How do you groove a straight back, straight through putting stroke?

[i_luv_golf_]

Help me, I miss around 3 2 footers and 8 3 footers a round

So since my ballstriking has got a lot better of late I am now hitting the ball on the green more.

From literally 0/18
To 7-9/18

I have a wedge into 4/5 of em for GIR.
So I'm doing great basically...............

BUT

I 3 Putt At Least 2 Times A Round.

And I always 3 putt at least one green I hit

The problem is my putter goes outside on the way back, cutting across the ball causing a HUGE push.

Would 2 2x4's work.

I am using a normal ping ally putter.


Please help, if I could putt half decent I coul drop 4-5 shots.

[Steve_FLA]

I suggest reading one of Dave Pelz's books on putting. In his books he outlines numerous putting drills that will improve your stroke along with proper swing mechanics. Putting is the simplest swing in golf...but it takes the most practice.

 

If you want to do the straight back-straight through path on your stroke (which Pelz recommends) then you are going down the right path using an aid to help you with that. 2x4's would work. The idea is to space them apart so you have about a 1/4" space on either side of your putter. Then practice making your stroke and not hitting either side of the 2x4's. Its harder than it sounds.

 

Their are also a lot of other factors to consider (your head over the ball, hand positions, grip, stance, etc.). So I do suggest reading his book or getting a lesson. You could have a perfect straight back and through stroke and still miss putts because of other flaws.

 

-Steve

[Goose]

IF you dont mind going to a slightly inside to inside stroke go and get a Putting arc. it is the best traineing aid available. go to www.theputtingarc.com or to your local golf shop which should carry them

 

 

goose

[rama5]

I had a time last year I was the same way, great putting until the 3-4 foot range, I worked on a "new"stroke over last winter. Friends laughed at me until I started putting "spot on" as the Scots would say. I changed to a cross handed grip, for putting. This grip did it all with the straightening of my swing and took the "yips" with it.

[RobotDoctor]

Make sure your putter is at the correct length. Your arms should hang straight down when holding the putter. Many people have putters that are too long and manipulate their arms to hold it. For me, a 33 inch putter is correct so I have to cut down putters or purchase a 33 inch putter. Cutting down putters makes them too light so I add a few grams of lead tape for proper weighting and feel.

[sevenfourate]

So since my ballstriking has got a lot better of late I am now hitting the ball on the green more.

 

From literally 0/18

To 7-9/18

 

I have a wedge into 4/5 of em for GIR.

So I'm doing great basically...............

 

BUT

 

I 3 Putt At Least 2 Times A Round.

 

And I always 3 putt at least one green I hit

 

The problem is my putter goes outside on the way back, cutting across the ball causing a HUGE push.

 

Would 2 2x4's work.

 

I am using a normal ping ally putter.

 

 

Please help, if I could putt half decent I coul drop 4-5 shots.

 

 

You'll probably find a face balanced putter would help,and compliment your stroke if your going to a straight back-straight through action.

 

I also dont understand the part about "cutting across the ball causing a HUGE push" ? Cutting across it may well cause you to apply clockwise spin (I presume your right handed) and the ball may well curve to the right somewhat,but a push will start straight right which would indicate an in-to-out stroke to your aiming point ???????

[Pingnut]

If your putter has a sight line - practice your stroke over a visable line on the floor take long strokes and keep the sight line over the line on the floor.

[creecool]

Try a gate drill on the putting green with two tees placed 1/4 " outside your putter,work on two and three footers , accelerating and releasing the putter towards the hole,making sure you pick a putt without a lot of break to groove your stroke. good luck

[i_luv_golf_]

This arc has really confused me with all its technical mumbo jumbo

 

But it seems a straight back, straight through putting stroke is only do-able by manipulating the clubface or changing your spine angle.

 

Also when I saw the pictures of it I realised how small of an arc it is.

I changed to an overlap rather than my old interlock putting grip yesterday and it really helped, my stroke looked really straight for short strokes and for longer ones I was just a bit more arcish.

 

Also the world #1 uses an arc for his stroke and look how good he is at putting.

 

The only thing is which one will I get?

 

The heavy wooden one is v.expensive!

[RobotDoctor]

Dave Pelz has items for sale that might help with the straight back/straight through style. He does have a putting accuracy kit (3 putter clip ons/stick ons) that narrow the contact surface of the putter. I have this kit and it works well.

 

I have read his book and I have come to the conclusion that this method is not for me. I am more like the Ben Crenshaw style in which I allow the toe to go open (backstroke) to square (contact) to close (follow through). The blade style putters work best for that. For that matter, any putter that has 1/4 hang works well. I would recommend a mallet putter for those who want a straight back/straight through style.

[Geo]

The Pelz book is great for some diagnosis and makes for a decent reference for some people, while others swear by the Utley method (I have the Pelz bibles and like them enough to recommend them, but not enough to recommend them as a cure-all for everybody). However, in the spirit of this site I'll offer what might be some VERY sound advice . . . get a new putter. :help:

 

Actually, Pings are notoriously light in the headweight, and at 30" I'd be surprised if you were anything above a B-2 or B-3 swingweight--entirely too light, and entirely too dificult to groove any type of consistent groove. At 30" you'd need a putter to have a headweight around 380-390 grams to SW out to D-5ish (generally accepted as optimum-ish). Good luck.

 

beruo