Lately I've been pulling short putts. I was at the putting green the other day, determined to make 10 3 footers in a row. To show you how bad my putting was, in 30 minutes my best effort was 8. I then thought, 'If you're pulling putts, just open the clubface a little.' So at address I opened the clubface a small amount, and immediately made 20 3 footers in a row? But is this ingraining a bad habit; a quick fix? Should I go ahead and try to change my putting stroke or grip instead?
If the adjustment only works from 3 feet (but not from 6 feet, 9 feet, etc.) you may be ingraining a bad habit. If it works from anywhere, you may be onto something!
Were you fit for your putter??? There might be some corrections as far as loft and lie that could be hurting you. A major problem for a lot of people is lie. People that putt with the toe up tend to pull it. Have someone watch you to make sure your toe isn't in the air.
Were you fit for your putter??? There might be some corrections as far as loft and lie that could be hurting you. A major problem for a lot of people is lie. People that putt with the toe up tend to pull it. Have someone watch you to make sure your toe isn't in the air.
Ryan
Excellent point!
Also be sure to read the following threads on putter-length:
I have hit some putters that had the lie messed up for me, the toe of the putter was off the ground. Everything I hit was being pushed to the right. Changed it to a flat lie putter and came back in the center of the cup. But what you are doing is big time bad. If you groove that swing for the next year, your putting will get worse every year after that times 10. Plus once you do get it fit for you or figure it out, your goign to have a hard time adjusting back to aiming straight at the cup with a square club face.
my game is coming on not too bad,playing since last august,i,m hitting straight drives recently but watching a friend aiming left to compensate for slice,trying to explain to him because i,ve been there that compensation doesnt work,ie if something is wrong then don,t do something else wrong to make up for it,why not try a few friends putters out on your next round,i,m sure they won,t mind and it might tell you wether yours is the correct set up for you
Were you fit for your putter??? There might be some corrections as far as loft and lie that could be hurting you. A major problem for a lot of people is lie. People that putt with the toe up tend to pull it. Have someone watch you to make sure your toe isn't in the air.
Ryan
Agree with Ryan but the first thing I would check is the grip. I've seen them installed misaligned so that when you take your normal grip, the putter face is either closed or open. So, it may not be your stroke at all but, then again, it may, combined with a putter that doesn't fit you or your stroke. Putters, such as face balanced (which could apply to a mallet or heel/toe weighted), or blade style putters, etc., work best with different types of strokes. Get on the practice green and experiment.
Jerry
Thanks for all the information. I tried some center shafted putters at a golf store and hit them better than my blade. My putter is 33" or 34", I don't know which, though, so it's not that long. I saw a coupon for a putter fitting at Golf Galaxy for only $10, plus the cost of the adjustments. I think I might try that.
Also, before I get fit I might try putting some lead tape on the toe of the putter. I want my putter to be a little heavier and was going to do that anyways, so maybe putting the lead tape on the toe will help with the pulls. Should I counter the weight with weight on the grip end?
And no, I don't open the putterface on longer putts, so I'm not going to do that on 3 footers. And I missed some short putts like that in earlier rounds. What's weird is that both instructors I've had lessons with recently (one moved) said my stroke is fine, and other people say it's smooth. That makes me think even more that it's the putter.
Lately I've been pulling short putts. I was at the putting green the other day, determined to make 10 3 footers in a row. To show you how bad my putting was, in 30 minutes my best effort was 8. I then thought, 'If you're pulling putts, just open the clubface a little.' So at address I opened the clubface a small amount, and immediately made 20 3 footers in a row? But is this ingraining a bad habit; a quick fix? Should I go ahead and try to change my putting stroke or grip instead?
I think your getting into a bad habbit your probably to active with the wrist through the ball try not breaking you wrist through the whole putt.
Lately I've been pulling short putts. I was at the putting green the other day, determined to make 10 3 footers in a row. To show you how bad my putting was, in 30 minutes my best effort was 8. I then thought, 'If you're pulling putts, just open the clubface a little.' So at address I opened the clubface a small amount, and immediately made 20 3 footers in a row? But is this ingraining a bad habit; a quick fix? Should I go ahead and try to change my putting stroke or grip instead?
I agree with most of the other posts here...Don't ingrain a bad habit. May I suggest that you might not be pulling the ball so much as lining the shot up with the wrong eye. Make sure your dominate eye is the one you are using to line up the putt and also that it is the one directly over the ball when you putt. It may seem a little awkward at first but I think you'll like the results...Unless you have the Y***. In which case...who knows what can help.
I think everyone above has some valid points that can fit different situations. Like ThreeFeathers alluded to, when I am pulling the putt, visual perception tends to be my problem...I'll set up closed thinking I'm square to the line, and then "shove" the putt. I like to practice with a chalk line on the practice green to work on this.
BTW, ThreeFeathers...thanks for not spelling out that dreaded disease!
Spell it? I can't even SAY it! Wanted to mention also that I find my line is MUCH better when I line up, Place the putter in front of the ball to check the face angle and then in back for the stroke. The ball gets in the way of setting a proper face alignment (at least for me) If you aren't already doing this, give it a try.
July 8th, 2006, 01:27 AM
Wanted to mention also that I find my line is MUCH better when I line up, Place the putter in front of the ball to check the face angle and then in back for the stroke. The ball gets in the way of setting a proper face alignment (at least for me) If you aren't already doing this, give it a try.
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