Putter Advice

[billchao]

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

I'd read that those who use the SBST are not doing that and there's some video that shows there is always some arc.

SBST doesn't happen because the conventional putter has a lie angle < 90°. In order for it to be used in a way where the putter head is relatively level or parallel to the ground, the shaft will be tilted towards the player (usually around 70° or so). You also have to consider that most putting strokes involve a rocking of the shoulders - basically a small turn or pivot. The putter swung with you at the center, or about you. The entire putting stroke is just a small arc on a tilted circle, and a two-dimensional cross section of the path on the ground is always going to be somewhat circular.

You'd have to do some really odd motions with your wrists and forearms to get the putter to travel back and through on a line, which also involves pushing the grip in a weird way. Even if you can get the putter head going SBST, you'll end up doing something funky with the face and loft. You can't putt reliably like that - too many variables and moving parts.

The only way I can see SBST happening is with a side-saddle stroke where you use your swinging arm similar to how you would use your shooting arm in billiards, and only if your putter shaft is perpendicular to the head. This way the putter isn't being swung about your torso but your one shoulder which is on the same plane as the shaft.

2 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I don't know all the different techniques, but I did try to use an arc and it just seemed impossible. Not to say it isn't a better way, it's just that trying to "open and close the gate" required timing that I can't even come close to controlling.

You might be doing too much arc. There's nothing wrong with feeling SBST. The problem with SBST is with people actually trying to make it happen.

I never liked "open and close the gate" TBH. It implies forearm rotation like you're trying to use your wrists to rotate the putter. The putter should remain relatively square to the arc.

[JonMA1]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

The entire putting stroke is just a small arc on a tilted circle, and a two-dimensional cross section of the path on the ground is always going to be somewhat circular.

Ok, that's how I understood it. This is the video I was referring to...

Is what he's saying similar to what you are saying? The shoulders turning makes sense as to why the putter head can't be SBST.

1 hour ago, billchao said:

You might be doing too much arc. There's nothing wrong with feeling SBST. The problem with SBST is with people actually trying to make it happen.

This may be the case. Or as you say, I'm feeling SBST but the putter is traveling close to a correct slight arc. Honestly, what was happening with my previous putter was the backstroke was all over the place. It wasn't straight, or square or on any kind of an even arc. The word "spastic" best describes it.

I'll do a search to see if there are any threads that discuss this in detail. Thanks again for the help Bill.

[billchao]

7 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

Ok, that's how I understood it. This is the video I was referring to...

Is what he's saying similar to what you are saying? The shoulders turning makes sense as to why the putter head can't be SBST.

Yes, the putter goes slightly in-to-in with the face staying square to the arc in an ideal stroke. That doesn't mean it's the only functional stroke. There are people who play at high levels slightly in-to-out and out-to-in, it's about consistency and reliability. But never SBST.

12 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

This may be the case. Or as you say, I'm feeling SBST but the putter is traveling close to a correct slight arc.

Right. Feeling an arc might make you take it too far in on the backswing, whereas feeling you're taking it straight back gets you a better path. It's important with feels to use what works for you.

16 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

Honestly, what was happening with my previous putter was the backstroke was all over the place. It wasn't straight, or square or on any kind of an even arc. The word "spastic" best describes it.

You switched from a mallet to a blade, right? Are the alignment aids different, too? It could entirely be the look of the putter affects how you take it back. Like I said, I was surprised how much of a difference just a single line on the club made in my backstroke.

[iacas]

On 5/6/2018 at 1:57 PM, JonMA1 said:

I don't know all the different techniques, but I did try to use an arc and it just seemed impossible. Not to say it isn't a better way, it's just that trying to "open and close the gate" required timing that I can't even come close to controlling.

If your shoulders aren't horizontal and you don't do anything with your hands, then:

• The putter head swings on an arc.
• The putter head stays relatively square to that arc.

There's really no "timing" involved.

On 5/6/2018 at 4:10 PM, billchao said:

SBST doesn't happen because the conventional putter has a lie angle < 90°.

That doesn't matter so much. It's more about the angle of your shoulders, the axis about which you rotate. If it's horizontal, then you can be SBST. Even if the putter shaft has a 15° lie angle. 🙂

A and B could be SBST. C would probably not be.