Giving up SBST

[hayam]

Good idea?

Guys. I need a input. Especially someone who messed with SBST and ARC. Or anybody who went through this path to give me a confidence nudge and help me to conquer this mental hurdle. Someone who can relate to me.

My putting had been up and down messing around SBST but I really want to give up sbst , for the reason of bending forward too much and over-manipulation giving me occasional YIPS . And i start to feel ARC Putting is actually a much more easier dependability and more confortable throughout the round. But I am scared of this huge change.


Thanks !

[SwingMan]

Arc is better but for me, Stan Utley's method is best.

 

It depends on which method seems more natural.

 

Stan Utley -- "The Art of Putting" book was released in June. Stan also has a DVD that is a must and his training aid, also a must if you are learning his method. The putter is also easier on the back - 35-36 inches. 69 deg of lie and 5 deg of loft.

 

The stroke is a mini-rotation of the arms.

 

In 5 months, my putting has improved tremendously.

[hayam]

Any problem with 5 footers?

[TM golf guy]

I do the arc and from 6 feet I feel like I will make them all, and I do make a majority of them. I have always been an arc guy and it has never once let me down.

[taylormadefan]

Arc is better but for me, Stan Utley's method is best.

 

It depends on which method seems more natural.

 

Stan Utley -- "The Art of Putting" book was released in June. Stan also has a DVD that is a must and his training aid, also a must if you are learning his method. The putter is also easier on the back - 35-36 inches. 69 deg of lie and 5 deg of loft.

 

The stroke is a mini-rotation of the arms.

 

In 5 months, my putting has improved tremendously.

 

Big fan of Stan Utley's methods as well. I've noticed my putting improve tremendously since adopting his methods. I'm much more consistent and have greatly decreased the frequency of my three putting.

 

I always struggled with speed control with the Pelz method and I never could figure out why. I finally realized it was because I never hit the same spot on the putter face consistently. Utley's methods have helped me hit it center more often which has lead to consistent speed. With consistent speed comes consistent line. My quality of roll has also been much better with Utley's stroke. the ball just seems to start rolling immediately, no hopping, skidding.

 

I really think his method is great for feel players who feel a bit "constrained" in the SBST stroke, I know I did. Remember though, to get things to work with his stroke you will likely need to flatten your putter to between 70 and 68* and you may need to add loft as well to compensate for the forward press he reccomends. Flatting my putter helped my stroke tremendously.

 

 

 

Any problem with 5 footers?

 

As with any swing change, it takes time to get used to things, and I'll be the first to admit that the short ones were very scary when I first changed, mostly because since you make such solid contact, the ball just rockets off the face and you don't need to take a very big stroke at all to make the ball go pretty far. Get the DVD, and the book, and I think you'll be well on your way to fewer putts!

 

Hope that helps.

[codylowrygolf]

Get that book. Read it. Work on it. Then mak it your own. I feel like there should be some arc. But I dont think that the arc should be so drastic.... it needs to be natural. Once you go through his set up, length of putter, and grip... you will naturally swing in to in. Work for a bit than just step in the box and execute.

[SwingMan]

Any problem with 5 footers?

 

 

No - in fact, I've made more 5-6 footers in the past couple of months than I've ever made.

 

Using Stan Utley's techniques, what I've found is that you must relax -- if you don't relax, then the technique won't work and you won't release the putter.

 

But my experience with any putting method is that if you don't relax your arms and grip, then you won't be successful.

 

There are two arcing methods - the traditional gated method with your shoulders rocking; and Stan's method - which is more of a folding and unfolding (or slight rotation of the arms). I've rarely (knock on wood) had a three putt since using Utley.

 

If interested, start with the book first - if it seems like something you might like, then get the DVD and training aid (I think intheholegolf.com has it) -- the DVD and aid is vital to the method. The book won't give you everything you need.

 

After I started putting Stan's way, I extended his putting technique to the short game -- I am putting more spin on the ball and stopping it dead in its tracks on chips and short to medium pitches - it's amazing -- Stan is coming out with his short game book in June 2007 -- but if you look at Golf Digest online, you can find some of his articles -- but they won't make sense until you use his putting method. He does most of the short game with one club, I believe, a 58 deg wedge with about 13-14 deg of bounce -- I am using a 58 with 12 deg of bounce -- it works.

[pitbull808]

Am I the only one who doesn't even think about arc or PILS? I just concentrate on keeping the putter low back and through the ball with a good tempo. In my opinion....the less I think about while stroking and concentrating more on feel gives me the best results.

[hayam]

That makes sense too Pitbull. thats exactly what Dave Stockton say .. I did have some great putting days without "thinking" and even with a Unsymetrical arm stroke.

 

The reason I want to venture into Arc more is because I need a better geometrical and visual cues. As I train with weights stuffs pretty ofthen, Feel / arm stroke becomes very unreliable at times... I hope i am doing it for the right reason >..<

[Boba]

There are benefits to both strokes & the answer depends on you and your posture. If you stand tall then your spine will be vertical & your shoulders will work on an arc. If you bend from the waist your spine will be more horizontal & your shoulders will rotate on a different plane with less arc. That being said, a true sbst stroke is a manipulation of the hands unless you get your spine parallel with the ground, most people on the planet can't do that & if you do your putter will be 3" long. The other way to putt sbst is to go side saddle. It encourages a binocular view (better speed) of the hole & your dominant hand works like an underhand toss with no manipulation.

[hayam]

exactly boba...

 

the only way , the horizontal pivot.. is bad especially you have a bad breakfast and there is full of gas in you abdomen.

 

side sadle ... nah no more new putters for me.. did u check my collection?

[Boba]

You don't need a new putter to go side saddle, just extend one to 50" (cool)

[Simp]

Am I the only one who doesn't even think about arc or PILS? I just concentrate on keeping the putter low back and through the ball with a good tempo. In my opinion....the less I think about while stroking and concentrating more on feel gives me the best results.

 

Ding!, Ding!, Ding!...We have a winner...Tell him what he's won Johnny! (cool)

 

Exactly! What's there to actually think about when it comes to putting, besides the speed and line? If someone is thinking about something other than these two things then I feel that they're making it much harder than need be. Good post Pitbull808!

[SwingMan]

Am I the only one who doesn't even think about arc or PILS? I just concentrate on keeping the putter low back and through the ball with a good tempo. In my opinion....the less I think about while stroking and concentrating more on feel gives me the best results.

 

Well, first things first. (cool)

 

 

You do have to adopt a technique.

 

 

When I'm over the ball, I just want good tempo.

 

If I've adopted and practiced a putting technique or method, then on the course, I don't want to think about anything other than relaxing.