side saddle putters - what putter are you using?

[J_Tizzle]

so bloody frustrating since at times it feels so comfortable, and other times like an unnatural act - much like my full swing!

 

And putting in 8" of rain can't be much fun - is side-saddle difficult with a big rain jacket on?

 

Yeah I totally agree, I've found working on an actual green works so much better than practicing inside, as my shoulders end up getting way out of whack and then my stance follows, and then the path of the putter, lol. Its a viscous cycle. But what I do like is that its harder for me to just correct a putt on line with the side saddle. I used to just stand up to a short putt and think "boy I think it goes more to the left than what I'm aimed" and then I just get up there and push it a little, which is just what you want to be a consistent putter...

 

I totally get if you putt well enough, this might not be a great approach. But for me, I'm really pretty solid everywhere else, and I'm not afraid to try something new with the putter, and I'm happy I made this change so far. Lets see how long it sticks.

 

This is the course where I do most of my practicing as its about 5 minutes from my house... Might need to find a new place for a few weeks.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/missouri-golf-water-james-river-flooding-47119835

[Ripper212]

OMG that's so sad, as was the 30 sec Viagra ad that preceded the video.

 

It's hard to feel sorry for anyone with a +0.4 hcp though!

[J_Tizzle]

OMG that's so sad, as was the 30 sec Viagra ad that preceded the video.

 

It's hard to feel sorry for anyone with a +0.4 hcp though!

 

That +0.4 probably needs to be updated...

 

And for the record, side saddle kinda sucks in the wind. I may or may not have hit my foot with the putter last time I played in a strong wind.

[tatertot]

I have a Cameron Golo Select Mid, 41", 79º lie angle with a Winn/Rife 17" grip ... custom built with new shaft ... been on the course 5 times ... perfect for side saddle ... I'd let it go reasonable if anybody wants it.

[bluedot]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[Ripper212]

Thanks for the encouragement Bluedot. That was very well said and you're absolutely right. Results last weekend were just so embarrassingly bad that my partner said he never wanted to see that putter again! Always expect immediate results like everything else in golf. But you're right - just need to commit to more time and practice. Was all set to sell the putter tonight but I'm going to stay in the side-saddle camp for awhile anyway.

[BigEx44]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

[J_Tizzle]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

All the above is very well said.

 

I noticed immediate impact to my game because I'm really a pretty poor putter. I can read greens just fine, but starting putts on line and consistent striking of the putts was always a problem due to my eyes following the putter back (for whatever reason...) which of course makes my head move all over the place and my wrist breakdowns, which are two things that the side saddle putting almost immediately fixes. I'll almost guarantee that my worst day of putting with a normal putter would be worst than my worst day of side saddling, and my "normal" putting days with the SS are astronomically better than "normal" days with the standard putter.

[Ripper212]

Still experimenting with stance and ball position. Clearly need to get that dialed in before I can become any good with this method. At times I feel more comfortable with left foot forward - "Australian Stance". Has anyone tried this?

[bluedot]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

I've played 5 rounds now, and I really, REALLY like this putter. I've had zero problems with the weight of the putter, and it's sort of eerie how good it feels coming thru the ball. I know that "eerie" isn't a great word for a club review, but the feel of the DF is just not like anything else I've used. Maybe a simple way of saying it is that it turns "straight back, straight thru" into just "straight back"; there isn't anything to do to make it come straight thru. I don't know if it is the mythical "Last Putter I'll Ever Buy" or not, but it will be hard to improve on, I think.

[bluedot]

Still experimenting with stance and ball position. Clearly need to get that dialed in before I can become any good with this method. At times I feel more comfortable with left foot forward - "Australian Stance". Has anyone tried this?

 

I never liked the left foot forward because it always felt like my right foot would be in the way of the backswing, but Juan Elizondo and Randy Haag both mention it as a perfectly valid stance for face on.

 

As to ball position, start with 6" in front of your front foot and 6" to the outside of that foot and work from there. I think maybe a bigger issue that the exact position is that it is the SAME position each time, and that gets back to your body developing a kinesthetic sense of where it is in a new stance and motion.

[bluedot]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

All the above is very well said.

 

I noticed immediate impact to my game because I'm really a pretty poor putter. I can read greens just fine, but starting putts on line and consistent striking of the putts was always a problem due to my eyes following the putter back (for whatever reason...) which of course makes my head move all over the place and my wrist breakdowns, which are two things that the side saddle putting almost immediately fixes. I'll almost guarantee that my worst day of putting with a normal putter would be worst than my worst day of side saddling, and my "normal" putting days with the SS are astronomically better than "normal" days with the standard putter.

 

That's pretty much exactly what I tell people. A terrible day for me side saddle is 36 putts instead of 40, and an average day is 32 instead of 34; most of this is due to really reducing three putt frequency vs. conventional.

 

The vision thing that you mention is part of the issue of coordinating two hands in a motion that has to be VERY precise, and that's just hard to do. And the parallax error thing of lining up the putt from behind with binocular vision and then moving to the side and primarily using my left eye was becoming tougher and tougher for me as I aged and my vision declined a bit.

 

But here's what pushed me over the edge from conventional after thinking about trying side saddle for a couple of years. A buddy read an article about vision and putting, and came out one Saturday morning and put a 10' chalkline on a straight, flat putt on our practice green. He putt 4 balls centered on the chalkline, each a couple of feet apart, and then told me to set up to the ball farthest from the hole with my putter and stance square to the chalkline, and then to rotate my head and look down the line at the other three balls. The second ball looked TO ME to be a half a ball to the left of the first two and the one I was set up to, so I stepped back, reset, and looked again; same thing, even though I KNEW to a certainty that all four balls were on exactly the same line. I was just stunned, and assumed that I had little chance of getting the ball started on line anymore; it was shocking!

 

10 days later, I bought a GP putter, and I've never putted conventionally again. Every now and then, I'll set up conventionally with somebody's putter; I might as well have a bag over my head. The hole could be anywhere, or nowhere, for all I know.

[BigEx44]

I've played 5 rounds now, and I really, REALLY like this putter. I've had zero problems with the weight of the putter, and it's sort of eerie how good it feels coming thru the ball. I know that "eerie" isn't a great word for a club review, but the feel of the DF is just not like anything else I've used. Maybe a simple way of saying it is that it turns "straight back, straight thru" into just "straight back"; there isn't anything to do to make it come straight thru. I don't know if it is the mythical "Last Putter I'll Ever Buy" or not, but it will be hard to improve on, I think.

 

I am seriously pondering this putter.

I'm trying to talk Bill into adding some weight for me.

[kenstl]

Still experimenting with stance and ball position. Clearly need to get that dialed in before I can become any good with this method. At times I feel more comfortable with left foot forward - "Australian Stance". Has anyone tried this?

 

I have landed on putting with my left foot forward. It feel natural to me, similar to bowling, horse shoes, washers, etc. no one would do those activities with the right foot forward. I feel more of a "punch" or "jab" stroke with right foot forward (which leads to me manipulating the strike) and more of a smooth tempo stroke with the left foot forward.

 

Obviously both work for people, I am just more balanced and smoother with the stroke with my left foot forward.

[Ripper212]

Still experimenting with stance and ball position. Clearly need to get that dialed in before I can become any good with this method. At times I feel more comfortable with left foot forward - "Australian Stance". Has anyone tried this?

 

I have landed on putting with my left foot forward. It feel natural to me, similar to bowling, horse shoes, washers, etc. no one would do those activities with the right foot forward. I feel more of a "punch" or "jab" stroke with right foot forward (which leads to me manipulating the strike) and more of a smooth tempo stroke with the left foot forward.

 

Obviously both work for people, I am just more balanced and smoother with the stroke with my left foot forward.

 

Agree entirely and I feel the same way although I'm a little more concerned with accidentally hitting right foot with that setup.

[J_Tizzle]

Played 63 holes this weekend and it was very hit/miss with the side saddle. I hit some excellent putts and saved some good pars and made some good birdies. But I also missed lots (like several within 3ft and probably 6-7 within 6 ft) which is super frustrating. Just need to spend time outside on an actual green playing with it. I did notice that I actually set up a bit more consistently holding the putter in my right hand (right handed) and setting it behind the ball with my feel already to the left of the ball, rather than holding it in my left hand and straddling the line behind the ball, then stepping over always seemed to create inconsistent ball positions and body alignments.

 

Work in progress for sure.

[bluedot]

Played 63 holes this weekend and it was very hit/miss with the side saddle. I hit some excellent putts and saved some good pars and made some good birdies. But I also missed lots (like several within 3ft and probably 6-7 within 6 ft) which is super frustrating. Just need to spend time outside on an actual green playing with it. I did notice that I actually set up a bit more consistently holding the putter in my right hand (right handed) and setting it behind the ball with my feel already to the left of the ball, rather than holding it in my left hand and straddling the line behind the ball, then stepping over always seemed to create inconsistent ball positions and body alignments.

 

Work in progress for sure.

 

"Work in progress" is EXACTLY the way to look at it. If you've watched the David Cook video on the Links of Utopia site, he talks about enjoying the process, which I think is important. So making a discovery about how to set up the most consistently is a good example of that.

 

A couple of notes to consider:

 

1. Remember that each of the majors have been lost by a missed putt of only a couple of feet, and all by great players putting conventionally. You have to be VERY careful not to turn every putt into a referendum in your mind on the efficacy of a method of putting; ANY putt can be missed. But this is where the reps on a putting carpet become critical; you MUST get to the point where you KNOW that the putter is going straight back and straight thru, and that the ball WILL start on the line you've picked. There just aren't any shortcuts on that.

 

2. Remember that the issue is not whether or not you will ever again miss a short putt putting side saddle; you will! The issue is whether or not you putt more effectively overall. I played in a two day member-guest this weekend, and on the first day I missed a two foot putt for par on the 16th hole because I hurried, and then three putted the 17th when I fell in love with the line and just plain got the pace WAY wrong. BUT I had 11 one-putt greens for the two days, and putted better than anybody else in my group either day. In other words, the issue isn't whether or not you missed putts putting side saddle; the issue is whether or not you are putting as well or better than you did before the switch.

 

https://www.linksofutopia.com/face-on-putter/

[J_Tizzle]

Played 63 holes this weekend and it was very hit/miss with the side saddle. I hit some excellent putts and saved some good pars and made some good birdies. But I also missed lots (like several within 3ft and probably 6-7 within 6 ft) which is super frustrating. Just need to spend time outside on an actual green playing with it. I did notice that I actually set up a bit more consistently holding the putter in my right hand (right handed) and setting it behind the ball with my feel already to the left of the ball, rather than holding it in my left hand and straddling the line behind the ball, then stepping over always seemed to create inconsistent ball positions and body alignments.

 

Work in progress for sure.

 

"Work in progress" is EXACTLY the way to look at it. If you've watched the David Cook video on the Links of Utopia site, he talks about enjoying the process, which I think is important. So making a discovery about how to set up the most consistently is a good example of that.

 

A couple of notes to consider:

 

1. Remember that each of the majors have been lost by a missed putt of only a couple of feet, and all by great players putting conventionally. You have to be VERY careful not to turn every putt into a referendum in your mind on the efficacy of a method of putting; ANY putt can be missed. But this is where the reps on a putting carpet become critical; you MUST get to the point where you KNOW that the putter is going straight back and straight thru, and that the ball WILL start on the line you've picked. There just aren't any shortcuts on that.

 

2. Remember that the issue is not whether or not you will ever again miss a short putt putting side saddle; you will! The issue is whether or not you putt more effectively overall. I played in a two day member-guest this weekend, and on the first day I missed a two foot putt for par on the 16th hole because I hurried, and then three putted the 17th when I fell in love with the line and just plain got the pace WAY wrong. BUT I had 11 one-putt greens for the two days, and putted better than anybody else in my group either day. In other words, the issue isn't whether or not you missed putts putting side saddle; the issue is whether or not you are putting as well or better than you did before the switch.

 

https://www.linksofu...face-on-putter/

 

Oh I couldn't agree more. My "net" putts were probably down and I still hit putts on good lines with it. I just think, I missed a 3ft birdie putt and feel I wasted a stroke, but then 2 holes later I make a 12ft putt for par, so the "net" is probably about 0, but I focus on the ones I missed. I probably need to start keeping some putting stats on this just to confirm to myself that things are actually improving. I'm a numbers guy so the proof is in the pudding for sure.

[bluedot]

Played 63 holes this weekend and it was very hit/miss with the side saddle. I hit some excellent putts and saved some good pars and made some good birdies. But I also missed lots (like several within 3ft and probably 6-7 within 6 ft) which is super frustrating. Just need to spend time outside on an actual green playing with it. I did notice that I actually set up a bit more consistently holding the putter in my right hand (right handed) and setting it behind the ball with my feel already to the left of the ball, rather than holding it in my left hand and straddling the line behind the ball, then stepping over always seemed to create inconsistent ball positions and body alignments.

 

Work in progress for sure.

 

"Work in progress" is EXACTLY the way to look at it. If you've watched the David Cook video on the Links of Utopia site, he talks about enjoying the process, which I think is important. So making a discovery about how to set up the most consistently is a good example of that.

 

A couple of notes to consider:

 

1. Remember that each of the majors have been lost by a missed putt of only a couple of feet, and all by great players putting conventionally. You have to be VERY careful not to turn every putt into a referendum in your mind on the efficacy of a method of putting; ANY putt can be missed. But this is where the reps on a putting carpet become critical; you MUST get to the point where you KNOW that the putter is going straight back and straight thru, and that the ball WILL start on the line you've picked. There just aren't any shortcuts on that.

 

2. Remember that the issue is not whether or not you will ever again miss a short putt putting side saddle; you will! The issue is whether or not you putt more effectively overall. I played in a two day member-guest this weekend, and on the first day I missed a two foot putt for par on the 16th hole because I hurried, and then three putted the 17th when I fell in love with the line and just plain got the pace WAY wrong. BUT I had 11 one-putt greens for the two days, and putted better than anybody else in my group either day. In other words, the issue isn't whether or not you missed putts putting side saddle; the issue is whether or not you are putting as well or better than you did before the switch.

 

https://www.linksofu...face-on-putter/

 

Oh I couldn't agree more. My "net" putts were probably down and I still hit putts on good lines with it. I just think, I missed a 3ft birdie putt and feel I wasted a stroke, but then 2 holes later I make a 12ft putt for par, so the "net" is probably about 0, but I focus on the ones I missed. I probably need to start keeping some putting stats on this just to confirm to myself that things are actually improving. I'm a numbers guy so the proof is in the pudding for sure.

 

ALL of us remember the misses much more clearly than the makes; I think the psychologists believe that it's a defense mechanism that goes far back in hunter-gatherer history. Our ancestors learned to avoid making mistakes because their lives depended on it, and that holds over today; we instinctively remember bad stuff so that we can TRY to avoid it in the future. I think the trick in converting to side saddle is to remember that putts get missed for a LOT of reasons; imperfections on the green, subtle slopes, poorly cut holes, wind, and, of course, bad strokes. I can make 100 in a row from 3' on my carpet at home without any problem; that ain't happening on a real green, no matter what method I use!

 

In fact, I would suspect that the trick to good putting in general once the mechanics have been mastered is much like being a closer in baseball or a kicker in football or a free throw shooter in basketball; confidence, trust, and a VERY short memory.

[Ripper212]

I would still like to explore sidesaddle putting but sold the JuanPutt which I found to heavy. Do any of you guys have experience with some of the cheaper models available on EBay such as Bell putter?

[BigEx44]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

I've played 5 rounds now, and I really, REALLY like this putter. I've had zero problems with the weight of the putter, and it's sort of eerie how good it feels coming thru the ball. I know that "eerie" isn't a great word for a club review, but the feel of the DF is just not like anything else I've used. Maybe a simple way of saying it is that it turns "straight back, straight thru" into just "straight back"; there isn't anything to do to make it come straight thru. I don't know if it is the mythical "Last Putter I'll Ever Buy" or not, but it will be hard to improve on, I think.

 

I took the plunge and ordered a Directed Force putter today.

Can't wait to try it out!!

[BigEx44]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

I've played 5 rounds now, and I really, REALLY like this putter. I've had zero problems with the weight of the putter, and it's sort of eerie how good it feels coming thru the ball. I know that "eerie" isn't a great word for a club review, but the feel of the DF is just not like anything else I've used. Maybe a simple way of saying it is that it turns "straight back, straight thru" into just "straight back"; there isn't anything to do to make it come straight thru. I don't know if it is the mythical "Last Putter I'll Ever Buy" or not, but it will be hard to improve on, I think.

 

How's it going with the DF putter? Are you still in love?

[J_Tizzle]

Well the old LFI is still firmly planted in the bag. I haven't even tried my retail LFI or my JuanPutt yet in an actual round and they may be legitimately for sale before long.

 

Been working on accelerating through the ball especially on the putts inside 10ft, seems to make a notable difference to the outcome on the shorter ones if I'm committing to the line and accelerating, vs the longer putts where my tempo feels to be more 1:1. Jam in the shorter ones and let the putter stroke the longer ones.

[hardpan1]

Lots of indoor practice over the winter and multiple rounds this spring. Really thought I could do it but after at least 6 3-putts on Sat, I just can't get comfortable, even on short ones. Went back to my old putter Sun and just felt much better. Who knows, may try it again in the future but not ready to commit now. Putt too well conventionally to devote the time needed for change.

 

The LAST thing I want to be is evangelical about telling anybody to change anything about the way they play golf, including putting face on/side saddle.

 

When I decided to try side saddle just about 2 years ago, I had read and watched everything I could find, including both watching Randy Haag's videos and reading his blog. His take on the time frame to fully make the conversion is a FULL YEAR. That is a very, very tough number, and especially so for someone who is working and has limited opportunities to play golf. But based on that, and wanting to go in with my eyes wide open, in my mind I committed to a full year for the change to take effect.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I'm retired, that I play 150+ rounds a year, and that I'm a pretty fanatical practicer, especially with something like this. I was hitting 100 or so putts a day in the basement at my house, getting to the course early before I played, etc; in short, a LOT of work went into the change. It took me about a month (including a change from the GP putter to the JuanPutt) to get to where I had been as a conventional putter, but after two months (maybe 25-30 rounds?) I knew I wasn't going back, and got rid of all my conventional putters except two. (One was a 38" Scotty that I knew I couldn't get my money out of, and the other was a Ping Craz-e that had some sentimental value to me.)

 

The very first thing I tell anybody that REALLY wants to talk about side saddle is that it's no magic trick; a lot of very intentional work goes into the change. You have to figure out ball position, grip, stance, alignment, and all the rest just as with any other change, and most importantly, you have to give your body and brain time to translate the conventional data base for two handed sideways putting to one handed side saddle putting. All of that is demanding and time consuming, which is why Haag says (and I 100% agree, btw) that you might not see side saddle on Tour for years to come, if ever. But it's also possible that somewhere out there is a young kid who is putting that way from the beginning who is going to show up and change everything. Who knows?

 

And the gains, of course, are dependent on how good or bad you were as a conventional putter before the change. A great putter likely gains little if anything; I think we're unlikely to see Jordan Speith making the change. Conversely, somebody with a bad case of the yips will be better DAY ONE putting side saddle; I've seen it happen. For the rest of us, the gains are somewhere in between. I was 62, and realized I wasn't going to hit the ball any farther, which meant I wasn't going to hit the ball any closer, which meant I had to figure out other ways to get the ball in the hole sooner than later; the change to side saddle was the biggest (but not only) part of that.

 

And it's worked; my putts per round are down 1.5, and my putts per GIR are down two-tenths per hole. Is that significant? It is to me, for sure, but it might not be worth it to everybody given the workload of making the change.

 

But I'll tell you this: Having putted conventionally for over half a century, and not badly at all, I have ZERO doubt that side saddle is a better way to putt. Not just for me; for ANYBODY. Putting is literally the ONLY precision movement in ALL of sports that is done with two hands from a position designed for power thru torque, rotation, weight shift and speed, and if two people started putting the same day and everything was equal except the method, the side saddle putter would get better faster, and maybe MUCH better. Parallel to the line of play with two hands is just a terrible way to do something precise, and the only reason anybody putts that way is because that's the way everybody else was putting when they started. I believe that...

[/quotE]

 

Absolutely. I started side saddle putting about 4 yrs ago and will never go back. The thing I love about sidesaddle is that once you've figured out those "setup" type of things (putter length, stance, ball position etc) - you don't have think about any mechanics during the stroke (rocking shoulders, left wrist breakdown, swaying, keeping head still, putter path etc etc) - it's all already taken care of in the setup and all we have to do is roll the ball with our right hand to hole. Nothing to think about mechanics wise. Sidesaddle putting rocks!

 

Btw - how's your honeymoon going with the Directed Force putter?

 

I've played 5 rounds now, and I really, REALLY like this putter. I've had zero problems with the weight of the putter, and it's sort of eerie how good it feels coming thru the ball. I know that "eerie" isn't a great word for a club review, but the feel of the DF is just not like anything else I've used. Maybe a simple way of saying it is that it turns "straight back, straight thru" into just "straight back"; there isn't anything to do to make it come straight thru. I don't know if it is the mythical "Last Putter I'll Ever Buy" or not, but it will be hard to improve on, I think.

 

I took the plunge and ordered a Directed Force putter today.

Can't wait to try it out!!

 

 

 

Have you received the DF yet?

[BigEx44]

Just got it yesterday. Been putting with it on my indoor green. Hope to get it out on the course Sunday. It feels really nice so far!

[BigEx44]

Got an opportunity to take my DF putter out for it's 1st round. I loved it. There's a unique (good!) feel to this putter that's hard to describe. I don't keep putting stats but I don't think I had any 3 putts and was lagging better than normal for me. The honeymoon is on!!

[bluedot]

Got an opportunity to take my DF putter out for it's 1st round. I loved it. There's a unique (good!) feel to this putter that's hard to describe. I don't keep putting stats but I don't think I had any 3 putts and was lagging better than normal for me. The honeymoon is on!!

 

You can do a lot of the same things wrong with a DF that you can with any other putter, but you'll have a helluva hard time hitting the ball off the line that you've picked. It's remarkable.

[BigEx44]

Got an opportunity to take my DF putter out for it's 1st round. I loved it. There's a unique (good!) feel to this putter that's hard to describe. I don't keep putting stats but I don't think I had any 3 putts and was lagging better than normal for me. The honeymoon is on!!

 

You can a lot of the same things wrong with a DF that you can with any other putter, but you'll have a helluva hard time hitting the ball off the line that you've picked. It's remarkable.

 

Amen to that. Btw...after a number email exchanges with Bill - and much persistence on my part - I was able to get the heavier putter I desired. 500g. Feels great.

[J_Tizzle]

Got an opportunity to take my DF putter out for it's 1st round. I loved it. There's a unique (good!) feel to this putter that's hard to describe. I don't keep putting stats but I don't think I had any 3 putts and was lagging better than normal for me. The honeymoon is on!!

 

You can a lot of the same things wrong with a DF that you can with any other putter, but you'll have a helluva hard time hitting the ball off the line that you've picked. It's remarkable.

 

Amen to that. Btw...after a number email exchanges with Bill - and much persistence on my part - I was able to get the heavier putter I desired. 500g. Feels great.

 

Please keep us updated on the DF and the results. I'm awful set on the LFI, but good to know there are other options available in case I need a change.

 

Just wondering, has anyone taken a current putter and sent it to a studio to have it modified to play as a side saddle? I was just thinking what I'd really like would be to take one of the new Spider putters, have them chop off the slant neck and put it about 1/2" back from the face and get it up around 500g.

[PGATourDriven]

I would like everyones opinion on this. I am left handed; but golf right handed, and am right eye dominant. I have both right and left handed Side Saddle putters. I would think using a left handed version would make the most sense as you need to have a throwing a ball towards the hole motion and if I were to throw a ball towards a hole I would do this left handed. However on older side saddle threads it has been recommended to try and use an opposite handed version putter. Any advice is greatly appreciated.