side saddle putters - what putter are you using?

[Rohlio]

My improvement was immediate... I had 5 3 putts on the front nine... Turned to face the hole as a joke on the back nine with a conventional putter and shot -2 on the back.

 

I was so terrible with a traditional putter I never looked back. I just could not see the line when I turned sideways.

 

I immediately started hitting the line intended Everytime... Long putts took me a while to feel normal and I had to get used to actually aiming with intention (I had so little faith I could hit my line I had pretty much given up even trying to line up accurately)

 

Best of luck mate. I will never go back. According to Arrcos my putting handicap is now a +2. A long way from being the weak link of my game it used to be.

[shaolingolfer]

I bought a Scotty Cameron Big Sur S, 47" putter to use it as a broomstick putter couple weeks ago. It feel pretty good when I use it as face on putter on practice green.

[ncp10]

> @Rohlio said:

> My improvement was immediate

> Best of luck mate. I will never go back. According to Arrcos my putting handicap is now a +2. A long way from being the weak link of my game it used to be.

Well thank you for that and that is an encouraging story for sure. Do you set your putter to 90 degrees vertical in both aspects, i.e. forward backward and side to side, both at or close to true vertical? I notice in a JuanPutt photo he was playing the club true to its specified lie angle so not everyone who is proficient (presuming he is) at SS/FO putts with the shaft true vertical apparently. For the putter I bought which arguably has a loft angle greater than it needs to be at 3 degrees I'm going to have to employ a small forward press it would appear lest the push right problem.

 

[BigEx44]

> @Rohlio said:

> My improvement was immediate... I had 5 3 putts on the front nine... Turned to face the hole as a joke on the back nine with a conventional putter and shot -2 on the back.

>

> I was so terrible with a traditional putter I never looked back. I just could not see the line when I turned sideways.

>

> I immediately started hitting the line intended Everytime... Long putts took me a while to feel normal and I had to get used to actually aiming with intention (I had so little faith I could hit my line I had pretty much given up even trying to line up accurately)

>

> Best of luck mate. I will never go back. According to Arrcos my putting handicap is now a +2. A long way from being the weak link of my game it used to be.

Wow. Nice story.

I feel the same. I've grown confident that my ball will always start on my intented line.

So when I miss I putt it's due to me missing the read or not the right speed.

What putter are you using?

 

[ncp10]

> @Rohlio said:

Turned to face the hole as a joke on the back nine **with a conventional putter** and shot -2 on the back.

This makes a serious case that not all that much goes into the specifics of the putter itself--interesting! Certainly some will facilitate putting FO/SS more than others, but yes, the devil appears less in the equipment than the method. Good to know.

 

[garyt]

> @brentflog said:

> I am making the switch to side saddle putting. I have had too many rounds of 71 or 72 with 34 putts. I was curious what kind of putters are my fellow side saddlers using? right now i am trying bobby grace heavyweight champ cut down to 42 inches. it has a pretty big head though so I have a wack-e L on the way to try.

Very timely post for me as I'm just starting another go round with SS putting. I'm using a Ping B90 right now but want something deeper shaped. I was just going to Google SS putters to see what's out there. Edit to add I guess its not that timely, its 4 years old, lol

[Rohlio]

> @ncp10 said:

> > @Rohlio said:

> > My improvement was immediate

> > Best of luck mate. I will never go back. According to Arrcos my putting handicap is now a +2. A long way from being the weak link of my game it used to be.

> Well thank you for that and that is an encouraging story for sure. Do you set your putter to 90 degrees vertical in both aspects, i.e. forward backward and side to side, both at or close to true vertical? I notice in a JuanPutt photo he was playing the club true to its specified lie angle so not everyone who is proficient (presuming he is) at SS/FO putts with the shaft true vertical apparently. For the putter I bought which arguably has a loft angle greater than it needs to be at 3 degrees I'm going to have to employ a small forward press it would appear lest the push right problem.

>

 

I now use a 48" Directed force Reno 2 with 80* lie angle, I had him drill the shaft straight in with no forward lean... I make no attempt to set my shaft up vertical. I hold My L hand directly in front of my sternum (not touching or anchored for all the dbag wise guys out there). My R hand lands on the grip in a pencil grip and I just pull it back and roll the ball down my line. I have it soled when I setup so I assume the shaft is roughly 80*, then I just hover it off the ground and go. I have been doing this for about 6 years now and other than just normal go out and roll them on the green, before a round. I have never practiced my stroke sidesaddle. It just came completely naturally to me.

 

[kenstl]

Came back to this thread after playing 4 rounds of golf on vacation at Kiva Dunes. Over the past 6 years or so (after putting conventual for 30 years), I have tried a lot of putters and went face on for about two / three years. I switched back to conventional putting and arm lock putting the past two seasons for some reason, I am sure I tried a putter and had a good honeymoon. Anyway, sold all of my FO putters as I don't like to keep different styles laying around, it keeps me from switching back and forth.

 

My last round this week though, has made me question why I ever left FO putting. Hit 83% of my fairways, 61% GIR, 2 penalties, and shot an 83 from 6500 yds with four 3 putts and a total of **37 putts!**. 8 pars, 9 bogeys and a double. All of my 3 putts resulted in bogey's. I also missed at least 4 birdie putts inside 12' (one from 3'), and on a distance perspective at least 6 par putts were no more than 3'. Of the other pars, none were from making any long putts. Very frustrating to say the least. Not good when you line up the line on your ball and after you strike it, it is wobbling to the hole vs end over end lol.

 

In the past I had played FO putters of: L2, GP, Ping B60, BG, STX 3, Juan, generic 2 ball, generic fang style etc. I went through a lot off an on for a year, and then settled in on the GP and Bobby Grace Amazing for a year (may of been called something different back then but it was a solid head (not cut outs) and looks like the now Amazing Grace that he sells).

 

So, I at least think I know what I would go back to in the Bobby Grace line. I know the FO wasn't perfect for me, but I sure don't remember missing so many close putts, especially on average speed bermuda greens. Sorry for the rant, but after reading all of the past posts it has me on the edge of placing an order.

[ncp10]

> @kenstl said:

> My last round this week though, has made me question why I ever left FO putting. Hit 83% of my fairways, 61% GIR, 2 penalties, and shot an 83 from 6500 yds with four 3 putts and a total of **37 putts!**. 8 pars, 9 bogeys and a double. All of my 3 putts resulted in bogey's. I also missed at least 4 birdie putts inside 12' (one from 3'), and on a distance perspective at least 6 par putts were no more than 3'. Of the other pars, none were from making any long putts. Very frustrating to say the least.

 

Sounds like my putting has been--I'm sorry I feel your pain! The big question I have is: what caused you to revert to conventional putting? It does sound like it's time to go back because apparently this one round was not completely isolated? I mean to say if you've been putting well and have one bad putting round that happens.

 

 

[kenstl]

It hasn't been great anyway. Not really sure why I changed back, I am sure it had to do with going out and rolling a 27 putt round with a traditional blade style putter that just fits my eye; mostly because of the years of using something similar. Ever since I turned 47 or so (now 54) my putting, which used to be a strong part of my game (8802 style blade for 30 years) has turned to crap. Last 20 rounds averaging 1.97 per hole and 2.19 on GIR hit, so not very good for me.

[brentflog]

 

> @ncp10 said:

> > @Rohlio said:

> > My improvement was immediate

> > Best of luck mate. I will never go back. According to Arrcos my putting handicap is now a +2. A long way from being the weak link of my game it used to be.

> Well thank you for that and that is an encouraging story for sure. Do you set your putter to 90 degrees vertical in both aspects, i.e. forward backward and side to side, both at or close to true vertical? I notice in a JuanPutt photo he was playing the club true to its specified lie angle so not everyone who is proficient (presuming he is) at SS/FO putts with the shaft true vertical apparently. For the putter I bought which arguably has a loft angle greater than it needs to be at 3 degrees I'm going to have to employ a small forward press it would appear lest the push right problem.

>

I putt with the putter soled on the ground with it’s true lie angle of 80 degrees. I would like to putt vertical but I struggle with where the putter is lined up when the face is tilted 10 degrees away from me. I’d say do whatever is comfortable for you. I think there are a few ways to get it done but face on is generally a better way to putt for me and probably would be for most if they didn’t fight tradition and an aversion to being different.

 

[ncp10]

Well good luck to you. It's a very weird place to be as at age 66 my long game, save some distance, is about as good or better than it's ever been. I went to left-handed after the usual remedies failed when I developed the yips and was able to play to an honest 5.6 hcp, but never tried FO/SS so hopefully this will help me putt better and lose the yipping action.

[brentflog]

This lady probably has never played golf in her life and doesn’t know or care about the traditional way to putt. Her natural instinct is to face the hole.

 

[ncp10]

> @brentflog said:

> This lady probably has never played golf in her life and doesn’t know or care about the traditional way to putt. Her natural instinct is to face the hole.

 

Apparently so, but the thing we also grapple with is ALL other golf shots are done side-on, so putting FO is arguably at the very least a bit odd and requires a different swinging and hitting action. With side-on putting you do transfer some behaviors over from your other club swings, whereas you won't do that w/ FO. Of course if we all learned FO from the get go because all others did it, then it would be normal, and feel natural. I'm excited to give it a try soon when my putter arrives. I think before I take it on the course I'm going to need to see some reasonable proficiency.

[BigEx44]

> @ncp10 said:

> > @brentflog said:

> > This lady probably has never played golf in her life and doesn’t know or care about the traditional way to putt. Her natural instinct is to face the hole.

>

> Apparently so, but the thing we also grapple with is ALL other golf shots are done side-on, so putting FO is arguably at the very least a bit odd and requires a different swinging and hitting action. With side-on putting you do transfer some behaviors over from your other club swings, whereas you won't do that w/ FO. Of course if we all learned FO from the get go because all others did it, then it would be normal, and feel natural. I'm excited to give it a try soon when my putter arrives. I think before I take it on the course I'm going to need to see some reasonable proficiency.

 

I think ALL other golf shots are done side-on because they require at least some, if not a lot, of power.

Putting is the exact opposite where touch and accuracy are the main requirements.

So to me, it would be bit odd to use the setup designed for power in order to get touch and accuracy.

In other words, you DON'T WANT your behavoirs from other club swings to carry over to your putter.

That's probably why you hardly find any pro's who use their full swing grips when they're putting.

They don't want those feelings to carry over to their putter.

They're two very different skills.

 

[prouse25]

I bought a Bobby Grace FO putter a year or two ago. Never could get totally comfortable with the setup. It eventually ended up in the basement with many other impulse purchases. I am generally a good putter - currently a +1 hcp. Lately, I have been struggling seeing and hitting the line. This afternoon I grabbed the FO putter to screw around with. FO stance still felt awkward. I tried armlock with it due to the shaft length and it felt okay. The lie angle using armlock was obviously way off. Randomly, I tried a modified broomstick stance with the FO putter (sideways to the hole - left hand tried to create a pendulum - right hand pencil grip down the shaft). Putted for over 3 hours - only intended to putt for an hour. Felt incredibly natural from the first stroke. Consistently hit my targets effortlessly. Even distance control with 40 to 50 foots putts were consistent. Longer than 50 feet seemed to be an issue (better hit good approach shots). Delicate side breaking putts were equally as good - great feel.

 

Anyone else tried this with their FO putter?

[Joe Duffer]

> @prouse25 said:

> Randomly, I tried a modified broomstick stance with the FO putter (sideways to the hole - left hand tried to create a pendulum - right hand pencil grip down the shaft). Putted for over 3 hours - only intended to putt for an hour. Felt incredibly natural from the first stroke. Consistently hit my targets effortlessly. Even distance control with 40 to 50 foots putts were consistent. Longer than 50 feet seemed to be an issue (better hit good approach shots). Delicate side breaking putts were equally as good - great feel.

>

> Anyone else tried this with their FO putter?

 

Curious - What design and length is your Bobby Grace SS/FO putter?

 

 

[ncp10]

> @BigEx44 said:

> That's probably why you hardly find any pro's who use their full swing grips when they're putting.

Makes sense. And yet you see almost zero % of all top amateurs and professionals putting side-on. SS/FO is hardly new so while changing how the arms and hands are used in the putting swing has changed over the past decade or so virtually no one putts SS/FO.

 

 

[Rohlio]

> @ncp10 said:

> > @BigEx44 said:

> > That's probably why you hardly find any pro's who use their full swing grips when they're putting.

> And yet you see almost zero % of all top amateurs and professionals putt side-on.

>

>

What percentage of top amateurs and professional s do you think started the game after 8 years old... Know many non adults willing to do something totally different than their peers?

 

If they have made it to the elite level most likely they can putt alright, why would they change now.

 

That said Adam Scott should definitely try it.

 

 

[prouse25]

> @"Joe Duffer" said:

> > @prouse25 said:

> > Randomly, I tried a modified broomstick stance with the FO putter (sideways to the hole - left hand tried to create a pendulum - right hand pencil grip down the shaft). Putted for over 3 hours - only intended to putt for an hour. Felt incredibly natural from the first stroke. Consistently hit my targets effortlessly. Even distance control with 40 to 50 foots putts were consistent. Longer than 50 feet seemed to be an issue (better hit good approach shots). Delicate side breaking putts were equally as good - great feel.

> >

> > Anyone else tried this with their FO putter?

>

> Curious - What design and length is your Bobby Grace SS/FO putter?

>

>

 

F22 - 41 inch

[deman77]

> @prouse25 said:

> I bought a Bobby Grace FO putter a year or two ago. Never could get totally comfortable with the setup. It eventually ended up in the basement with many other impulse purchases. I am generally a good putter - currently a +1 hcp. Lately, I have been struggling seeing and hitting the line. This afternoon I grabbed the FO putter to screw around with. FO stance still felt awkward. I tried armlock with it due to the shaft length and it felt okay. The lie angle using armlock was obviously way off. Randomly, I tried a modified broomstick stance with the FO putter (sideways to the hole - left hand tried to create a pendulum - right hand pencil grip down the shaft). Putted for over 3 hours - only intended to putt for an hour. Felt incredibly natural from the first stroke. Consistently hit my targets effortlessly. Even distance control with 40 to 50 foots putts were consistent. Longer than 50 feet seemed to be an issue (better hit good approach shots). Delicate side breaking putts were equally as good - great feel.

>

> Anyone else tried this with their FO putter?

 

Why FO putter is completely fine from a regular stance. The only thing “special” about it is extreme upright lie and zero loft for those who want to hang it vertical. So no reason it shouldn’t work with your stroke. Some people use it conventionally for longer putts to get the best distance control.

 

I know what you mean about getting the good roll - very addictive. When I first tried face on with conventional putter I was just blown away by the roll. It is very easy to take it for granted and think you know what it is that gives it. Try to remember as much as possible about what you did down to minute seemingly irrelevant details and write it down so you can come back to it when you eventually lose that through messing around because you brain will be discarding and modifying things it seems irrelevant. It’s a very small window in a combination of strike parameters that gives it. Best to write down the feelings and tuck it away for future so you can come back and dig yourself out.

[Ripper212]

I have both a BG LFI at 41” and a GP at 48”. Huge advantage of the BG is ability to use it arm lock style for the longer putts. GP is a little easier to use vertically and I don’t have to bend with the longer length. Have trouble making a commitment to one, which is probably why I often go back to conventional putting. And probably why I don’t get any better! Stupid, I know. So in my case, putting has a lot in common with the full swing! Keep making changes there too.

[ncp10]

> @Rohlio said:

> What percentage of top amateurs and professional s do you think started the game after 8 years old... Know many non adults willing to do something totally different than their peers?

 

Those are plausible justifications I understand however if something is so fundamentally better it would seem to me over time you would see more and more people doing it but you really don't. And we have people in this very thread who have tried it diligently and find themselves going back to conventional. I don't putt well left or right handed so I have nothing to lose hence will try it.

[Ripper212]

> @ncp10 said:

> > @Rohlio said:

> > What percentage of top amateurs and professional s do you think started the game after 8 years old... Know many non adults willing to do something totally different than their peers?

>

> Those are plausible justifications I understand however if something is so fundamentally better it would seem to me over time you would see more and more people doing it but you really don't. And we have people in this very thread who have tried it diligently and find themselves going back to conventional. I don't putt well left or right handed so I have nothing to lose hence will try it.

 

Yup. I have a good friend who is an excellent SS putter and recently switched back to conventional for no apparent reason. One of my regular playing partners is an outstanding putter with long chest putter but this year switched to conventional and sucks that way. I think we're always looking for a better way and not always correct in assessing what's best for each of us.

[ncp10]

> @Ripper212 said:

> Yup. I have a good friend who is an excellent SS putter and recently switched back to conventional for no apparent reason. One of my regular playing partners is an outstanding putter with long chest putter but this year switched to conventional and sucks that way. I think we're always looking for a better way and not always correct in assessing what's best for each of us.

 

Peer pressure to conform to the norm is a strong dynamic no question. But that is a misnomer since pressure to conform is ultimately self-imposed. My first thought a week or two ago was that as bad as my putting currently is nothing could be more embarrassing so SS/FO would in no way be worse than that. That being said I just started playing w/ a large group of old farts and they really like to rib each other nearly constantly which is something I'm not particularly used to. I'm going to have to have a bit of proficiency before I take the beast out there and attempt SS putting in that particular group! They're not very good players and this is their method of getting an edge on the other guy--it's 90% 'gamesmanship' versus playing ability. They goaded someone into missing a very short putt last time out (to collect the closest to the hole on a par 3 $1/person and you need to make par or better). I won 3 of the 4 par 3's and missed a 2.8' almost straight uphill putt myself to win the 4th. I look forward to this low level pressure to see if the SS approach is really helping me but I'll have to have some proficiency before attempting this during play.

 

[hardpan1]

> @BigEx44 said:

> > @ncp10 said:

> > I'd sure like to try a whole bunch but I don't think that's going to be a possibility. The white round balls for alignment seem bizarre and I think I'd rather have longer parallel lines, but I haven't tried it so don't know. Ed the golf club builder will give you a 30D no questions asked trial and he pays return shipping so not much risk there.

> >

> > I think I'd take opinions on loft with a large grain of salt because there are just way too many other variables to consider. But the lie, that's pretty obvious as to why that matters. Patrice D make a good point on head width.

> > I really detest spending lots of $$ on golf equipment being well aware of how well knock offs and used clubs work if fit correctly. I have two sets of Ping I5 irons which I dearly love--I spent $1100 on the first custom fit set, and $280 on the 2nd off of eBay which are identical after I reshafted them, which I had done on my originals. And I also have two sets of knock-off fairway metals from DiamondTour.com and I hit them very well, and they are two different sets of heads & shafts. Each head was about $19, shaft $10, grip $5 for a grand total of $34 apiece plus tax. I've hit so many wonderful shots with them!

> There are a bunch of sidesaddle putters on sale on ebay. And look at long putters too, as they almost always have an 80 degree lie angle.

>

> Here's a 48" Ping B90 for $40.

>

> https://www.ebay.com/itm/RH-Ping-B90-48-Long-Chest-Belly-Putter-Center-Shafted-Needs-Grip/233283912315?hash=item3650ce027b:g:mMIAAOSwE0tdJewq:sc:USPSPriority!14450!US!-1

>

>

> Start with one of those. Length wise if you're goig to miss, miss too long since you can always cut the shaft down.

> Try the method out (experiment) with one of these cheaper/inexpensive models. If you end up liking the method, you can then upgrade to something better.

>

>

 

> @shaolingolfer said:

> I bought a Scotty Cameron Big Sur S, 47" putter to use it as a broomstick putter couple weeks ago. It feel pretty good when I use it as face on putter on practice green.

 

My first SS putter was/still have, a Big Sur...excellent!

[J_Tizzle]

> @ncp10 said:

> > @Ripper212 said:

> > Yup. I have a good friend who is an excellent SS putter and recently switched back to conventional for no apparent reason. One of my regular playing partners is an outstanding putter with long chest putter but this year switched to conventional and sucks that way. I think we're always looking for a better way and not always correct in assessing what's best for each of us.

>

> Peer pressure to conform to the norm is a strong dynamic no question. But that is a misnomer since pressure to conform is ultimately self-imposed. My first thought a week or two ago was that as bad as my putting currently is nothing could be more embarrassing so SS/FO would in no way be worse than that. That being said I just started playing w/ a large group of old farts and they really like to rib each other nearly constantly which is something I'm not particularly used to. I'm going to have to have a bit of proficiency before I take the beast out there and attempt SS putting in that particular group! They're not very good players and this is their method of getting an edge on the other guy--it's 90% 'gamesmanship' versus playing ability. They goaded someone into missing a very short putt last time out (to collect the closest to the hole on a par 3 $1/person and you need to make par or better). I won 3 of the 4 par 3's and missed a 2.8' almost straight uphill putt myself to win the 4th. I look forward to this low level pressure to see if the SS approach is really helping me but I'll have to have some proficiency before attempting this during play.

>

 

Yep, I've said it several times, the hardest part of SS/FO putting is making sure you have thick skin. If you can make it 9 holes and roll in a few putts, they will quiet down...

[J_Tizzle]

Anyone try the BG Lucky 7 side saddle putter?

 

Looking at it, I'm guessing the forgiveness of the F22 isn't baked into there, and question if I could even use it without the AK shaft like the F22. But a different option if someone doesn't want to putt with a space shuttle on a stick.

[bluedot]

> @J-Tizzle said:

 

> Yep, I've said it several times, the hardest part of SS/FO putting is making sure you have thick skin. If you can make it 9 holes and roll in a few putts, they will quiet down...

 

 

J-Tizzle, you're spot on, but the interesting thing to me has always been that really good players never say a word about it unless it's to ask to see the putter or talk about how I came to the style; they know a good roll when they see it, and they'd do anything to get the ball in the hole one stroke quicker.

 

The only guys who are loud about it are guys who just think they're good, and I honestly think that in most cases, they're actually sort of threatened by it because of the possibility that they aren't putting as well as they could be.

 

 

 

 

[Rohlio]

> @bluedot said:

> > @J-Tizzle said:

>

> > Yep, I've said it several times, the hardest part of SS/FO putting is making sure you have thick skin. If you can make it 9 holes and roll in a few putts, they will quiet down...

>

>

> J-Tizzle, you're spot on, but the interesting thing to me has always been that really good players never say a word about it unless it's to ask to see the putter or talk about how I came to the style; they know a good roll when they see it, and they'd do anything to get the ball in the hole one stroke quicker.

>

> The only guys who are loud about it are guys who just think they're good, and I honestly think that in most cases, they're actually sort of threatened by it because of the possibility that they aren't putting as well as they could be.

>

>

>

>

 

Nothing quite like smoking a guy on the scorecard who is trying to demean your putting style at the beginning of a round. Very satisfying.