Changing putting technique to cure putting woes

[Entropy]

My putting is extremely tempermental.  Sometimes it's really good and 10 footers look like tap in gimmes and other times I am literally stressing about two putting from 15 feet away.  Over the course of this golf season I have changed my putting technique many times based on articles I've read in magazines or online, tips from other players, pretty much anywhere and what I've noticed is that regardless of what the change is, my putting tends to improve immediately for a few rounds and I think I've finally found the secret to putting and then, sure enough, I start putting terribly again and the cycle restarts.  Some of the things I've tried this season are:

1)  holding the putter very upright ala Steve Stricker

2)  standing very tall

3)  bending over quite a bit

4)  various degrees of forward press before the back swing

5)  slightly open stance to see the line better

Surprisingly the only thing I haven't really trying a left hand low or other style of putting grip.  I was wondering if anybody else had similar experiences, basically if you were struggling with your putting did the simple practice of changing something (posture, ball placement, alignment) help, allbeit maybe not permanently?  Is it good to switch it up every once in awhile if your putting starts to suffer or is it better to hit the putting green and practice some tried and true fundamentals?

[mvmac]

Making a lot of changes and trying a bunch of different stuff isn't usually a good strategy for good putting.  I would highly recommend you check out AimPoint green reading, takes all the guessing out of reading greens and can makes things more simple.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/45791/aimpoint-green-reading

Regarding putting posture, good thread to check out

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54411/putting-posture

[Wally]

I changed my grip so my putter now runs more through the palm than the fingers. This results in a more upright club and less rounded (around my body) swing-arc. It has helped a good amount, but my putting still needs work. Even still, a 3-putt doesn't happen often for me so that is good.

[dchoye]

My problem is breaking putts. I'm more confident of making a 15 foot uphiller than a 5 footer sidehiller that breaks more than 2 ball widths. I think you really have to setup differently as well as make a good read to get those in My tendency is to "putt thru the break " or my spot is to close to the hole and ball goes under the hole. The later happens a lot as I tend to pick a spot closer to the hole rather than closer to the ball as that is where the apex should be on quick downhill /sidehill putts

[boogielicious]

I agree with Mike.  When my putting is off, I just go back to basics.  I make sure my set up and grip are correct and that I am making my stroke with left hand control.  I use AimPoint, so my misses are usually due to speed.

[Entropy]

Thanks for the replies.  I've read some info about the AimPoint Green reading and have thought about taking a putting class when I find some extra cash.  To be perfectly and rather ashamedly honest, my putting technique is what needs work, not so much my green reading (although I'm sure I could benefit from that as well).  When I am putting poorly my most common flaw is that I can't take the putter back straight and often have sort of a "cut" putter stroke where I take the club to the outside and cut through the putt.  I've found that changing it up once in awhile seems to work for me but it's generally a quick fix.

I think (definitely not 100% sure) I was watching playing lessons on golf channel with Rickie Fowler where he said sometimes he will try something different in his set up to reinforce the pendulum putting motion which is where I got the idea from.

[amac]

You mention reading greens isn't your problem, but how well are you lining up your putts? What you think is on line could be right or left of target. The mind perceives and the body attemps to achieve. I see this in lots of golfers - aim way right and hit it straight down the fairway. They are compensating for poor alignment with their swing - some days it works, others it goes way right or hooks hard left. Have a friend check your aim on the practice green - on a bad day. For a few bucks, you can purchase a chalk line from Home Depot or Lowe's. Find a straight put at your course and chalk a line. Work on putting down that line - over and over and over! This will reinforce your alignment and stroke. Hope this helps. amac

[boil3rmak3r]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Entropy

Thanks for the replies.  I've read some info about the AimPoint Green reading and have thought about taking a putting class when I find some extra cash.  To be perfectly and rather ashamedly honest, my putting technique is what needs work, not so much my green reading (although I'm sure I could benefit from that as well).  When I am putting poorly my most common flaw is that I can't take the putter back straight and often have sort of a "cut" putter stroke where I take the club to the outside and cut through the putt.  I've found that changing it up once in awhile seems to work for me but it's generally a quick fix.

I think (definitely not 100% sure) I was watching playing lessons on golf channel with Rickie Fowler where he said sometimes he will try something different in his set up to reinforce the pendulum putting motion which is where I got the idea from.

You mention reading greens isn't your problem, but how well are you lining up your putts? What you think is on line could be right or left of target. The mind perceives and the body attemps to achieve. I see this in lots of golfers - aim way right and hit it straight down the fairway. They are compensating for poor alignment with their swing - some days it works, others it goes way right or hooks hard left. Have a friend check your aim on the practice green - on a bad day. For a few bucks, you can purchase a chalk line from Home Depot or Lowe's. Find a straight put at your course and chalk a line. Work on putting down that line - over and over and over! This will reinforce your alignment and stroke. Hope this helps. amac

I agree with this and do it myself. To me, the green reading part of putting is independent of your stroke and alignment. To work on alignment and your actual stroke, I would focus on straight putts. Take the variable of break out of the equation on misses. Plus, it's really easy to use alignment sticks or chalk lines to ensure proper alignment. If you can't sink a perfectly straight 6 footer from the same spot at least 8 or 9 times out of ten, keep working until you can (for those that will tell me even pros can't do this, they can). Once you are that consistent on straight ones, then you know your mechanics are sound and you need to work on using those mechanics properly on breaking putts. Don't get me wrong, I believe you should spend some of every practice session on breaking putts, but, IMO, working on creating a good stroke is best when putting straight ones.

[mvmac]

Thanks for the replies.  I've read some info about the AimPoint Green reading and have thought about taking a putting class when I find some extra cash.  To be perfectly and rather ashamedly honest, my putting technique is what needs work, not so much my green reading (although I'm sure I could benefit from that as well).

You'd be surprise how many more putts you can make by getting some AimPoint training and not really worrying too much about mechanics.  This is coming from someone who was very mechanics oriented.

When I am putting poorly my most common flaw is that I can't take the putter back straight and often have sort of a "cut" putter stroke where I take the club to the outside and cut through the putt.  I've found that changing it up once in awhile seems to work for me but it's generally a quick fix.

Well the putter does track inward a bit.  Do you take it too far in on the back stroke and rotate the blade open?  Try having the right elbow slightly away from your side and feel like the heel of the putter goes back first.  In other words feel like it goes back slightly shut and then feel like you swing the putter a little out to the right.

[Entropy]

Well the putter does track inward a bit.  Do you take it too far in on the back stroke and rotate the blade open?  Try having the right elbow slightly away from your side and feel like the heel of the putter goes back first.  In other words feel like it goes back slightly shut and then feel like you swing the putter a little out to the right.

I actually do the opposite of what you mention.  I take it too far OUT on the back stroke while keeping the face pretty square.  I don't do this intentionally as I am trying for a straight back straight through putting stroke, but for some reason even though I am trying to bring it back straight the path of the club is more to the outside and then to compensate I have to try and get it back straight on the forward swing and it's always difficult to get the putt going where I lined up...it's kind of like Jim Furyk's full swing and I consider it a "miss".  I've always suspected that the cause of this was using my arms, specifically my right arm, instead of rocking my shoulders to putt.

Thanks for the suggestions regarding the chalk line.  Some focused putting practice would definitely do me some good.

[mvmac]

I actually do the opposite of what you mention.  I take it too far OUT on the back stroke while keeping the face pretty square.  I don't do this intentionally as I am trying for a straight back straight through putting stroke, but for some reason even though I am trying to bring it back straight the path of the club is more to the outside and then to compensate I have to try and get it back straight on the forward swing and it's always difficult to get the putt going where I lined up...it's kind of like Jim Furyk's full swing and I consider it a "miss".  I've always suspected that the cause of this was using my arms, specifically my right arm, instead of rocking my shoulders to putt.

Thanks for the suggestions regarding the chalk line.  Some focused putting practice would definitely do me some good.

I see, then I would do the opposite.  Have the right elbow snug to your side and have the left elbow slightly away from your body.  Make sure the upper spine is parallel to the ground.