Putting back swing?

[Valleygolfer]

I have been reading Pelz's putting bible and I am about 1/4 way through and he speaks of dead hands putting and using the length of the back swing as the distance denominator. I was chatting with a guy that said he was taught a short move was wanted. My putting has been in a bit of turmoil lately and I am trying to settle into a ritual and confident swing I can practice religiously. I "feel" like the longer back swing takes me off line of my putting but the shorter back swing incorporates more muscle activity. I seem to like the shorter swing.

I have been watching pros swing a fairly short swing, Pelz's book is long on the tooth and @iacas has shot holes in his methodology in some threads so I am not sure the Pelz's book has the most current science or even completely accurate. Maybe I am misunderstanding his ideas or haven't read enough of the book yet. Pendulum putting is ideal when used on a machine but visually I am struggling with it.

Opinions or facts?

[boogielicious]

I do longer backswings and let gravity move the putter on the downswing. I find it better for distance control. If I try to accelerate on the downswing, I have control issues with both distance and contact. 

[Valleygolfer]

3 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I do longer backswings and let gravity move the putter on the downswing. I find it better for distance control. If I try to accelerate on the downswing, I have control issues with both distance and contact. 

Thanks Scott. I had been doing this but it seemed like my putter face alignment was off and having a deceleration issue. I just can't seem to get comfortable, mostly due to  uncertainty on where I should be and what I should feel.

[boogielicious]

17 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Thanks Scott. I had been doing this but it seemed like my putter face alignment was off and having a deceleration issue. I just can't seem to get comfortable, mostly due to  uncertainty on where I should be and what I should feel.

Film it and put it in your my swing thread. 

[Valleygolfer]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Film it and put it in your my swing thread. 

It really seems to crop up during rounds so maybe I will have a buddy record it.

[natureboy]

4 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

Pendulum putting is ideal when used on a machine but visually I am struggling with it.

Is the putting stroke more like this:                                              Or this:

                                 

[b101]

I would worry about using a 'hit' motion, but that's personal preference to an extent. I do have a thought with the backswing of my putting stroke of taking it back on the inside, purely to correct a tendency to pull it on the follow through, but other than that, it's the smooth pendulum feel every time.

[Valleygolfer]

5 hours ago, b101 said:

I would worry about using a 'hit' motion, but that's personal preference to an extent. I do have a thought with the backswing of my putting stroke of taking it back on the inside, purely to correct a tendency to pull it on the follow through, but other than that, it's the smooth pendulum feel every time.

I think I sorted my issue out, I was using too long of a back swing for short putts.

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, Valleygolfer said:

I think I sorted my issue out, I was using too long of a back swing for short putts.

A good drill to do is on a straight putt, start at 3 feet with a short backswing and putt letting gravity start the downswing. Then back to 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, etc. Hit 2 or three putts at each distance. You backswing will get longer, but the downswing should feel the same. This helps dial in distance control.

[Antneye]

I just finished Pelz putting book and thought that it was pretty good (although a little wordy).  I am strictly focusing on the pendulum swing and trying to baseline my different length backswings for different length putts.  If you do not have a purely vertical arm drop from the shoulders it will be impossible to maintain the pendulum and keep the clubhead square on the longer putts.

I feel like I am making great progress with distance but I still struggle with green reading. 

[Valleygolfer]

3 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

A good drill to do is on a straight putt, start at 3 feet with a short backswing and putt letting gravity start the downswing. Then back to 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, etc. Hit 2 or three putts at each distance. You backswing will get longer, but the downswing should feel the same. This helps dial in distance control.

I have been doing a 3-6-9 drill that I got from Justin Leonard. The whole gravity downswing is very hard to feel for me. In order to reach the hole I still feel like I need to accelerate. 

[Valleygolfer]

13 hours ago, Antneye said:

I just finished Pelz putting book and thought that it was pretty good (although a little wordy).  I am strictly focusing on the pendulum swing and trying to baseline my different length backswings for different length putts.  If you do not have a purely vertical arm drop from the shoulders it will be impossible to maintain the pendulum and keep the clubhead square on the longer putts.

I feel like I am making great progress with distance but I still struggle with green reading. 

I agree with the wordy, JUST GET TO THE HOW TO! I am much better with the reading lately but hitting the right speed has been my crutch. I have improved quite a bit and made some very long putts and almost all my 3 footers too. I am pretty vertical over my line as well.

19 hours ago, b101 said:

I would worry about using a 'hit' motion, but that's personal preference to an extent. I do have a thought with the backswing of my putting stroke of taking it back on the inside, purely to correct a tendency to pull it on the follow through, but other than that, it's the smooth pendulum feel every time.

I took a tip from Stockton, focus leading right hand through to your target. It's helped me stay in plane and more accurate.