side saddle putters - what putter are you using?

[brentflog]

Just as an FYI for the face-on guys:

 

I played a couple of Carolinas Golf Association four ball tournaments this week, and yesterday at Southern Pines GC there were four guys putting face on. These are good players, not chops, and playing tournament golf. One of the other three guys has never putted any other way. The other two went to it six or seven years ago before and unrelated to the anchoring ban, so at just three years, I'm the newbie, I guess.

 

I could be wrong about this, but just looking at the practice green before the tournament started, I am guessing that the face on guys actually outnumbered the guys who are still using the long putter but not anchoring. While I was a couple of those guys, there don't seem to be many left. When I DO see somebody putting that way, I find myself wanting to do an intervention and ask them, "Hey, you've already done the hard part by converting distance control from two hands to one; why don't you just make it REALLY easy and face the hole?" But I don't...

 

One other interesting note that I think I've mentioned before: In casual rounds, when I get paired up with somebody who sees face on for the first time, the freak-out quotient is VERY high, and especially among guys who believe they are good but just having a bad day. But in tournament play among good golfers playing competitively, nobody even looks twice, much less says anything. Just interesting...

 

Anyway, thought those of you that probably sometimes feel like you're swimming upstream might enjoy knowing that there are serious golfers out there competing this way.

 

 

 

What kind of putters were they using?

[bluedot]

Just as an FYI for the face-on guys:

 

I played a couple of Carolinas Golf Association four ball tournaments this week, and yesterday at Southern Pines GC there were four guys putting face on. These are good players, not chops, and playing tournament golf. One of the other three guys has never putted any other way. The other two went to it six or seven years ago before and unrelated to the anchoring ban, so at just three years, I'm the newbie, I guess.

 

I could be wrong about this, but just looking at the practice green before the tournament started, I am guessing that the face on guys actually outnumbered the guys who are still using the long putter but not anchoring. While I was a couple of those guys, there don't seem to be many left. When I DO see somebody putting that way, I find myself wanting to do an intervention and ask them, "Hey, you've already done the hard part by converting distance control from two hands to one; why don't you just make it REALLY easy and face the hole?" But I don't...

 

One other interesting note that I think I've mentioned before: In casual rounds, when I get paired up with somebody who sees face on for the first time, the freak-out quotient is VERY high, and especially among guys who believe they are good but just having a bad day. But in tournament play among good golfers playing competitively, nobody even looks twice, much less says anything. Just interesting...

 

Anyway, thought those of you that probably sometimes feel like you're swimming upstream might enjoy knowing that there are serious golfers out there competing this way.

 

 

 

What kind of putters were they using?

 

One guy uses an old Ping B90 long putter; it was at 80* anyway. A second guy alternates between a 2-ball made for face on and a custom component head that he built. Third guy has a Boccieri that he had them build to his specs off a drawing he sent them. And I use a Directed Force. There's another guy who wasn't there on Tuesday; he uses the GP putter.

 

It was interesting to me that I seem to be the only one using the palm facing grip with the bottom hand; the others all use a pencil or saw grip. I did that at the beginning, but went to the palm facing after several months; I think I'll give the pencil grip another try. It may have been that the palm facing felt stronger when I switched to the JuanPutt, which is much heavier.

[J_Tizzle]

Played a few rounds this year. Been using a shorter putter for the first few this year just to see what its like. And I tell you what, I just putt better side saddle.

 

Sent one of my LFI off to the Grace shop to have a shaft replaced and adjusted a bit, got my other 2 in my home office and working on hitting my 100 putts a night on my Pelz Truth Board. This year I want to focus on my speed with the side saddle and having a better feel, so I can adjust to different speed greens as I play different courses. My home course has glass greens and I'm pretty solid with it on those greens, but if I play on a course with a little more texture on the greens everything is 2ft short right in the gut. I think its due to me not accelerating through the putt, but having my back and forward strokes being more the same speed works great on the glass greens, but not the hairier ones.

[BigEx44]

Played a few rounds this year. Been using a shorter putter for the first few this year just to see what its like. And I tell you what, I just putt better side saddle.

 

Sent one of my LFI off to the Grace shop to have a shaft replaced and adjusted a bit, got my other 2 in my home office and working on hitting my 100 putts a night on my Pelz Truth Board. This year I want to focus on my speed with the side saddle and having a better feel, so I can adjust to different speed greens as I play different courses. My home course has glass greens and I'm pretty solid with it on those greens, but if I play on a course with a little more texture on the greens everything is 2ft short right in the gut. I think its due to me not accelerating through the putt, but having my back and forward strokes being more the same speed works great on the glass greens, but not the hairier ones.

 

I putted sidesaddle last year with a DF putter and had a pretty good year. I really like the DF putter.

 

But...since I always tinker and experiment...I bought a Bobby Grace F22 sidesaddle putter with a KA shaft this past winter.

 

Have been putting with it on my indoor putting green and it seems to be outperforming my DF (I seem to be able to line it up better)

 

However, the moment of truth will be when I get on the real greens!

[Ripper212]

Played a few rounds this year. Been using a shorter putter for the first few this year just to see what its like. And I tell you what, I just putt better side saddle.

 

Sent one of my LFI off to the Grace shop to have a shaft replaced and adjusted a bit, got my other 2 in my home office and working on hitting my 100 putts a night on my Pelz Truth Board. This year I want to focus on my speed with the side saddle and having a better feel, so I can adjust to different speed greens as I play different courses. My home course has glass greens and I'm pretty solid with it on those greens, but if I play on a course with a little more texture on the greens everything is 2ft short right in the gut. I think its due to me not accelerating through the putt, but having my back and forward strokes being more the same speed works great on the glass greens, but not the hairier ones.

 

I putted sidesaddle last year with a DF putter and had a pretty good year. I really like the DF putter.

 

But...since I always tinker and experiment...I bought a Bobby Grace F22 sidesaddle putter with a KA shaft this past winter.

 

Have been putting with it on my indoor putting green and it seems to be outperforming my DF (I seem to be able to line it up better)

 

However, the moment of truth will be when I get on the real greens!

 

What are the differences between the F22 and the LFI?

Let me know if you consider selling the DF!

[J_Tizzle]

Played a few rounds this year. Been using a shorter putter for the first few this year just to see what its like. And I tell you what, I just putt better side saddle.

 

Sent one of my LFI off to the Grace shop to have a shaft replaced and adjusted a bit, got my other 2 in my home office and working on hitting my 100 putts a night on my Pelz Truth Board. This year I want to focus on my speed with the side saddle and having a better feel, so I can adjust to different speed greens as I play different courses. My home course has glass greens and I'm pretty solid with it on those greens, but if I play on a course with a little more texture on the greens everything is 2ft short right in the gut. I think its due to me not accelerating through the putt, but having my back and forward strokes being more the same speed works great on the glass greens, but not the hairier ones.

 

I putted sidesaddle last year with a DF putter and had a pretty good year. I really like the DF putter.

 

But...since I always tinker and experiment...I bought a Bobby Grace F22 sidesaddle putter with a KA shaft this past winter.

 

Have been putting with it on my indoor putting green and it seems to be outperforming my DF (I seem to be able to line it up better)

 

However, the moment of truth will be when I get on the real greens!

 

What are the differences between the F22 and the LFI?

Let me know if you consider selling the DF!

 

I sent a LFI into BG to get the shaft adjusted and replaced and he said he'd have to drill another hole in the putter to get it the way I'd like, so he offered to take the LFI in on trade since it was basically brad new and put to towards a F22, that I should be receiving next week.

 

Customer service at its finest.

[brentflog]

I had an F-35. It looks pretty similar to the F-22. It was a bit bulky for me. That was when I first switched to side saddle so who knows. Hope you guys like them.

[BigEx44]

Played a few rounds this year. Been using a shorter putter for the first few this year just to see what its like. And I tell you what, I just putt better side saddle.

 

Sent one of my LFI off to the Grace shop to have a shaft replaced and adjusted a bit, got my other 2 in my home office and working on hitting my 100 putts a night on my Pelz Truth Board. This year I want to focus on my speed with the side saddle and having a better feel, so I can adjust to different speed greens as I play different courses. My home course has glass greens and I'm pretty solid with it on those greens, but if I play on a course with a little more texture on the greens everything is 2ft short right in the gut. I think its due to me not accelerating through the putt, but having my back and forward strokes being more the same speed works great on the glass greens, but not the hairier ones.

 

I putted sidesaddle last year with a DF putter and had a pretty good year. I really like the DF putter.

 

But...since I always tinker and experiment...I bought a Bobby Grace F22 sidesaddle putter with a KA shaft this past winter.

 

Have been putting with it on my indoor putting green and it seems to be outperforming my DF (I seem to be able to line it up better)

 

However, the moment of truth will be when I get on the real greens!

 

What are the differences between the F22 and the LFI?

Let me know if you consider selling the DF!

 

The F22 has a bigger head - both in size and weight. The LFI was just a tad too light for me.

[PGATourDriven]

Just bought a left handed STX Sync 3 bowtie putter 42 inches with the black insert. Which is supposed to be the softest insert, so now I have both the red and black insert and ill see which one I like better then that will become my gamer. I will post some pictures once it comes in in a couple of days.

[PGATourDriven]

thank you bobcat for the link. I do not suffer from the yips, I actually am a good conventional putter. I am putting this way because in my opinion it is an easier way to putt. I make a lot more 3-5 footers and my lag putting has improved tremendously. I honestly do not see myself going back to conventional putting ever again.

[J_Tizzle]

thank you bobcat for the link. I do not suffer from the yips, I actually am a good conventional putter. I am putting this way because in my opinion it is an easier way to putt. I make a lot more 3-5 footers and my lag putting has improved tremendously. I honestly do not see myself going back to conventional putting ever again.

 

Yeah mine isn't as much a yip issue as it is just a consistency issue. I start a side saddle on line more consistently than I ever have a short putter. More on line means more putts drop.

[brentflog]

thank you bobcat for the link. I do not suffer from the yips, I actually am a good conventional putter. I am putting this way because in my opinion it is an easier way to putt. I make a lot more 3-5 footers and my lag putting has improved tremendously. I honestly do not see myself going back to conventional putting ever again.

 

Yeah mine isn't as much a yip issue as it is just a consistency issue. I start a side saddle on line more consistently than I ever have a short putter. More on line means more putts drop.

 

Me too. I get the ball started down the intended line almost every time side saddle. It doesn't help you read greens though and i can be quite dyslexic at that sometimes.

[brentflog]

I have this putter one the way. I have been looking for a non-center shafted putter that doesn't have offset. It is an Edel Torque balanced putter.

 

 

[PreppySlapCut]

Always felt that the DeVicenzo would make a great side saddle putter. Have fun!

[bluedot]

Forget about side saddle putting!...Try this instead!

 

New to -left hand low- (cross handed) putting; a couple questions - Instruction & Academy - GolfWRX

 

 

:golfer:

 

Bobcat,

I don't think those of us that have converted to face on/side saddle putting are looking for a way to go back to conventional putting. I think most of us wonder why more people don't putt one-handed while facing the hole.

 

You can hold the putter any way that you want to, but you're still trying to coordinate two hands, trying stay still while in a dynamic position designed for motion, and fight through the parallax problem of standing beside the line of play instead of behind it. If that makes sense to you, that's good, but it doesn't to me.

 

Imagine this: if on Saturday, free throw shooters from 'Nova, KU, Loyola, and Michigan stood sideways and shot across their body with two hands, what do you think the combined FT percentage for the two teams would be? Put another way, why to free throw shooters face the basket and use one hand instead of two?

 

Just food for thought...

[bobcat]

Bobcat,

I don't think those of us that have converted to face on/side saddle putting are looking for a way to go back to conventional putting. I think most of us wonder why more people don't putt one-handed while facing the hole.

 

Fair enough bluedot, I understand your rationale...

 

I just deleted my original post, so if you can simply delete the quote of it above, the LINK to the other thread will be all gone!

 

Sorry for the intrusion!

 

Cheers!

 

 

:golfer:

[brentflog]

Bobcat,

I don't think those of us that have converted to face on/side saddle putting are looking for a way to go back to conventional putting. I think most of us wonder why more people don't putt one-handed while facing the hole.

 

Fair enough, and I do understand...

 

I deleted my original post, so if you'll just delete the quote, the link will be all gone!

 

Cheers!

 

No need to delete. You were just trying to help and a good discussion is fine for all. I appreciate your thoughts.

[bluedot]

Bobcat,

I don't think those of us that have converted to face on/side saddle putting are looking for a way to go back to conventional putting. I think most of us wonder why more people don't putt one-handed while facing the hole.

 

Fair enough, and I do understand...

 

I deleted my original post, so if you'll just delete the quote, the link will be all gone!

 

Cheers!

 

No need to delete. You were just trying to help and a good discussion is fine for all. I appreciate your thoughts.

 

Agreed; no worries, Bobcat! It's a good discussion, and those are hard to come by on the internet!

 

Really, I'm in NO way an evangelist for putting this way, though I realize it may come across that way on this site. I NEVER talk about what I'm doing with another golfer unless they ask, and I NEVER recommend that they do it; it's not a magic trick, and some pretty hard, intentional work has to go into the conversion. And at that, I have a different perspective from most, maybe, in that I was a HS basketball coach for 39 years and worked with a zillion kids on free throw shooting; I always thought that putting and free throw shooting were very similar mentally, and when I made the switch to face on putting three years ago, the similarity in the physical part was just startling to me. I used to tell kids, "If you get in a good start position, and get to a good finish position, there just isn't much that can go wrong in between."

 

And so it is with face on, simply because you aren't worried anymore about moving or having your wrists break down, or any of that. You just pick the line, and roll the ball on that line; everything is moving toward the hole, which you are looking right at. It's good stuff, really.

[BigEx44]

 

Really, I'm in NO way an evangelist for putting this way, though I realize it may come across that way on this site. I NEVER talk about what I'm doing with another golfer unless they ask, and I NEVER recommend that they do it; it's not a magic trick, and some pretty hard, intentional work has to go into the conversion. And at that, I have a different perspective from most, maybe, in that I was a HS basketball coach for 39 years and worked with a zillion kids on free throw shooting; I always thought that putting and free throw shooting were very similar mentally, and when I made the switch to face on putting three years ago, the similarity in the physical part was just startling to me. I used to tell kids, "If you get in a good start position, and get to a good finish position, there just isn't much that can go wrong in between."

 

And so it is with face on, simply because you aren't worried anymore about moving or having your wrists break down, or any of that. You just pick the line, and roll the ball on that line; everything is moving toward the hole, which you are looking right at. It's good stuff, really.

 

Last year I experimented with the Jim Venetos golf swing. First video's I sent him were of me putting.

I was curious as to what he'd think about this style of putting.

I thought his comments about the "sidesaddle" putting style were pretty insightful.

Here they are (if the links still work)

https://www.powerchalk.com/video/102708_EKH5-I9UU-7I71-QWE0-3109-3469-CHLK/play/embed

https://www.powerchalk.com/video/102708_L9FQ-O4W4-45L7-9015-3168-5102-CHLK/play/embed

[bluedot]

Really, I'm in NO way an evangelist for putting this way, though I realize it may come across that way on this site. I NEVER talk about what I'm doing with another golfer unless they ask, and I NEVER recommend that they do it; it's not a magic trick, and some pretty hard, intentional work has to go into the conversion. And at that, I have a different perspective from most, maybe, in that I was a HS basketball coach for 39 years and worked with a zillion kids on free throw shooting; I always thought that putting and free throw shooting were very similar mentally, and when I made the switch to face on putting three years ago, the similarity in the physical part was just startling to me. I used to tell kids, "If you get in a good start position, and get to a good finish position, there just isn't much that can go wrong in between."

 

And so it is with face on, simply because you aren't worried anymore about moving or having your wrists break down, or any of that. You just pick the line, and roll the ball on that line; everything is moving toward the hole, which you are looking right at. It's good stuff, really.

 

Last year I experimented with the Jim Venetos golf swing. First video's I sent him were of me putting.

I was curious as to what he'd think about this style of putting.

I thought his comments about the "sidesaddle" putting style were pretty insightful.

Here they are (if the links still work)

https://www.powercha...CHLK/play/embed

https://www.powercha...CHLK/play/embed

 

Cool! Thanks!

[J_Tizzle]

Really, I'm in NO way an evangelist for putting this way, though I realize it may come across that way on this site. I NEVER talk about what I'm doing with another golfer unless they ask, and I NEVER recommend that they do it; it's not a magic trick, and some pretty hard, intentional work has to go into the conversion. And at that, I have a different perspective from most, maybe, in that I was a HS basketball coach for 39 years and worked with a zillion kids on free throw shooting; I always thought that putting and free throw shooting were very similar mentally, and when I made the switch to face on putting three years ago, the similarity in the physical part was just startling to me. I used to tell kids, "If you get in a good start position, and get to a good finish position, there just isn't much that can go wrong in between."

 

And so it is with face on, simply because you aren't worried anymore about moving or having your wrists break down, or any of that. You just pick the line, and roll the ball on that line; everything is moving toward the hole, which you are looking right at. It's good stuff, really.

 

Last year I experimented with the Jim Venetos golf swing. First video's I sent him were of me putting.

I was curious as to what he'd think about this style of putting.

I thought his comments about the "sidesaddle" putting style were pretty insightful.

Here they are (if the links still work)

https://www.powercha...CHLK/play/embed

https://www.powercha...CHLK/play/embed

 

Cool! Thanks!

 

Really cool stuff.

 

Once you get past the people giving you crap for putting unconventionally (which seems weird still with the claws and left hand lows out there), I've only had people say "well it makes sense for sure, but I could never do it".

[J_Tizzle]

Just got my F22 from BG. Don't see how this doesn't immediately make the bag. Its so good...

[BigEx44]

Just got my F22 from BG. Don't see how this doesn't immediately make the bag. Its so good...

 

With the AK shaft?

I love mine.

So far - its been outperforming my DF on my indoor putting green. Need to see if that holds for the real greens.

But the BG F22 will have the first crack at my bag this spring!

[PGATourDriven]

Just bought the GP putter. I originally bought it in right handed when I first started side saddle not knowing that your dominant hand should be on the bottom of the club acting as the piston. So that’s why I didn’t like the putter originally. So we’ll see how this one goes when I use it correctly. I got it at 50 inches long which will be the longest side saddle putter I’ve ever used. I usually use a 43 inch but I went with what he recommends on his website. Pictures will follow once it gets here.

[BigEx44]

Just bought the GP putter. I originally bought it in right handed when I first started side saddle not knowing that your dominant hand should be on the bottom of the club acting as the piston. So that’s why I didn’t like the putter originally. So we’ll see how this one goes when I use it correctly. I got it at 50 inches long which will be the longest side saddle putter I’ve ever used. I usually use a 43 inch but I went with what he recommends on his website. Pictures will follow once it gets here.

 

That's a nice putter. I have one of those in my "collection" of side saddle putters.

It ended up being a little too light for my tastes.

Plus I think I like a bigger head.

Good luck with it. Let us know how you like it.

[J_Tizzle]

The F22 is legit. I think having the shaft set behind the face makes a big difference.

[bluedot]

Just bought the GP putter. I originally bought it in right handed when I first started side saddle not knowing that your dominant hand should be on the bottom of the club acting as the piston. So that’s why I didn’t like the putter originally. So we’ll see how this one goes when I use it correctly. I got it at 50 inches long which will be the longest side saddle putter I’ve ever used. I usually use a 43 inch but I went with what he recommends on his website. Pictures will follow once it gets here.

 

That's a nice putter. I have one of those in my "collection" of side saddle putters.

It ended up being a little too light for my tastes.

Plus I think I like a bigger head.

Good luck with it. Let us know how you like it.

 

The GP was my first face-on putter, simply by chance. I was living in Georgia at the time, but was going to be in NC the next week; PR Dionne, who makes and sells the GP, is in Raleigh. I called him to see if he had some way for me to try the putter, and he suggested the pro shop at Duke, where they stock and sell his putters retail. I went out there the first morning that I was in town and took one out to the putting green for about an hour, went back inside and bought it.

 

One additional note about getting started: based on watching Randy Haag's videos, I decided to commit to face-one for a full year, come hell or high water. One week to the day after buying the GP, I played an interclub team match for my club in Georgia, and putted face-on with the GP. None of the guys had seen me putt this way, and a lot of them, including my partner that day, had never seen ANYBODY putt that way. I was as nervous as I can remember being any time in recent memory, but I shot 76 (NOT on my home course) and putted well enough to be sure that I was on the right track. And that's one of the many really good things about face-on; the stroke holds up under pressure because you don't have to deal with the wrists breaking down. That was in May of 2015; I've never putted conventionally again.

 

I went to the JuanPutt about a month later, simply because I wanted more size and weight in the head, then settled on the Directed Force, which is somewhere in between. But the GP is still in the collection in the hall closet, and I still fiddle with it from time to time. Fwiw, I've since moved to NC, and occasionally run into PR Dionne; very nice gentleman, and a true believer in putting this way.

 

Same experience here with the GP, but I still toy with the idea of trying it again, simply because it can be held pretty much vertically.

[rexroh]

I have toyed with side saddle putting and bought a second hand GP putter. It is about 46 inches long.

I find that the head weight is too light for me and I struggle on longer putts/ I am considering finding some lead sheet and adding it to the bottom of the putter. (lead being the only legal thing to add on outside of clubs.) I am a constant tinker of clubs.

 

I have several long putters as I used to anchor until it was banned.

 

I have cut one down to about 43 inches (Ping Scotsdale pickmeup) and will try that as well.

I have read somewhere that the loft is too much on these putters for face on putting but I like to set up with forward shaft lean which is delofting the putter. I like to keep the shaft as near vertical as possible for a straight back straight thru stroke.

 

I am hoping to finish up with adjusting my Odyssey Metal X dart long, to face on putting but I don't want to cut or alter this club until I am sure the ping adjustments work. I putted better with the Odyssey.

 

Any other suggestions as to adjustments for a long putter to be converted are welcome. I live in New Zealand I and buy most of my golf gear locally and second hand. The GP putter was the only face on putter I have seen for sale here in 10 years.

[BigEx44]

If you're going to hold the shaft vertical - you'll want a putter face that has 0 degrees of loft. Be careful with this as most putter heads have 2-4 degree's of loft (the GP is fine, it's loft IS 0 degrees).

 

A forward press won't eliminate that problem. A lofted putter head, held vertical, will tend to push your putts slightly right.

[BigEx44]

 

The GP was my first face-on putter, simply by chance. I was living in Georgia at the time, but was going to be in NC the next week; PR Dionne, who makes and sells the GP, is in Raleigh. I called him to see if he had some way for me to try the putter, and he suggested the pro shop at Duke, where they stock and sell his putters retail. I went out there the first morning that I was in town and took one out to the putting green for about an hour, went back inside and bought it.

 

One additional note about getting started: based on watching Randy Haag's videos, I decided to commit to face-one for a full year, come hell or high water. One week to the day after buying the GP, I played an interclub team match for my club in Georgia, and putted face-on with the GP. None of the guys had seen me putt this way, and a lot of them, including my partner that day, had never seen ANYBODY putt that way. I was as nervous as I can remember being any time in recent memory, but I shot 76 (NOT on my home course) and putted well enough to be sure that I was on the right track. And that's one of the many really good things about face-on; the stroke holds up under pressure because you don't have to deal with the wrists breaking down. That was in May of 2015; I've never putted conventionally again.

 

I went to the JuanPutt about a month later, simply because I wanted more size and weight in the head, then settled on the Directed Force, which is somewhere in between. But the GP is still in the collection in the hall closet, and I still fiddle with it from time to time. Fwiw, I've since moved to NC, and occasionally run into PR Dionne; very nice gentleman, and a true believer in putting this way.

 

Same experience here with the GP, but I still toy with the idea of trying it again, simply because it can be held pretty much vertically.

 

That's almost my same journey. I started with the GP. Felt like I needed more weight and went to the Juan Putt. Then experimented with a Seemore SB1 because I like the feel of the face better. Then saw the claims of the DF, so had to try that out. Right now, I have the BG F22 with a AK shaft in the bag. This might be the best putter yet (for me).