Pulling short putts

[easyjay39402]

I’m a conventional putter: neutral stance square to the line with reverse overlap grip. My right arm controls my stroke, not a pendulum stroke. I’m usually a decent putter, especially reliable around 4 feet and in. Last week I started missing short putts left and I cannot fix the problem. (I’m probably going left on longer putts but it isn’t as obvious).  The mental distraction is seeping into my ability to pay attention in the rest of my game. Help!

 

 

[dennyjones]

Find a metal yard stick and practice putting the length of it.   

[iacas]

51 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

Find a metal yard stick and practice putting the length of it.   

Could also be your putter aims left.

[HonestyPolicy]

I was a teaching pro once upon a time for just a few years. Not enough money in it and I went out and found a 'real job' as they say. Of course many things can cause your putting problem, everything from set up to follow through. Everyone perceives things differently and understands things differently. Some are visual, some or auditory, others are......well suffice it to say everyone is different and what works for one does not for the other. Best advise I have is see an experienced teaching pro for the help you need. That all said.....

I found many right-handers who miss left a lot have a problem with an over active left hand. Assuming you are right handed, try practice putting with just your right hand. Completely take your left hand off the club. Are you still missing left? If not then it could be an over active left hand. Many people have learned to correct their slice by getting their left hand more active in their full swing. I'm not saying this is the way to correct a slice, I'm just saying many people have self taught themselves to mediate their slice by flipping their left hand. Then when they go to putt their left hand wants to get involved too much. 

Assuming you are aimed properly, either your path is out-to-in pulling it slightly, or your cub face is closed at address or maybe a little of both. My advise above is just a guess for you based on my experience teaching putting for a few years. A club pro will properly diagnose the problem for you, for a price of course, and give you the drills necessary to remedy your problem.  Good Luck!

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by HonestyPolicy
spelling

[Bob Mac]

Do your hips move/turn when you putt?

[MrGolfguy67]

Aim further right

 

 

 

 

 

 

(it's a joke, calm down )

easyjay i hope you work it out, no worries

[Groucho Valentine]

You could be aiming the face left, your path pulls across the ball, a number of things. But since you mentioned right hand i'll add that sometimes i have a tendency to stop my left hand and push through the ball with my right hand. Sort of like a flipping action. When i do this the face closes and the ball darts left. Doing the one armed putting drill on each side is a good way for me to alleviate that and get everything (shoulders, arms and hands) in sync. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Groucho Valentine

[Patch]

Pulling putts happens to me when I am not careful. The problem just sort of "creeps" in all of a sudden. Length of putt doesn't matter, but the problem is more noticeable on shorter putts. I missed the same one foot putt, four times, in a row, while practicing one day. 

In my case, I have to mentally make sure I start my back stroke with my non dominant left hand. (I am right handed) If I start the back stroke with my right hand, I will pull my putts just about everytime. My stroke comes from out side, to in, and I contact the ball nearer the heel of the putter face.

Mentally starting my putting stroke with my left hand usually fixes the problem.

My putting drill is to put a coin (dime, nickle, or penny) on the turf, about 12 - 18 inches in front of the ball, and practice putting the ball over the coin to show I am hitting a straight putt.. 

Also, the putter I use is designed for a more straight back, straight foreward putting stroke, since it is a face balanced putter. So says the manufacturer. 

[Buckeyebowman]

11 hours ago, iacas said:

Could also be your putter aims left.

You know what? I've pulled a number of putters off the racks at local stores, and quite a few of them seem to be aimed left of what I thought they should be!

And as far as starting the back stroke with the left hand or the right hand, how about just holding the handle in both hands and rocking your shoulders?!

[dchoye]

When I started playing golf Most of my short putt misses are pushes and when I started using the line on the ball the pushes disappeared 

Short pulled putts happen more now and when it does I agree the poster about over active left arm.  Just use the forehand only to putt with and relax the other arm 

Edited August 15, 2018 by dchoye

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Buckeyebowman said:

You know what? I've pulled a number of putters off the racks at local stores, and quite a few of them seem to be aimed left of what I thought they should be!

That's not what I mean.

[Piz]

Chances are you are looking to see where the putt goes before you have sent it on its way.  That is very easy to do inside four feet.  From farther away you look at the line...not the hole.  Closer in shifts the focus...of course it does...because it seems worse to miss from 4 than to miss from 8.  That is why it is difficult not to have a peek.

[Buckeyebowman]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

That's not what I mean.

Oh. So you mean the golfer is aiming the putter left of where they should be.

I'm no stranger to that. My main golf buddy does that constantly. He aims left and tries to "shove" the ball onto the correct line. No matter how many times I've told him about it (always with his permission), he can't seem to work his way out of it.

Despite this, he is a better putter than the above description might lead you to believe. I guess he's just gotten used to it.

[tristanhilton85]

14 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Oh. So you mean the golfer is aiming the putter left of where they should be.

I'm no stranger to that. My main golf buddy does that constantly. He aims left and tries to "shove" the ball onto the correct line. No matter how many times I've told him about it (always with his permission), he can't seem to work his way out of it.

Despite this, he is a better putter than the above description might lead you to believe. I guess he's just gotten used to it.

Basically everybody sees a bit differently, so it very likely could be that when the OP aims the putter "square" it is actually aimed a little to the left. You or I could aim the same putter square and have different results. With the same putter, what looks square to me might be a little right and for you what looks square could be a little left.

You can have putters fit to you so that they are square to the line when you think they are.

[easyjay39402]

Update: Found a good YouTube video of Tiger practicing putting with only his right arm.

While using the right arm only drill, I discovered that my right hand has rotated towards the upper bevel of the grip, forcing my right elbow out.  Combine this with looking over at the cup during the stroke and I get a putt that always goes left. 

Thanks for all the insightful advice! Working out the solution these types of problems is one of the fun aspects of golf.

[The Recreational Golfer]

You might think you have a neutral stance, but your hips are canted slightly to the left. Have someone check this for you.

[easyjay39402]

Thanks again, guys. Based on my last two outings, I can state with confidence that my short putt problem is resolved. Inside of 4 feet I am once again solid.

Unfortunately, I have NEVER been any good with lag/long distance putting. For some reason, I enjoy practicing short putts, but the long ones ... not so much 🤮