Putting - U Like Arc

[cwdlaw223]

I have a tendency to have a putting arc that goes in a slight U. I generally try to feel the putter goes straight back and straight through (I know it doesn't happen). I play a faced balanced putter that has a 71* lie angle.

Would a flatter lie angled putter help prevent this U like arc? Of course, if I use a flatter putter I don't get the SBST like feel.

[Richie3Jack]

No. More upright the more the putter will likely go SBST.






3JACK

[cwdlaw223]

Wouldn't a flatter putter make me take it more inside instead of going outside off the line?

[Richie3Jack]

I gotchya.

I had the 'U' upside down.

A flatter putter would probably help because it's more likely to make an arc. You also may be too close to the ball which gets that putter moving outside the target line.

I question if you really make a U in the follow thru though. Usually golfers do not do that. YOu could always check that out on a SAM Puttlab.

Believe it or not, Loren Roberts' putting stroke is one where he cuts across the ball. SAM Puttlab shows that.

Personally, I don't worry about the stroke much anymore. Perfect mechanical strokes are very hard to achieve and I've talked to David Orr and he's told me how many of his students who come to him saying they are the worst putters ever wind up having mechanically sound putting strokes. Plus, the best putter I've ever seen live, had about the goofiest setup and stroke I've ever seen.

To me putting is about consistently making the same stroke. Whether it's a 'good' mechanics or 'goofy' mechanics, the stroke that can do those mechanics every time wins. It's also about having a good rhythm (consistently).

Then you have 'hitting it where you intend to hit it.' For example, Loren Roberts actually aims 2* left of the target with his putter. However, at impact, his face would return square to the target. So he's 'hitting it where he intends to hit it.'

But typically golfers need to make less of a compensation than what Loren Roberts makes. They are better off aiming square at the target at address and then having it square at impact.

In college I was a great putter. But when I got back into the game after an 8-year layoff, I eventually turned into a mediocre putter and then got it back to being average. Now I would say I'm above average.

However, I've been thinking as to why I used to be a great putter. My belief is that for the most part back then, my thoughts on stroke mechanics were keeping the putterhead low. That and have a 'smooth stroke.' I would also try to keep it relatively SBST, but not worry about it too much.

I think what happened back then is that I developed excellent rhythm of a stroke and also developed great touch/speed on the greens.

I think what happened coming back into the game was I started thinking too much about stroke mechanics and too much about aiming dead perfect and probably too much about reading the greens perfectly. I started to develop a slghtly pause of sorts at the end of my backstroke in order to perfect the mechanics. But I was losing rhythm and that also killed my touch/speed.







3JACK

[cwdlaw223]

Thanks. The TOMI system showed me the U tendency. Funny how we wall want to get better but don't realize that sometimes sticking with what we have is the best we've got!

[Richie3Jack]

You probably make a 'U' because you are trying to really keep it SBST. I just worry about the rhythm of the stroke and don't even think about being SBST or on an arc. And it arcs naturally for me.





3JACK