Problems taking the putter to the OUTSIDE on the takeaway...

[Bryan SD2]

I can feel it, I can SEE it...  On occassion I'll take the darn thing a touch OUTSIDE the line on the takeaway (not inside for a gated move, or straight back straight through, but OUTSIDE) and it's driving me nuts. Any drills that do NOT involve rubbing the toe of the putter against the wall or rail or something?  Any thoughts on ball position or grip?  I dont want to overcorrect and crank the putter way inside like I'm trying to hook a shot around a dogleg, but that is the only solution right now.  I'm about an 8 cap who was once a four - played four years of varsity golf and one year collegiately as a walk on, so I understand a lot about the swing, planes, etc as well as the putting stroke, its variations, etc.  It's been too cold to play here so, but I've been on the carpet for about 500 putts and at the local GSmith and GGalaxy where me and my youngest hit balls in the winter and putt a little.  Going to the course today.... Going nuts in Indy, Bryan

[colin007]

argh!!!  yeah, me too!  sometimes it feels like a jim furyk loop in my backswing on the putter, which causes all sorts of horribly compensatory moves on the thru swing...

i tried a Heavy Putter but somehow i was still able to shove the putter outside on the way back...i have to concentrate on keeping my upper arms and elbows firm and that sometimes helps.

[Bryan SD2]

Furyk is not a bad example...  And there ARE compensatory moves.   The big ones having to do with the clubface.  Either you keep the path outside to in slightly - you KNOW you are out there, but you've taken the putter back - what are you to do?   You're afraid of pulling the put left, and you feel it in the left shoulder through impact - you're "holding on" a bit and have some tension up there.

Even worse is when you try to adjust the CLUBFACE (which you feel is coming in closed) by rotating it open slighty as you move towards impact... basically hitting a fade on a 15 footer for birdie.  NEVER making it, and tapping in for par.

[TourSpoon]

Try suspending the putterhead before you start your stroke. Sometimes when you pick it up to start it causes what you are seeing.

[saevel25]

Your to concerned with taking it straight back and straight through, thats my best guess. I am an arc putter, so if i take it outside the line, i am so far gone its time to see a pro. My issue is follow throughs, but thats another day.

My best drill would be, get a heavy book. Lay it on the ground. Place the ball so it would hit the center of the clubface if the tip of your putter just grazes the book. Now putt till you don't hit that book anymore. You can even set it up, so that the book is just slightly behind the ball, so you don't hit it in the follow through, only if you take it back.

[Bryan SD2]

Some good thoughts so far.

I've never been a fan of club suspension, either with the putter or the driver.  I generally have pretty light grip pressure and feel that hovering the thing creates some pressure that I don't want/like/need.  Might work for others though.

I did see a tip on another site about the same topic... it has has everything to do with the right elbow .  It's working wonders on the carpet this afternoon and has SOLVED my dilemma!!

The tip was to make sure the right elbow (and by extension the right forearm position) is closer to the belt/hip/body at address. I did find that my right elbow was just a touch too far away from the body, which forced the occassional outside takeaway.  Bringing it back in closer to the right hip??  Instant "room" for the putter head to start back on the right path, which for me is slightly inside.  I'm not a "swinging gate" like Crenshaw or Mickleson, but I'm not straight back straight through either, as my putter has some Toe Hang.  More of an in-between stroke. If the right elbow and forearm are too far away from my body, my shoulders, when they take the putter back, have to FIGHT that position.

Sounds simple, but that was it.  To try it, or more importantly "feel" the elbow problem,  start at the EXTREME, by getting your right elbow FAR away from your right hip at address - move it three, four inches or more if you can.   Get it way out there and let it look goofy.  You'll feel like a baseball player with the right elbow jacked high in the air (right handed batter) as he waits for the pitch.  With the elbow way out there, TRY to take the putter back on an inside path, or even straight back.  It's extremely difficult.  You can even get the sensantion sitting in your chair there, with no putter.  Just make a grip, move the R elbow way out, and take it back...  Feels weird huh?

Then move the elbow back in tight with the body...  not jammed in there so you can't swing your shoulders/arms, but the elbow is closer to the body than I had it and WAY closer than my extreme example.  Instant path correction!  At least it was for me.  Off to the putting green soon... the 6 year old is bugging me about it.  Funny thing is... All three of my kids have started baseball/softball, and we have been hitting in the yard, at practices, etc.