Dave Stockton: Flying Wedge Putting?

[mvmac]

Saw the Stockton piece on Golf Channel last night and I liked some parts of it. Grip, alignment with the tees and routine all had good insights. I was familiar with his stroke philosophies before the show but I was amazed how much he wants the handle forward after "impact". Reminders a lot of the flying wedge, but does it translate well into putting? Seems like it works for Dave and all the pros he advises.

Anyone have any experience with this kind of stroke? I have an opportunity to attend one of his schools this Friday and I'm looking for some feedback. thx

[Stretch]

Don't know much about the Stockton method. Is the big forward press mainly about creating negative loft, or something else? The guy who fit me for my putter the other day -- a Geoff Mangum devotee -- uses a negative loft putter and swears by it. But Geoff himself seems to disagree (although with Mangum I'm never quite sure I've achieved adequate understanding!)

http://www.network54.com/Forum/52812...ve+the+equator

[cbrian]

Whatever helps you get the clubface square. I prefer a more natural arc (hands back up and in, etc), but putting is pretty subjective. I guess it could lead some people to dig the ball into the ground though.

[RC]

Stockton likes putters with loft on them and he advocates a forward leaning shaft with the net result that the putter face is pretty flat to the perpendicular line of the ball's path at impact. This should produce no backspin as the ball is struck. I've always advocated this idea as the best way to start a ball rolling as quickly as possible on the green. Go out and putt on a dewy green sometime and notice the way the ball jumps off the putter face and may bounce a couple of times if you use a putter with loft and strike the ball with the shaft perfectly vertical, or swinging upward.

[saevel25]

Since the ground is not perfectly hard the ball will settle down into the green. The loft on the putter lifts the ball out of the green and get it rolling. Also Stockton advocates getting a higher lofted putter a well, a little bit of missing information. An article in the golf digest about one of the writers who got to take lessons from Stockton, and the first thing they did was fit him to a putter, which including it being higher lofted.

[Danattherock]

If I recall, it was 8 degrees of loft he uses to go along with that forward press. I ordered his dvds from his website after seeing him on TGC the other day. $2300 for a day of instruction is crazy, but $55 for three dvds sounded like a bargain.


-Dan

[iacas]

If I recall, it was 8 degrees of loft he uses to go along with that forward press. I ordered his dvds from his website after seeing him on TGC the other day. $2300 for a day of instruction is crazy, but $55 for three dvds sounded like a bargain.

Yeah, his one-day clinics in which you're there with 7 to 11 or more other students cost $2000.

[Danattherock]

I saw that the other night. I do love the idea, but too rich for my blood. If I fly to California and spend $2,000 on golf, it will be 3-4 days with Ben Doyle.

[mvmac]

I decided not to attend the school, just too expensive for something I can try out on my own. I considered it because the course they were having it at is only 15 minutes away from me. I found out they give and fit you for a new putter at the clinic.

[Robato]

I know what you mean. I've seen a lot of Stockton vids, and to me he seems to advocate a forward leaning shaft as well as a slight wrist manipulation, kinda like a piston, keeping the putter head low. I tried that, but I dont like a lot of wrist movement, so I keep my wrist set forward slightly throughout the stroke. I definitely take Mangums tips to heart too. I try to keep the wrist locked slightly forward because it helps me eliminate adding additional power in the swing. I also added loft to my putter to basically cancel out the forward lean. As per Mangum, I swing the putter equal back, equal forward, and let the putter weight and gravity do its magic.

[Quinn07]

Since the airing of the Stockton show on the golf channel I have been contemplating getting the DVDs or adding them as a late x-mas gift idea.  I don't mind the forward press idea, however I am not sure if I like the locked wrists and kind of push(?) move to roll the ball.  Doesn't this eliminate the release of the putter head that everyone seems to talk about?