Putter At Address

[skwon11]

I couldn't find a thread when I searched so I'm posting up a new one...

Does anybody, at address, hover the putter over the ground vs. laying it on the green? When I drive the ball, I hover the club at the level I want the clubface to make contact with the ball. Off the deck, my club lays on the ground, obviously a tad higher and backward (thus the divot), where I want the club to hit the turf. Putting though? I always, by habit, just lay the club and then swing but... why? Does anybody hover? I don't need any turf interaction so... like a driver... should we do the same? Thoughts?

[leezer99]

Jack used to hover his putter at address.

[DaSportsGuy]

On "Playing Lessons from the Pro's" one of the golfers tips' was to hover it over the ground. I can't remember his reasoning but yea, it's something a number of golfers do.

I, however, do not. I tried it but it just doesn't feel comfortable to me and golf is a game of comfort with many ways to complete a task successfully.

[right handed phil mickelson]

I haven't tried hovering the putter above the ground yet but I think I should. It's getting pretty windy out here in Florida and I think that would prevent some penalty strokes *coughPadraigHarringtoncough*

[Rukus43]

I sole the putter on the ground and then right before my takeaway I hover the putter for two reasons. 1) So I don't use the ground as a crutch and not make a pure balanced swing, and 2) so I get a good clean takeaway every time without catching a little grass and throwing off my motion.

[jschen]

My last lesson (my first on putting), my instructor suggested barely brushing the grass. Taken to the extreme, he demonstrated putting while holding his putter a good 1/2 inch off the ground. Of course, that's a little silly, but the idea he wanted to impart on me was that my putting stroke should have essentially no interaction with the ground even if it is right at ground level. Any pressure on the ground is likely to cause a jerky swing. I'm strongly right-eye dominant, so he has me sit the putter down at address and align with my right eye. Then set myself up. Then take pressure off the putter so that it's just brushing the ground. Then stroke.

[FHopper]

depends on the putter, my Inza and Tc.1 have so much rear overhang that I hover them, blades and semi mallets I don't.

[becksfan2185]

I would think that the main reason for hovering the putter would be to make sure you don't catch any penalty strokes on a windy day. After the putter is grounded as you begin to putt, if the ball moves you're hit with a stoke. Aside from that, I suppose the other reason for hovering would just be personal preference

[jkkornman]

I have been struggling with putting yips, so i just tried this technique of not grounding the putter this past weekend....so far so good. It allows you to make a smoother stroke, follow through completely and release the putterhead. It is harder to do for very long putts, but its fine for short and midrange putts.