Putter mod: How to resist twisting at impact? or good putter?

[shGGman]

What is a good putter mod you can do to resist twisting of the head at impact?

 

1. Thicker grip. Does this help? I heard it could reduce handsy putting, but will reduce feel. I currently use thinnest grip.

 

2. Weight on the head. I don't think this will help?

 

3. If new putter, I'm assuming mallets can definitely help? Any half-mallets that are good? I can't stand mallets like Wack-E or spider.

[iH83Putting]

hit the sweet spot.........(note, your sweet spot may not be where your alignment mark is)

the bobby grace insert is supposed to make off center hits turn out just like dead center hits.....

[KYMAR]

Well, you are looking for a high moi mallet, you should get used to the idea of a larger head. I went from a blade and mid-mallets for years before getting a ping Craz-e and the results are well worth the amount of time i spent not liking the look of the putter at address. I am way over that and in fact love the look of it now.

[PuttingDoctor]

+1 Sweet spot! What is your glove size? What are you using for grip? Not the physical but HOW do you grip. You shouldn't have too much pressure on the physical grip but enough that you can control the face. It sounds on first blush that the grip may be a little thin. Thicker grips will reduce feel a bit but a softer compound will change it back a little the other way.

[finalist]

High MOI is more about resistance to twisting during the stroke -- opening and closing the head during the stroke (bigger arc) rather than the ball hitting the outer area of the face and causing it to bounce open or close.

You may need a putter that works with your stroke, so you hit the sweetspot more often. Try a SAM puttlab fitting if you can. High MOI isn't the given answer to bad impact.

[rrkman]

Here's a nice article about MOI and how it helps at the moment of contact. The benefit of high MOI is that if you do strike the ball off center, the higher MOI putter still passes more 'energy' to the ball and also keeps the face from turning as much. Might want to give it a read.

http://www.golfworks.com/article.asp?ai=169

[shGGman]

After reading all your posts, here are my thoughts. Let me know if I'm headed towards right direction.

1. I'm looking into Odyssey Metal X #7 putter. It will be my first ever mallet putter, I hate the fang look, but I'm willing to get used to it.

2. Grip wise, I use interlocking grip where my right pinky finger and left index finger locks. Now, I have tendency to grip with a lot of pressure, trying to hold the putter steady. I use the winn standard size grip(thinnest one) as my hands are Small size for gloves. However, these days I find some serious discomfort between where my pinky interlocks. It almost feels as if my grip is too small, or maybe I'm just gripping with too much pressure which is always bad. I tried to use different grip style, but it just feels awkward. I'm thinking of slightly thicker grip, I heard Iomic Mid-size is right between Standard and Mid-size for U.S. specification.

[finalist]

[quote name='rrkman' timestamp='1340637745' post='5163536']
Here's a nice article about MOI and how it helps at the moment of contact. The benefit of high MOI is that if you do strike the ball off center, the higher MOI putter still passes more 'energy' to the ball and also keeps the face from turning as much. Might want to give it a read.

http://www.golfworks.com/article.asp?ai=169
[/quote]

I don't doubt the article, but if your stroke calls for a bigger arc style like say Tiger's you'll struggle off and on just hitting a consistant spot with a high MOI. It's more important to get the forgivess that works with your stroke motion. High moi doesn't automtically equate to forgiveness at impact. Forgivess comes from the best fit.

[MixedBag]

This may not help at all, but I found myself slightly twisting before impact. Turns out, one of my fingers was slipping on the square grip (joint of the finger was really close to one of the edges). round grip has helped a lot

[Ri_Redneck]

I agree with the high MOI crowd. The more weight you can move away from the sweet spot, the more stable the head will be at impact. Mind you, you CAN NOT eliminate the result of an off-center hit, but you can reduce it.

BT

[shGGman]

yeah when I say twisting, I didn't mean off-center hits, but rather wristy action, causing closed or open face (like slice or hook). I was wondering if those big fat mallets could help. Someone told me high MOI putters assist with this. While I know I must work on my putting, I could use some help.

[PuttingDoctor]

[quote name='finalist' timestamp='1340676394' post='5167566']
[quote name='rrkman' timestamp='1340637745' post='5163536']
Here's a nice article about MOI and how it helps at the moment of contact. The benefit of high MOI is that if you do strike the ball off center, the higher MOI putter still passes more 'energy' to the ball and also keeps the face from turning as much. Might want to give it a read.

[url="http://www.golfworks.com/article.asp?ai=169"]http://www.golfworks...icle.asp?ai=169[/url]
[/quote]

I don't doubt the article, but if your stroke calls for a bigger arc style like say Tiger's you'll struggle off and on just hitting a consistant spot with a high MOI. It's more important to get the forgivess that works with your stroke motion. High moi doesn't automtically equate to forgiveness at impact. Forgivess comes from the best fit.
[/quote]

Finalist, thanks for the SAM PuttLab plug. I'm going to agree with you but have to point out an area of correction needed. Unless you've seen Tiger's stroke of late and I have not, when last I saw it he had a high rotation stroke but the path was a very slight arc almost SBST. His stroke has changed I'm sure since then but many have missed that.

You can have a high rotation i.e. closing the toe through impact and a strong arc which spells a recipe for disaster as the incidence of square on the target line with a square to target face is very small indeed. This is why on the SAM PuttLab we want to see all black (square) putter face relative to path.

shGGman, let me suggest that you try to follow the advice and find a SAM, I know Christopher Smith, PGA at Pumpkin Ridge in OR... I know wrong end of OR... has one and is a very talented instructor. If you're headed north it might be time to give him a call. Tell 'em I sent you. Or if you like I could come to Eugene love the town and have been out a couple of times in years past.

Is the interlock your normal grip on the other 13 clubs in your bag? Let's try an overlap on the putter grip.

For now I would like to suggest that you close your eyes. With your eyes closed see if you can't keep the putter moving while you lighten up on your grip pressure but move the putter from the shoulder plane. After you've made 8-10 strokes each with a bit lighter grip pressure open your eyes and look at how your putter is moving. This should really open your eyes to what is natural for your setup. Make each stroke with what would be appropriate for about a six foot putt. This will keep the back stroke inside your stance. Think 2 back 3 forward for length ratio.

[hebron1427]

[quote name='PuttingDoctor' timestamp='1340835000' post='5179904']
[quote name='finalist' timestamp='1340676394' post='5167566']
[quote name='rrkman' timestamp='1340637745' post='5163536']
Here's a nice article about MOI and how it helps at the moment of contact. The benefit of high MOI is that if you do strike the ball off center, the higher MOI putter still passes more 'energy' to the ball and also keeps the face from turning as much. Might want to give it a read.

[url="http://www.golfworks.com/article.asp?ai=169"]http://www.golfworks...icle.asp?ai=169[/url]
[/quote]

I don't doubt the article, but if your stroke calls for a bigger arc style like say Tiger's you'll struggle off and on just hitting a consistant spot with a high MOI. It's more important to get the forgivess that works with your stroke motion. High moi doesn't automtically equate to forgiveness at impact. Forgivess comes from the best fit.
[/quote]

Finalist, thanks for the SAM PuttLab plug. I'm going to agree with you but have to point out an area of correction needed. Unless you've seen Tiger's stroke of late and I have not, when last I saw it he had a high rotation stroke but the path was a very slight arc almost SBST. His stroke has changed I'm sure since then but many have missed that.

You can have a high rotation i.e. closing the toe through impact and a strong arc which spells a recipe for disaster as the incidence of square on the target line with a square to target face is very small indeed. This is why on the SAM PuttLab we want to see all black (square) putter face relative to path.

shGGman, let me suggest that you try to follow the advice and find a SAM, I know Christopher Smith, PGA at Pumpkin Ridge in OR... I know wrong end of OR... has one and is a very talented instructor. If you're headed north it might be time to give him a call. Tell 'em I sent you. Or if you like I could come to Eugene love the town and have been out a couple of times in years past.

Is the interlock your normal grip on the other 13 clubs in your bag? Let's try an overlap on the putter grip.

For now I would like to suggest that you close your eyes. With your eyes closed see if you can't keep the putter moving while you lighten up on your grip pressure but move the putter from the shoulder plane. After you've made 8-10 strokes each with a bit lighter grip pressure open your eyes and look at how your putter is moving. This should really open your eyes to what is natural for your setup. Make each stroke with what would be appropriate for about a six foot putt. This will keep the back stroke inside your stance. Think 2 back 3 forward for length ratio.
[/quote]

who not reverse overlap?

[dlam]

Call me crazy, but today I was putting with my 6 iron off the toe and was making putts
Now you know the toe is not where the sweetspot is, but I felt like I was controlling the speed of the ball rolling off the clubface and distance of putt as well.
I did this with a pumblers neck putter with 4 o'clock toe hang aInd had some descent putting.
So I wonder maybe it's okay to hit off center and not at the sweetspot.

Puttingdoc, there's a SAM lab of Meg Mellon? show she hits of the toe consistently,

[shGGman]

[quote name='dlam' timestamp='1340906470' post='5184496']
Call me crazy, but today I was putting with my 6 iron off the toe and was making putts
Now you know the toe is not where the sweetspot is, but I felt like I was controlling the speed of the ball rolling off the clubface and distance of putt as well.
I did this with a pumblers neck putter with 4 o'clock toe hang and had some descent putting.
So I wonder maybe it's okay to hit off center and not at the sweetspot.

Puttingdoc, there's a SAM lab of Pat Bradley? show she hits of the toe consistently,
[/quote]

lol, I guess it is about consistency over hitting accuracy. If you can constantly, and consistently hit off the toe and practice making putts with it, I don't see why not. Problem will arise when you switch your putter!

[finalist]

[quote name='dlam' timestamp='1340906470' post='5184496']
Call me crazy, but today I was putting with my 6 iron off the toe and was making putts
Now you know the toe is not where the sweetspot is, but I felt like I was controlling the speed of the ball rolling off the clubface and distance of putt as well.
I did this with a pumblers neck putter with 4 o'clock toe hang aInd had some descent putting.
So I wonder maybe it's okay to hit off center and not at the sweetspot.

Puttingdoc, there's a SAM lab of Meg Mellon? show she hits of the toe consistently,
[/quote]

It's perfectly OK as far as I know. Just hit it consistently in the same spot. You gain speed control too if you can always hit the same spot with the same motion.

[Lov]

[quote name='finalist' timestamp='1340918543' post='5185680']
[quote name='dlam' timestamp='1340906470' post='5184496']
Call me crazy, but today I was putting with my 6 iron off the toe and was making putts
Now you know the toe is not where the sweetspot is, but I felt like I was controlling the speed of the ball rolling off the clubface and distance of putt as well.
I did this with a pumblers neck putter with 4 o'clock toe hang aInd had some descent putting.
So I wonder maybe it's okay to hit off center and not at the sweetspot.

Puttingdoc, there's a SAM lab of Meg Mellon? show she hits of the toe consistently,
[/quote]

It's perfectly OK as far as I know. Just hit it consistently in the same spot. You gain speed control too if you can always hit the same spot with the same motion.
[/quote]

+1. control is based on consistency. it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do it repeatably. look at two gloves and tell me it aint true.