Putting - DO NOT Accelerate Through the Ball

[iacas]

I'm still working on it. Not doing great. I have a big match next weekend, so I'd better keep working.

Create a My Swing thread and post video of your putting stroke. I encourage everyone to do this.

[Abu3baid]

Is there a specific way to tell from the video if we are accelerating or not through impact? I looked at my video but can't really tell.. Thanks

[CarlSpackler]

Is there a specific way to tell from the video if we are accelerating or not through impact? I looked at my video but can't really tell.. Thanks

Not to answer for Erik, but you want to make sure you back stroke and through stroke are the same length. This is assuming you aren't jerking to a stop to shorten your through stroke. If your back stroke is shorter, you are accelerating. If your through stroke is shorter, you're decelerating which is even worse.

[iacas]

A great drill I meant to mention earlier: find a 15-foot putt, and make a ridiculously long backswing (like for a 50-foot putt), then try to make a 15-foot follow-through and only send the ball 15-16 feet to the hole.

In other words, if you add any "hit" to the stroke at all, you're doomed.

[saevel25]

A great drill I meant to mention earlier: find a 15-foot putt, and make a ridiculously long backswing (like for a 50-foot putt), then try to make a 15-foot follow-through and only send the ball 15-16 feet to the hole.

In other words, if you add any "hit" to the stroke at all, you're doomed.

Nice, I like that idea. Though I am not sure my stroke has too much hit to it anyways. I think I need to work on my aim and starting putts on the line I want. I'll have to break out the stretchy string!!

[Abu3baid]

[QUOTE name="Abu3baid" url="/t/74295/putting-do-not-accelerate-through-the-ball/126#post_1004514"] Is there a specific way to tell from the video if we are accelerating or not through impact? I looked at my video but can't really tell.. Thanks[/QUOTE] Not to answer for Erik, but you want to make sure you back stroke and through stroke are the same length. This is assuming you aren't jerking to a stop to shorten your through stroke. If your back stroke is shorter, you are accelerating. If your through stroke is shorter, you're decelerating which is even worse.

I thought that if you are not supposed to accelerate through then you should decelerate through, why is it even worst in that case?

[CarlSpackler]

If I understand, the decel is from the fact that contact is made after the bottom of the putter swing, not that you are decelerating your swing. What you want is a perfect pendulum stroke where contact is made just after the bottom which is the fastest point. @iacas ?

[iacas]

If I understand, the decel is from the fact that contact is made after the bottom of the putter swing, not that you are decelerating your swing. What you want is a perfect pendulum stroke where contact is made just after the bottom which is the fastest point. @iacas?

Yep.

[nilssoa]

I have a Cleveland Classic no. 3 and had the tape at the back of the putter at first but now i moved it to the bortom of the club. Both positions changed the feel at impact quite a lot. Have been trying to hit a little bit higher on the ball so wasn't bothered by tape under the club. Dont know if it's placebo but already at 6 added grams it made short pendulum storkes feel smoother. Now i have 12 grams of tape, thing the club head weighs 340g. Yesterday I had excellent length control on short and medium putts but struggled with leaving long putts short. The added weight slowed down my stroke so didn't dare to make a long enough stroke for really long putts.

[IceDave]

I do not know how many "conversations" I've had with one of my clubs "specialsts" on the putting stroke.  Trying to counter their short backstroke/long throughstroke is almost a lost cause.  This post is really nice input for my next conversation.

I started golf with a short backstroke, and was encouraged to accelerate through the ball on all putts.  It is just like you described Erik, on longer putts I was totally useless.  My pro had me do absurd long backstrokes to work me out of my habit.  Took me months to get a good feeling, but today I consider myself ok on lag putts, and three-putts more an exception than the rule.  Encourage anyone who is struggling with lag putting to read this post.

[anthony]

Put this technique into play this weekend. Right off the bat, I noticed I had a lot more confidence in the stroke. Removing half of the stroke really simplifies everything, and as a result, gives more confidence. Obviously, I'll need to dial in my distances, but putted pretty well for the first attempt. My miss was mostly short, and I did find myself accelerating through on some long (40+ foot) putts.

Something that really stood out were putts under 10 foot. Those have been my nemesis for a long time, but I was rolling them in left and right this weekend.

[dchoye]

When Sneds "pops" his putt, does anyone know if it's an acceleration or deceleration ?

[iacas]

When Sneds "pops" his putt, does anyone know if it's an acceleration or deceleration ?

Snedeker is reaching peak speed at or before the ball. According to his SAM PuttLab report from a few years ago (his stroke hasn't noticeably changed, so it's a bit of an assumption).

Note that his backswing is short, but his follow-through is short as well.

[dchoye]

Does any Tour pro have peak velocity after contact with ball?

[vangator]

Create a My Swing thread and post video of your putting stroke. I encourage everyone to do this.

Sometimes I forget which forums I've posted to. :) I have worked on my putting for the past few weeks and it has really improved by concentrating on what's been posted on this thread. I've had only one 3 putt in the last several rounds and it was on a vicious downhill putt. I've actually started making a few 10-12 footers per round. PS. I don't know how to post a video. I don't own a camera, camcorder or phone.

[trickyputt]

My playing partner of late is a 26 year old fellow from Kansas working as a cable tv installer here in Birmingham. He has a ten finger grip, an R1 with the 55g oem shaft, a traditional plumber neck odyssey putter. His driver from the middle tees is the longest I have ever seen. He challenges the front of the fairways. Right shoulder low - he has the ablility to get close to the pin. 10 or so greens a round he is putting for birdie. He makes long putts even when he is up in 3, and has shot 75-77 every time we play. I asked him about his putting. He said you have to see it like you are rolling a ball by hand to the hole. Simple. I told him he was describing athletic ability..

[saevel25]

My playing partner of late is a 26 year old fellow from Kansas working as a cable tv installer here in Birmingham. He has a ten finger grip, an R1 with the 55g oem shaft, a traditional plumber neck odyssey putter. His driver from the middle tees is the longest I have ever seen. He challenges the front of the fairways. Right shoulder low - he has the ablility to get close to the pin. 10 or so greens a round he is putting for birdie. He makes long putts even when he is up in 3, and has shot 75-77 every time we play. I asked him about his putting. He said you have to see it like you are rolling a ball by hand to the hole. Simple. I told him he was describing athletic ability..

What he was telling you was purely what he alone feels. It isn't athletic ability, it is the fact he has no knowledge to describe what he was doing than describing what he feels. Basically find what works for you. It can be Snediker who has a very punchy stroke, but probably still does not accelerate through the ball. What someone might feel, or what you might see doesn't mean that is actually happening.

[trickyputt]

[QUOTE name="trickyputt" url="/t/74295/putting-do-not-accelerate-through-the-ball/126#post_1012300"] My playing partner of late is a 26 year old fellow from Kansas working as a cable tv installer here in Birmingham. He has a ten finger grip, an R1 with the 55g oem shaft, a traditional plumber neck odyssey putter. His driver from the middle tees is the longest I have ever seen. He challenges the front of the fairways. Right shoulder low - he has the ablility to get close to the pin. 10 or so greens a round he is putting for birdie. He makes long putts even when he is up in 3, and has shot 75-77 every time we play. I asked him about his putting. He said you have to see it like you are rolling a ball by hand to the hole. Simple. I told him he was describing athletic ability..[/QUOTE] What he was telling you was purely what he alone feels. It isn't athletic ability, it is the fact he has no knowledge to describe what he was doing than describing what he feels. Basically find what works for you. It can be Snediker who has a very punchy stroke, but probably still does not accelerate through the ball. What someone might feel, or what you might see doesn't mean that is actually happening.

yeah. Or its that simple and I cant do it.