Hi Paul. I’ve had the yips on and off and found that holding the back stroke for an instant helps smooth out my putting stroke. Do you see any disadvantage to that fix? Also, I’ve tried left hand low periodically, but it seems difficult to gauge speed on longer putts. What’s your opinion of the reverse handed, left hand low technique. It sure works for Spieth!
Yips are you trying to hit the ball. Think beyond the ball. Can you throw a ball? If so you can putt. You are not thinking throw you are thinking hit. Think throw and you will eliminate yips. You do not need to change your grip. You need to putt as I am explaining it. You are over thinking it and trying to hit the ball.
I have solved ,as far as I am concerned ,the dilemma about placing the hands on the handle ,when putting :the right hand overlaps nearly completely the left :the right pinkie is in the groove between left hand pinkie and the left ” annular “:the right ” annular ” is in the groove between the left ” annular and the left ” major ” etc,etc….Nô hand is really dominant ,and the ” feel ” is in the back OF the left hand and the FINGERS OF the right hand .The distançe Contrôl is in THE stéréoscopic vision OF the two eyes .To be sure you don’ t misread ,you have to put with the non dominant eye closed .
For chipping ,I do exactly the same .
Greetings Coach Should the length of the back putting stroke be the same as the follow through stroke? Or on longer putts should the follow through stroke be longer so as not to decelerate the putter ?
I would like the through swing a little longer than the backstroke so you keep accelerating. Just check it. If you trying to keep them even you are thinking stroke which is what I want you to avoid thinking about.
Hi Paul, I enjoyed this putting tip a lot. It makes perfect sense. A smooth swing is key to all shots and clubs and putting is dependent on it for consistency.
I am playing at the Magnolia in WDW soon, and looking forward to using this and other great tips I have practiced. Cheers!
I don’t have too much difficulty using the pendulum swing. My tendency is to push the putt to the right of the target. Subsequently I over compensate and pull my putts left of target.
How can I practice keeping the blade square to target.
Quick question about putting I haven’t seen addressed. When you are reading the lie and aiming for the pro side of the hole, do you position your feet in parallel to the hole and just change the angle of your putter or do you shift your stance as well so that your feet are parallel to where the putter is aiming
You would be aiming your whole body at the target line. This many be parallel to it or slightly open or closed depending on how you set up to a normal straight putt. So if it breaks a foot left imagine the whole is 1 foot right of where it actually is then address it as normal. I imagine and X on the ground at the breaking point.
I am practicing my putting now. I went to a 3 hour putting clinic last week. Is it true that a face-balanced putter, like my ping maillot, should use a straight back and forth putting stroke while a toe-balanced putter, like my Cleveland blade, should use an arc stroke? Also the pro told me that the back swing should be longer than the follow through putting stroke while I have been working on a shorter back swing and a slightly longer follow through putting stroke based on your video. Which should be longer or should they be the same length? And finally, do you think plumb bobbing is a good technique to read a green? If yes, do you have a video on it and if not would you create a video on plumb bobbing? Thanks!
It is impossible to take a putter straight back and straight through unless your body was parallel to the ground and the putter was bent to 90 degrees. I wish people would quit telling people to do this. They should know better.
All strokes follow an arc. The follow through should be longer than the backswing so point 2 is also wrong. If your backswing is longer you will decelerate which no pro does (unless they are putting poorly).
Not sure about plumb bobbing. Some like it. If it really was accurate wouldn’t everyone be doing it? You can do it if you want. I do not have a tip on it and will not do one.
Thanks, Paul. I have watched all your putting videos now and am trying to be target oriented with a smooth follow through using the throw the ball idea and a shorter back swing, as you advise. Thanks again. I am hoping that next week I can start to practice my short chips too as I have just passed the half way mark to full recovery on my rotator cuff surgery.
Paul
I think I would be considered a shoulder putter because I feel that is my power source.
My question is the movement of the arms and shoulders, should they be moving at the
same speed?
Sometimes I fell that the movement of the shoulders causes my lower body to move
slightly and maybe I am too shoulder oriented.
There are exceptions to the putting “pendulium stroke “.
BRANDT SNEDECKER comes to mind ,he restricts his follow through after stroking the ball.
So did excellent putter BOBBY LOCKE with his unorthodox stroke
Yes, there are always exceptions. I wouldn’t teach anyone to do that though. Plus, if you did it a different way and weren’t an exceptional putter I would have the person change it.
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21 Responses to “Putting – The Pirate Ship”
September 2, 2015
RonCalabreseHi Paul. I’ve had the yips on and off and found that holding the back stroke for an instant helps smooth out my putting stroke. Do you see any disadvantage to that fix? Also, I’ve tried left hand low periodically, but it seems difficult to gauge speed on longer putts. What’s your opinion of the reverse handed, left hand low technique. It sure works for Spieth!
Thanks, Ron
September 3, 2015
Paul WilsonRon,
Yips are you trying to hit the ball. Think beyond the ball. Can you throw a ball? If so you can putt. You are not thinking throw you are thinking hit. Think throw and you will eliminate yips. You do not need to change your grip. You need to putt as I am explaining it. You are over thinking it and trying to hit the ball.
September 2, 2015
RaymondCHASTELI have solved ,as far as I am concerned ,the dilemma about placing the hands on the handle ,when putting :the right hand overlaps nearly completely the left :the right pinkie is in the groove between left hand pinkie and the left ” annular “:the right ” annular ” is in the groove between the left ” annular and the left ” major ” etc,etc….Nô hand is really dominant ,and the ” feel ” is in the back OF the left hand and the FINGERS OF the right hand .The distançe Contrôl is in THE stéréoscopic vision OF the two eyes .To be sure you don’ t misread ,you have to put with the non dominant eye closed .
For chipping ,I do exactly the same .
September 3, 2015
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Too confusing. Just throw the ball.
September 2, 2015
johnhoyleGreetings Coach Should the length of the back putting stroke be the same as the follow through stroke? Or on longer putts should the follow through stroke be longer so as not to decelerate the putter ?
September 3, 2015
Paul WilsonJohn
I would like the through swing a little longer than the backstroke so you keep accelerating. Just check it. If you trying to keep them even you are thinking stroke which is what I want you to avoid thinking about.
September 3, 2015
BradleyHi Paul, I enjoyed this putting tip a lot. It makes perfect sense. A smooth swing is key to all shots and clubs and putting is dependent on it for consistency.
I am playing at the Magnolia in WDW soon, and looking forward to using this and other great tips I have practiced. Cheers!
September 3, 2015
Paul WilsonBradley,
Magnolia was a tough track back in the day. Should be fun. Glad you liked the tip.
September 25, 2015
RoyPaul,
I don’t have too much difficulty using the pendulum swing. My tendency is to push the putt to the right of the target. Subsequently I over compensate and pull my putts left of target.
How can I practice keeping the blade square to target.
Thanks,
Roy
September 26, 2015
Paul WilsonRoy,
You need to be following my putting technique. This would be in the dashboard under Putting:
Here it is:
The Secret to Great Putting: https://ignitiongolf.com/putting-stroke/
July 25, 2017
RobertBrubakerthis video is posted in the “HOW TO” of the Greenside Bunker section.
July 26, 2017
Paul WilsonRobert,
Thanks for noticing that.
July 22, 2018
CraigBakerPaul
Quick question about putting I haven’t seen addressed. When you are reading the lie and aiming for the pro side of the hole, do you position your feet in parallel to the hole and just change the angle of your putter or do you shift your stance as well so that your feet are parallel to where the putter is aiming
CB
July 22, 2018
Paul WilsonCraig,
You would be aiming your whole body at the target line. This many be parallel to it or slightly open or closed depending on how you set up to a normal straight putt. So if it breaks a foot left imagine the whole is 1 foot right of where it actually is then address it as normal. I imagine and X on the ground at the breaking point.
March 25, 2019
KimberlyHagenbachI am practicing my putting now. I went to a 3 hour putting clinic last week. Is it true that a face-balanced putter, like my ping maillot, should use a straight back and forth putting stroke while a toe-balanced putter, like my Cleveland blade, should use an arc stroke? Also the pro told me that the back swing should be longer than the follow through putting stroke while I have been working on a shorter back swing and a slightly longer follow through putting stroke based on your video. Which should be longer or should they be the same length? And finally, do you think plumb bobbing is a good technique to read a green? If yes, do you have a video on it and if not would you create a video on plumb bobbing? Thanks!
March 31, 2019
Paul WilsonKimberly,
It is impossible to take a putter straight back and straight through unless your body was parallel to the ground and the putter was bent to 90 degrees. I wish people would quit telling people to do this. They should know better.
All strokes follow an arc. The follow through should be longer than the backswing so point 2 is also wrong. If your backswing is longer you will decelerate which no pro does (unless they are putting poorly).
Not sure about plumb bobbing. Some like it. If it really was accurate wouldn’t everyone be doing it? You can do it if you want. I do not have a tip on it and will not do one.
You need to watch my putting tips asap.
The Secret to Great Putting: https://ignitiongolf.com/putting-stroke/
How to Feel the Throwing Motion: https://ignitiongolf.com/putting-feel-throwing-motion/
Fir more just type in putting at the right side of the red navigation bar.
March 31, 2019
KimberlyHagenbachThanks, Paul. I have watched all your putting videos now and am trying to be target oriented with a smooth follow through using the throw the ball idea and a shorter back swing, as you advise. Thanks again. I am hoping that next week I can start to practice my short chips too as I have just passed the half way mark to full recovery on my rotator cuff surgery.
January 3, 2020
MauriceYochamPaul
I think I would be considered a shoulder putter because I feel that is my power source.
My question is the movement of the arms and shoulders, should they be moving at the
same speed?
Sometimes I fell that the movement of the shoulders causes my lower body to move
slightly and maybe I am too shoulder oriented.
M.C.
January 12, 2020
Paul WilsonMaurice,
Yes, if you are doing a pendulum strike everything would be moving together. If you feel your lower body is moving then you can do this drill:
DRILL: How To Keep Your Body Stable When You Putt: https://ignitiongolf.com/body-stable-putting/
No matter how long the putt your lower body should be stable.
January 4, 2020
RaymondCHASTELThere are exceptions to the putting “pendulium stroke “.
BRANDT SNEDECKER comes to mind ,he restricts his follow through after stroking the ball.
So did excellent putter BOBBY LOCKE with his unorthodox stroke
January 12, 2020
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Yes, there are always exceptions. I wouldn’t teach anyone to do that though. Plus, if you did it a different way and weren’t an exceptional putter I would have the person change it.