The only thing is is that I have a mallet putter and I've been going so far that he back end is lifting off the ground. Is that too much? Maybe I just have a really high lofted putter? Thanks for any comments.


P.S. If you need a lot of forward press, why not just make a 0* putter?

[ks8829]

I also play a mallet putter and found that the forward has help me keep the line on putts, so I make sure that I have a slight forward press.

1) putter low on the backstroke
2) rear shoulder low
3) transition of the backstroke and forward stroke

I also try to keep the putter low to the ground on my backstroke even brushing the grass on the backstroke. I have found that this helps keep the putt straight maybe because it prevent you from moving the putter off line. Heres how I tested this, I putt with the putter low to the ground from distance of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 feet away and I have found that even from 6 - 8 feet the putts are staying on line more consistently, give it a try.

Keeping the rear shoulder low similar to Phil Mickelson helps keep the putter low to the ground on the backstroke and helps me accelerate through the putt because of the position you are in.

The transition of the backstroke and forward stroke is a slight pause so near the end of the backstroke you are almost slowing down similar to the top of the roller coaster. I have found that is helps keep your line without pulling or pushing your putts on the forward stroke.

[deronsizemore]

According to most putting gurus, you should have four degrees of loft at impact. A lot of putters have some sole relief to guard against the putter dragging on the backstroke. Assuming the loft of the putter is four degrees and your putter has some sole relief, when the putter is soled it may have more loft than four degrees; which is when you would need some forward press to get the loft back to four.

It may be the case too that you feel like you're forward pressing when you're actually not. I had this problem for a while where the shaft was actually leaning away from the target at setup which was adding loft which lead to all kinds of miss-hits. Now, I FEEL like I'm forward pressing (because I'm so used to having my hands back more) but I'm actually not. I like to try to just get my shaft vertical at address and to help me get to that position I used a level with a magnet on the side and stuck it to the shaft. When it's vertical, to me it feels like I've got a lot of forward press but I don't because the level shows me I don't.

[WUTiger]

My Ping Pal (used) came with about two degrees of loft, and was a bit too long and upright for me.

I won a free putter fitting at a Callaway demo night, and ended up with these changes:
* Loft increased from 2 to 4 degrees
* One inch cut off the shaft (I knew going in it was too long)
* Lie one degree flatter
* Increased swing weight from C7 to D3 (some suggested D5 or more, but that was a bit much)

Since the changes, I have fewer misses to left, and have been getting better roll. On my best putts, I barely feel the clubface hitting the ball.

Overall Advice: Forward press and ideal loft all work together. Consider getting a putter fitting, or maybe even get a short-game lesson. (I waggle rather than forward-press, as per deronsizemore's vertical shaft at address, so figure out the motion part on your own.)