How can you figure out what kind of putting stoke you have?

[TCNorthstars]

Not sure if I am an arc putter or a sbst. Is there a simple test to determine this?

[atlanta golfer]

I struggle with this because for any putt longer than about 10 feet, there is no such thing as sbst. It's not physcially possible for a human. And any basic putting instruction I have ever seen teaches the same thing - a rocking of the shoulders that produces a slight arc. All of the putting guides / aids also have a slight arc to them. Is this a difference in perception only?

[scotchblade]

[quote name='atlanta golfer' date='30 April 2010 - 09:55 PM' timestamp='1272678936' post='2411119']
It's (SBST) not physically possible for a human.
[/quote]
I agree, I can't think of anything more unnatural than trying to keep your putter on a line with face square to it at all times, as shown in the Pelz book. It may work for his little putting robot, but not for us. We are off to the side with an inclined plane. How in the hootin' owl are you supposed to then produce a stroke like a vertical pendulum? This hole SBST thing is a bunch of malarkey.

Try this. Set up near a wall with the toe of the putter very close to it, the face perpendicular to the wall. Make your stroke. Does the putter come inside, return to square and go back inside? Or does it want to hug the wall? If it hugs the wall, this is SBST.

[mister2cool]

It's very easy to find out what kind of putting stroke you have. Instead of lining up to one ball at the center of the putter, take two balls line them up one at the toe and one at heel. Hit your normal putt at both of them. If the toe one goes much further than the heel one, you are an arc putter. If they both travel about the same distance, you are a sbst putter. Try it.

[robbie91]

[quote name='mister2cool' date='01 May 2010 - 01:11 AM' timestamp='1272690665' post='2411440']
It's very easy to find out what kind of putting stroke you have. Instead of lining up to one ball at the center of the putter, take two balls line them up one at the toe and one at heel. Hit your normal putt at both of them. If the toe one goes much further than the heel one, you are an arc putter. If they both travel about the same distance, you are a sbst putter. Try it.
[/quote]

thats pretty cool -- never heard that one before

[PuttingDoctor]

If you actually want a picture of the stroke get a SAM PuttLab session done. The overhead and side views will tell all but the overhead will answer the question about shape.

Below is a classic pull putt.