Putting Perfection

I was happy to see that Colby on a recent GolfersRX blog suggested putting with a swing like a pendulum. As a graduate engineer I decided to swing my putter like a pendulum many years ago. It really is the only way to direct a putt directly up your target line. If you read the breaks and hit the right target line with the right speed, you should be able to sink more putts. A perfect “pendulum” swing is ideal for your success.

Your your swing must impact the ball with a square face and with a follow through swing directly up your target line. Unfortunately, we all have a natural tendency to swing our putter around our body as our arms are attached to our rotating shoulders.

Pendulum vs Arc Putting Swing
There are too many putting contraptions that encourage you to swing the putter in an arc as you rotate your body during the putt. This really is a dumb approach to putting as your putter only squares to your target line for a fraction of a second as it arcs around your body. If your ball is not resting exactly at that spot which is square to your target line, you will never hit it on the right path. A perfect pendulum swing is the only solution to minimize miss-directed putts.

The Colby Recommendation
To eliminate the wrap around the body effect, he suggested that you practice with your leading left arm wrapped around your ribs to your right side while you practice putting with your trailing right hand (for right-handed putters). He stated that “the toe of the putter should turn over just slightly after impact”. Unfortunately, if you don’t place your ball on the perfect point before your putter turns over, you can expect a pulled putt.

Solution
Because your leading arm is on your left side (for right-handed putters) it’s much easier to make a pendulum swing up your target line if you use your leading left arm to swing straight up your target line (and not around your body). That’s right, let your leading arm be your pendulum and your trailing arm my even let go of your putter as it impacts the ball (and continues swinging up your target line).

There are many putter grip options being used but we are recommending the LOWER RIGHT IMAGE with the flat of your leading hand facing the hole and an open trailing hand (to possibly release the putter at the point of impact).

Grip your putter with a normal left-hand grip so that the back of your left hand is facing directly up your target line. Then steady your putter with an open fingered right hand (so that your thumb is open and parallel with your flat fingers). With this method your putter can slide out of your right hand after the point of impact as your left-hand swings your putter (like a pendulum) directly up the target line.

With this pendulum swing make sure that you move your ball forward and in line with your left armpit. That is the exact point where your putter is starting to swing up in its pendulum arc. Pete Styles at Golf-Info-Guide.com by Thomas Golf also suggests that your back swing should be 1/3 of your swing and your follow-through should be 2/3 to ensure that you accelerate through impact with the ball.

This putting technique will work for you if you practice finishing your putting stroke with your left arm swinging up your target line (and NOT around your body). You should also practice using GOLFSTR+ to lock your leading left wrist to ensure that you keep your flat leading wrist swinging directly up your target line. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #82: Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.