Putting with straight elbows!

[Rebecca Wilson]

I notice many players putt with bent elbows and I think this is wrong. I compare putting to a underarm bowling or throwing action and nobody bends the elbows for this.

Is it possible that we bend our elbows because we mostly have a putter that is too long for our arms. When I bend forward slighly and let my arms hang in the putting position the top of my hands/wrists are 29 inches from the ground and I'm 5 foot 8. For that reason my putter is also that length.

I stand rather upright and this length means my arms are straight. I notice some of the pros have putters fitted this way... Mickelson, Harrington.

What do you all think?

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Wilson

I notice many players putt with bent elbows and I think this is wrong. I compare putting to a underarm bowling or throwing action and nobody bends the elbows for this.

Is it possible that we bend our elbows because we mostly have a putter that is too long for our arms. When I bend forward slighly and let my arms hang in the putting position the top of my hands/wrists are 29 inches from the ground and I'm 5 foot 8. For that reason my putter is also that length.

I stand rather upright and this length means my arms are straight. I notice some of the pros have putters fitted this way... Mickelson, Harrington.

What do you all think?

I agree. My putter is 28 inches long, cut down from 34 inches. Both my arms are straight at address.

[Rebecca Wilson]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

I agree. My putter is 28 inches long, cut down from 34 inches. Both my arms are straight at address.

Way to go! Is it a blade putter? Does it sink into your bag sometimes?

[MiniBlueDragon]

I think putting is almost entirely a 'feeling' stroke. If a golfer gets that feeling from straight arms, bent arms or anywhere in between it's largely irrelevant if they're consistent.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Wilson

Way to go! Is it a blade putter? Does it sink into your bag sometimes?

Yes and yes! My putter is an Odyssey White Series. Putting is the best part of my game by a long stretch thanks to cutting this putter down to 28 inches.

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

I think putting is almost entirely a 'feeling' stroke. If a golfer gets that feeling from straight arms, bent arms or anywhere in between it's largely irrelevant if they're consistent.

I totally agree! If someone holes putts standing on their head, then who am I to tell them otherwise?!

[Rebecca Wilson]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

I think putting is almost entirely a 'feeling' stroke. If a golfer gets that feeling from straight arms, bent arms or anywhere in between it's largely irrelevant if they're consistent.

I agree but this could also be said for the full swing. I think you reply is a cop out. Putting with bent elbows or wrist action is just plain wrong.

[michaeljames92]

Luke Donald and Steve Stricker do alright for putting with bent arms...I think it's whatever works.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Wilson

I notice many players putt with bent elbows and I think this is wrong. I compare putting to a underarm bowling or throwing action and nobody bends the elbows for this.

Is it possible that we bend our elbows because we mostly have a putter that is too long for our arms. When I bend forward slighly and let my arms hang in the putting position the top of my hands/wrists are 29 inches from the ground and I'm 5 foot 8. For that reason my putter is also that length.

I stand rather upright and this length means my arms are straight. I notice some of the pros have putters fitted this way... Mickelson, Harrington.

What do you all think?

Check again professor. EVeryone bowls with a bent arm.  It straightens during the "throw".

[goin_low]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Wilson

I agree but this could also be said for the full swing. I think you reply is a cop out. Putting with bent elbows or wrist action is just plain wrong.

That's pretty elitist isnt it? Is Furyk's swing wrong because he takes it back different? No because his impact position is still very good.  They are different ways to swing and putt and some work for some and others work for other people.

[Zeph]

Whatever works I guess, but I generally disagree. Straightening the arms can put more tension in the body and lead to a less fluid motion. Like Sean said, you bowl with a bent arm most of the throw. Besides, you can't really compare throwing a 15 lb. ball at 15 mph to softly swinging a putter. The putting motion is about feel. The more relaxed you are, the better. If you hang the arms straight down, they will naturally be bent at the elbows. Straightening them will create tension. If you throw a golf ball with an underhand throw from 30 feet at the hole, you will throw with a bent arm. It will be more fluid.

[Rebecca Wilson]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Check again professor. EVeryone bowls with a bent arm.  It straightens during the "throw".

Don't be silly, I mean an non-dynamic underarm bowling action as in lawn bowling (we're talking about putting here). It remains straight.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Zeph

Whatever works I guess, but I generally disagree. Straightening the arms can put more tension in the body and lead to a less fluid motion. Like Sean said, you bowl with a bent arm most of the throw. Besides, you can't really compare throwing a 15 lb. ball at 15 mph to softly swinging a putter.

The putting motion is about feel. The more relaxed you are, the better. If you hang the arms straight down, they will naturally be bent at the elbows. Straightening them will create tension. If you throw a golf ball with an underhand throw from 30 feet at the hole, you will throw with a bent arm. It will be more fluid.

I disagree. You can have straight arms without tension. I guess it depends on your definition of a straight arm. When my arms hang down to putt they are almost completely straight, but the elbows are NOT locked. This discussion reminds me of the straightening right knee thread!

Also, I'm no expert on bowling but you start with the bowling arm bent at 90 degrees, but then the motion is all with a straight arm. It bends again when it reaches parallel on the follow through. Check out any pro bowling video on Youtube.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Wilson

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Check again professor. EVeryone bowls with a bent arm.  It straightens during the "throw".

Don't be silly, I mean an non-dynamic underarm bowling action as in lawn bowling (we're talking about putting here). It remains straight.

On the irony scale, your comment is an 11.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

On the irony scale, your comment is an 11.

Ironically, that scale goes up to 12.

[Rebecca Wilson]

Originally Posted by goin_low

That's pretty elitist isnt it? Is Furyk's swing wrong because he takes it back different? No because his impact position is still very good.  They are different ways to swing and putt and some work for some and others work for other people.

You're missing my point. A non-dynamic underarm action with bent elbows is just soooo wrong, anotomically. That's my argument.

[Rebecca Wilson]

Originally Posted by Zeph

Whatever works I guess, but I generally disagree. Straightening the arms can put more tension in the body and lead to a less fluid motion. Like Sean said, you bowl with a bent arm most of the throw. Besides, you can't really compare throwing a 15 lb. ball at 15 mph to softly swinging a putter.

The putting motion is about feel. The more relaxed you are, the better. If you hang the arms straight down, they will naturally be bent at the elbows. Straightening them will create tension. If you throw a golf ball with an underhand throw from 30 feet at the hole, you will throw with a bent arm. It will be more fluid.

I think my expalnation of bowling has been misunderstood. I weant lawn bowling. These bowlers don't throw the ball but roll it along the grass like a putt. their arms hang and the elbows aren't stretch rigid straight but they can definitely be described as straight.

It's like throwing an raw egg or a heavy bunch of keys to someone- non-dynamic - the arm hangs and the elbow is relaxed straight.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

On the irony scale, your comment is an 11.

Ironically, that scale goes up to 12.

Coincidentally?

[Zeph]

I don't think it matters as long as the arms are not locked. If you can keep the putter head at the same height through the swing, it works. Again, if it works with ramrod straight, keep doing it.