Putting Posture

[mvmac]

I would like to your advice on a different grip and putting stroke.

I am 5'9" tall and is using a 32" putter with a claw grip.

Since using the claw grip, the right elbow will stick out to the side and the right pressure point will no longer attached.

Q1: In that case, the only pressure point will be on the left?

I am using a straight back and straight forward stroke (or should I?).  Is the following correct?

Q2: In the backstroke, the right forearm will not raise up less and more to the side instead of back up.

Q3: Since trying to use a straight back straight through stroke, the shoulders more rock up and down instead of rotating, i.e. even less rotation.

Q4: However, as the left pressure point attached, it is easy to have rotation.  Therefore do you use more a rotation stroke or straight back stroke for claw putting?

Thanks.

The idea of SBST might be nice in theory but very tough to actually do.  http://thesandtrap.com/t/64320/straight-back-straight-through-is-it-really-possible#post_801076

If you want to go claw grip then I would suggest having the left elbow away from the side as well.  If you want more of a body stroke, then it might be good to feel the stroke initiated by slight rotation of the chest rather than a shoulder rock.  Shoulder rock can have the head moving too much.  Pretend you have a laser pointer sticking out of your sternum and just move the "dot" to the right on the backstroke.  Can create a good blend of rotation and "rock".

[MrFlipper]

Had to bump this thread, there is so much good stuff here, pictures, videos wow. Took this stuff to the mirror and then to the practice green, I'm really excited going forward!

I'm pretty tall, my golf swing gave me back issues a few years ago and I went to a longer putter so I could stand more upright and practice without my back hurting. For about a hundred reasons noted in this thread, HUGE MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used to be a good putter, this feels more like it felt when I was a teenager and making everything I looked at.

Nothing like another old guy that feels like a kid again from golf Merry Christmas to me haha

[mvmac]

Robert Rock

[natureboy]

How do folks manage stance / setup on steeply sloping sections of green?

I was practicing on such a spot and sometimes bottomed out before the ball because being above my feet, it was a bit closer to me. How do you make the same stroke in this situation?

Gripping down might change the length of the putter lever, which I thought could affect distance control touch vs. normal stroke. Leaning my body back a bit would put everything in the same position relative to the ground level, but would tend to add imbalance. Standing further from the ball worked, but the flatter arc seemed to affect the face alignment through impact a little.

[mvmac]

How do folks manage stance / setup on steeply sloping sections of green?

I was practicing on such a spot and sometimes bottomed out before the ball because being above my feet, it was a bit closer to me. How do you make the same stroke in this situation?

Gripping down might change the length of the putter lever, which I thought could affect distance control touch vs. normal stroke.

Yeah I just grip down a bit. It won't change your stroke that much or alter your touch/speed control......or at least it shouldn't It's just putting, it's different than hitting an iron or wedge shot.

[natureboy]

Yeah I just grip down a bit. It won't change your stroke that much or alter your touch/speed control......or at least it shouldn't   It's just putting, it's different than hitting an iron or wedge shot.

This may have been an extreme case of slope. I felt like if I stood the normal distance and choked down, the toe still had a chance of brushing the high edge of the slope because of the differing planes. If I really choked down it seemed like it would affect distance control on the long lag putt I was attempting. Would you grip down and just think fractionally longer with the backswing?

[mvmac]

Would you grip down and just think fractionally longer with the backswing?

Yes.

[natureboy]

Yes.

I may be reading into the pics a bit, but was looking at Inbee Park's setup and was going to ask about her basic setup which besides being somewhat 'left-sided' seemed to have very minimal knee flex. Then I noticed that it looked different with two different lies below. First what do you think about having minimal knee flex in putting setup? Does it served to help keep the lower body out of the stroke? Regarding the possible difference between a flat lie and a sloped lie in her knee flex, could she be using the knee flex to position her regular setup further / closer to the ball?

Inbee Park flat lie setup:

Uphill slope (slightly more locked out knees?):                      Downhill slope? (slightly more flexed lead knee?):

[iacas]

I may be reading into the pics a bit, but was looking at Inbee Park's setup and was going to ask about her basic setup which besides being somewhat 'left-sided' seemed to have very minimal knee flex. Then I noticed that it looked different with two different lies below. First what do you think about having minimal knee flex in putting setup? Does it served to help keep the lower body out of the stroke? Regarding the possible difference between a flat lie and a sloped lie in her knee flex, could she be using the knee flex to position her regular setup further / closer to the ball?

I don't think those pictures demonstrate much of anything. They could be the same knee flex or they could be different because they were shot at different times. It would be foolish to derive any sort of conclusion, or even speculate, based on those shot from all different angles at all different times.

[mvmac]

First what do you think about having minimal knee flex in putting setup? Does it served to help keep the lower body out of the stroke? Regarding the possible difference between a flat lie and a sloped lie in her knee flex, could she be using the knee flex to position her regular setup further / closer to the ball?

Few things:

- I don't think it makes much of a difference (if that's what she is doing).

- It's not a commonality of good putters.

- Keeping the lower body out of the putting stroke isn't a problem that I've heard of or seen.

[natureboy]

I don't think those pictures demonstrate much of anything. They could be the same knee flex or they could be different because they were shot at different times. It would be foolish to derive any sort of conclusion, or even speculate, based on those shot from all different angles at all different times.

I actually kind of agree with you, but there is very little analysis of her putting and so these are the best pics available. It was kind of surprising, because I've heard some commentators say she may be the best (or among the elite) in both the men's and women's game. No reason a female putting stroke is different from a male putting stroke.

One thing that is obvious from the pics and I tried with success for the uphill lie is allowing the weight to shift back to the heels rather than orienting the body the same way relative to gravity as on a flat lie.

Few things:

- I don't think it makes much of a difference (if that's what she is doing).

- It's not a commonality of good putters.

- Keeping the lower body out of the putting stroke isn't a problem that I've heard of or seen.

I read an article while back that Rory or another top name actually tries to keep his lower body 'quiet' if not 'out of it' by visualizing 'squeezing' a beach ball between his thighs. What was the point of that if not to de-emphasize lower body movement?

[saevel25]

I read an article while back that Rory or another top name actually tries to keep his lower body 'quiet' if not 'out of it' by visualizing 'squeezing' a beach ball between his thighs. What was the point of that if not to de-emphasize lower body movement?

I guess if a person has an issue with not moving their lower body. They putt on fast greens, what type of stroke are they making that would cause their lower body to move?

I never had any issue with keeping my lower body still.

[mvmac]

I read an article while back that Rory or another top name actually tries to keep his lower body 'quiet' if not 'out of it' by visualizing 'squeezing' a beach ball between his thighs. What was the point of that if not to de-emphasize lower body movement?

I don't know, I haven't seen the article but think of the putting stroke. It's not a motion where the lower body really comes into play (except for reading greens ).