Bobby Locke putting technique. Worth copying?

[darecki]

I'm sorry if this topic has been already discussed.

What's all about Bobby Locke? He's regarded as the best putter ever while his technique is not regarded to be orthodox at all. Is it worth copying? Or golf gods made it just for him?

[Maximilian]

It's worth trying anything! But I wouldn't beat yourself up if it doesn't work for you.

 

I believe it's very important for everyone to find a posture and setup that 1. you see the line with and 2. feels natural and relaxed. Everyone see's the line from slightly different places, that's why many of the worlds greatest putters don't have similar setups to each other. Bobby found his, but if that particular way doesn't feel natural to you, I kind of doubt it will be what you find the most success with.

 

Good luck!

M

[bluedot]

Bobby Locke wasn't the putter he was because of technique, and he might be better viewed as a great putter in spite of technique.

 

Here are a couple of general rules for viewing great athletes in any sport. Keep Locke in mind, but also think about Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, and many, many others. Azinger and Duval played fades with extremely strong grips; that doesn't mean I can. DJ plays with a very cupped wrist at the top of his backswing; that doesn't mean I can.

 

1. What you can learn about how to play a sport by watching the very elite professionals is often very limited. They are just different, and they are more different than many people watching them really understand.

 

2. The more unusual the things that you are seeing an elite professional doing, even compared to other elite professionals, the less that has to do with what you and I can replicate.

 

3. Often, very gifted elite professionals don't make good coaches/instructors because even they do not understand their gifts; it's all they've ever been. Trying to replicate their methods isn't the answer; it's their gifts combined with REALLY hard work that made them who they are, and you can't replicate their gifts even if you can work as hard.

 

Long way of saying to stay with conventional putting instructors like Utley, Stockton, Pelz and the like.

[augustgolf]

Locke also played during an era where the greens were nothing like today's pool table tops

[darecki]

Well, ok. I thought rolling the ball on a flat surface had much less variables than full swing and some elements could be copied. I mean in the era of hitec instruments some smart brains can determine why Lockes style of putting was so effective.Thanks for the answers.

[rufus mangler]

I say try it and see. I find that a change, no matter if it's new, or back to the way it was, is good for anything in golf.

[greenpiece]

With the recent ban on anchored putting, I've wondered if Locke's technique of anchoring his hands against his left leg would be legal now. I've just never bothered to check the new rules to find out.

[bluedot]

Well, ok. I thought rolling the ball on a flat surface had much less variables than full swing and some elements could be copied. I mean in the era of hitec instruments some smart brains can determine why Lockes style of putting was so effective.Thanks for the answers.

 

The shorter the swing, the fewer the variables, for sure. BUT if you miss your line/target on a full swing by a foot, you aren't even aware of it, and are thrilled with the shot you hit; if you miss a putt by 6 inches, you're disappointed. With fewer variables comes smaller margins. We're all looking for a way to improve the margin of error and putt better, but unusual putting methods aren't likely to be the best answer.

 

Truly, I believe that the answer to why Locke's style was so effective was because Locke was touched by the gods with a gift. Biomechanically, I jump EXACTLY the way Jordan did, but only to about 1/4th the effect. I throw the ball the way Ryan did, but only half as fast. I do LOTS of stuff the way elite athletes do those same things, just with lesser results.

 

This is true of all of us, of course, but when you see a pro athlete whose style of play is outside the norm for other professionals, like Locke, you are seeing something that is even less likely to be something that you can or should try to duplicate. Should I try to make Furyk's backswing because he's 4th on the all-time money list? DJ's cupped wrist? Duval's fade with a strong grip? I think the best lesson from a guy like Bobby Locke is that I'm not Bobby Locke.

[darecki]

I watched a youtube clip on Locke where a guy said that his idea was to hood the head so much that he had to close his stance but it was impossible to him to turn his left hand more which sort of eliminarted missing the hole left. I wonder if it is true though.