Is a consistent putting rhythm possible, from 2 ft to 50 ft?

[XVGolf]

I always try hard to improve my putting game.

Recently I received an advice on developing a consistent putting rhythm for different distances. It means you use the same amount of time to complete a putting stroke, no matter it's a 2 footer, or a 50 ft lengthy one.

On a longer putt, I often have a longer backstroke, thus it takes a longer time back to impact. The advice suggests me to complete a putting stroke with a relatively same time duration, regardless the length of your backstroke/upswing.

I am looking for some opinions on this topic, is it a valid point?

I did some googling on Jordan Spieth putting rhythm and got this:

 

Thanks！

[iacas]

3 hours ago, XVGolf said:

On a longer putt, I often have a longer backstroke, thus it takes a longer time back to impact. The advice suggests me to complete a putting stroke with a relatively same time duration, regardless the length of your backstroke/upswing.

Yes, that's the advice, and I would give the same advice.

When you Google search for "pendulum period" you get this:

Quote

The period of swing of a simple gravity pendulum depends on its length, the local strength of gravity, and to a small extent on the maximum angle that the pendulum swings away from vertical, θ₀, called the amplitude. It is independent of the mass of the bob.

Note that it doesn't matter much how far the pendulum swings from vertical.

If my backstroke is 0.5 seconds for a 4-foot putt, it's something like 0.55 seconds for a 30-footer.

How? How does it move farther back in about the same amount of time?

It moves back faster. Thus, it also moves through faster… which is why the ball goes farther.

---

I'm not sure about the numbers in that chart. SAM PuttLab usually likes to see something like a 2:1 ratio for backswing and downswing. Not 9:1.

On that 1.74 second putt I counted only 22 frames of video, so…?

[No Mulligans]

That consistent swing tempo is something I worked on and is easy for me to do.  I'm just "hearing" in my mind 1 2 3, 1 2 3. My swing starts on the first "1", my back swing ends of the 1st "3" and I make contact on the second "1".  It takes me two counts to get to the top of my backswing and one count to get back to the ball (2 to 1). 

In addition to creating a constant tempo, hearing the 1 2 3, 1 2 3 in my mind has a positive affect on my focus by clearing my mind.

[iacas]

I recommend a metronome (get a free iPhone app) for many golfers to practice their putting.

[b101]

Agreed - my putting noticeably improved when I used a metronome and really shortened my backstroke (see below for more details). Always go back to the metronome now and it's a real difference maker, particularly on the practice green just before a round.

_

[iacas]

On 1/8/2017 at 3:07 PM, b101 said:

Yeah, see there… SAM likes your backstroke to be about 600 to 780 ms and the downswing to be about 300 to about 390 ms. Roughly 2:1.

I don't believe those Jordan 0.9/0.08 numbers are at all close.

The huge differences in his bar graphs should be a dead giveaway that something is off. Even at 30 FPS he has more than enough frames to get more accurate insight than 0.9/0.08.

[b101]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

Yeah, see there… SAM likes your backstroke to be about 600 to 780 ms and the downswing to be about 300 to about 390 ms. Roughly 2:1.

I don't believe those Jordan 0.9/0.08 numbers are at all close.

The surprising part for me was how many positive knock-on effects there were, such as improved strike and path. Honestly never thought tempo would affect that so much.

[Lazarus]

They said during the Pro-Am that Jordan's ratio is like 1:1 ,vs the 2:1 that is typically encouraged.

[iacas]

25 minutes ago, Lazarus said:

They said during the Pro-Am that Jordan's ratio is like 1:1 ,vs the 2:1 that is typically encouraged.

That's highly unlikely, because the backswing goes from a stop, acceleration, deceleration, and a stop again. The downswing just goes from a stop to acceleration and sometimes just barely into the deceleration phase. It never decelerates long and it doesn't come to a stop until well after the ball is gone.

I honestly haven't looked at it much, so I could be wrong, but I'd bet on the TV folks being wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

[Ks golf]

This information is really interesting and I am going to make it a point to work on my putting rhythm the next few weeks. 

[XVGolf]

The information here is quite interesting and meaningful. I need practice my putting with a consideration on the rhythm. The data I mentioned at the beginning seems revised.

 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, XVGolf said:

The information here is quite interesting and meaningful. I need practice my putting with a consideration on the rhythm. The data I mentioned at the beginning seems revised.

I'm glad the guy revised the video, because the first one was garbage.

I stand by what I said above. You can have the same tempo/rhythm on longer putts.

[MarvChamp]

My old heavy Ray Cook Nugget putter helps me regain a sense of rhythm and speed when I'm "off".  I tend to have a bit longer "follow-through" with a lighter putter and hit the ball well past the hole. -Marv

[Typhoon92]

I read that the pga tour pro metronome average was 76.  The one I downloaded was great, easy to use.  I wasn't too far off from 76...it was cool to get the beats in you head and hit 5 footers and 12 footers on my Birdie Ball green.

 

The metronome smoothens out your stroke too.

[XVGolf]

A revised version: 

 

[iacas]

@XVGolf, you should participate in other discussions here.