A really weird putting struggle!

[KingJulien]

Hello folks,

I'm going to start with the basics: I did not play golf consistently for 6 years as I was in university in Canada. I have graduated and am now playing golf more consistently.

The places where I played in my youth had very bad, very slow greens so I went for weight back then when I chose a putter more suited to my game - and that course - than whatever came with the set. I now have a heel-shafted Taylormade Rossa Fontana Classic Mallet putter and now that I play on more advanced courses, the putter feels too heavy. To hit uphill, I have to hit normal shots; to hit downhill, I barely touch the ball. I have zero faith in my putter because I've struggled to control distance.

The really weird thing (I'm right-handed btw) is that I can only seem to putt with confidence on right-to-left breaks (where it breaks towards me) but when faced with left-to-right breaks (breaking away from me) I either hit it short or start manipulating my putter's face angle, which I know to be incorrect.

It really seems weird to me, so can anyone relate to this, and can anyone recommend a temporary fix, or better yet, a permanent one? I've already resolved to buy a lighter putter but I feel mastering this one would make an interesting challenge.

Thanks in advance, GM!

 

[bobmac]

Do you vary the length of your backswing for different length putts?

 

[londonlewis]

If you are lacking confidence, maybe get a putting lesson. Hopefully a pro can help you identify the flaws in your putting stroke and help give you some drills to work on.

 

[KingJulien]

Do you vary the length of your backswing for different length putts?

Yes, I do. I do not vary the speed taking the putter up and I guide it down only directionally. Works on heavy greens. Stimpmeter > 8 is when three-putts become an issue.

 

[the_coach]

not uncommon for rh golfers to find left to right breaks more problematic

in general folks under read the break on bigger breaking putts swinging either which ways

would experiment with seeing/reading & picking the break point then aiming the putt to a point just a tad higher than that point
- remember as far as the stroke goes you are making a straight putt to that higher target break point so face angle of putter should be square at impact to that tad higher than break point target not the hole

- it's then the pace of the ball that then will curve into the top left side of hole - but not into the middle of the hole as you view it - but the 'middle' of the left half topside of the hole

not understanding what you say about - "I do not vary the speed taking the putter up​ and I guide it down only directionally'
this would tend to indicate that you could have a misconception of the putter stroke technique

for sure easier ways is to seek out a pga pro for a putting checkover to have a look exactly how you make a stroke

to be able to read putts folks have to have a handle on a consistent tempo to the putting stroke - the tempo & rhythm of the putter head then gives consistent pace to the ball - the thing that changes is the length of the whole stroke back & through the ball to give the difference in distance

overall the easiest ways to achieve the above is by having the shoulders as the engine of the stroke with the arms/wrists & hands real passive - set-up with the arms reasonably relaxed hanging under the shoulders palms pretty parallel to each other & to the square putter face
so then the arm triangle has the elbows a certain distance apart - that distance between the elbows doesn't change through the stroke

the arc of the puttered aways from the ball also as it travels back to & through impact should be pretty low to the ground with the lowest point of travel of the putter head always being approx opposite the sternum (given a reasonable stroke) & also a rock still lower half so legs/knees/hips & a rock still head

that ways you get best sold contact and the ball gets to roll quicker off of the putter face to able to keep truer to line - any lift up of the putter head with the hands/wrist/arms aways from ball & then a drop down back onto ball will make the ball bounce more so more likely to deviate from true line easier plus the putter head is a deal more unstable making control of the face angle problematic & also control of the path a tad difficult

for all those kinda reasons would for sure go and get the technique - posture - ball position etc checked over by the pro

 

[the_coach]

[video=youtube;ZmD0Xj9J0Z4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmD0Xj9J0Z4[/video]

 

[KingJulien]

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not understanding what you say about - "I do not vary the speed taking the putter up​ and I guide it down only directionally'
this would tend to indicate that you could have a misconception of the putter stroke technique

for sure easier ways is to seek out a pga pro for a putting checkover to have a look exactly how you make a stroke

Thanks for this really comprehensive reply (no sarcasm, I just talk like this). What I meant is I tend to bring the putter back slowly, and I usually let gravity make it fall back to the ball - much like a pendulum, where upon reaching the top of my intended backswing, it just falls back towards the ball with my hands keeping the face to remain square on contact. So I do not apply any force when the putter comes down and the speed is entirely a product of the length of my backswing.

However, I increasingly feel this leaves a lot of room to manipulate the club face during the stroke, which is sort of bad for those who do not trust their putting at all, coz I do catch myself adjusting things in-stroke as opposed to setting up along an intended line.

Does this clarification change your answer in any way? Thanks in advance.

PS: Supposedly playing later today, so I will try that 3-point practice drill. Thanks for this!

 

[lukeysafc100]

Personally it sounds as though you just need to get some confidence.

I like to get on the putting green and do the Tiger Gate drill. 4 tee's 2 to fit the putter through and 2 for the ball.

then you know your stroke is spot on and you will never manipulate the putter face again. Then all its about is the same rhythm just different lengths for the distance.

 

[Yant]

[video=youtube;ZmD0Xj9J0Z4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmD0Xj9J0Z4[/video]

This is excellent. I love putting drills like this, that get you to apply all of the elements of what goes into making a putt a good one. I'll be giving this a try. Thanks Coach!

 

[the_coach]

Thanks for this really comprehensive reply (no sarcasm, I just talk like this). What I meant is I tend to bring the putter back slowly, and I usually let gravity make it fall back to the ball - much like a pendulum, where upon reaching the top of my intended backswing, it just falls back towards the ball with my hands keeping the face to remain square on contact. So I do not apply any force when the putter comes down and the speed is entirely a product of the length of my backswing.

However, I increasingly feel this leaves a lot of room to manipulate the club face during the stroke, which is sort of bad for those who do not trust their putting at all, coz I do catch myself adjusting things in-stroke as opposed to setting up along an intended line.

Does this clarification change your answer in any way? Thanks in advance.

PS: Supposedly playing later today, so I will try that 3-point practice drill. Thanks for this!

didn't think anyways about what or how you said things - all good

the stuff that makes me consider there maybes an issue over technique

was the bit about up & guide - or as you amplify here ... the slow back & let gravity have it fall

may not be - but this sounds as if it's largely a tad of an arms lifting kinda motion with a wrist break

for sure there's some room for individualism in putting - some famous folks had a lot of success with a more wristy rap kinda 'pop' or 'hit at' so not a stroke through the ball - & when they are bang on with the feel & timing they putt real well but if they off a tad things can go real badly south real quick both with pace & distance but also crucially line & path (ties in with your feeling of 'leaves a lot of room to manipulate the face angle') - it can also lead real easy to a decel into strike a cut across the ball all that kinda stuff

my take & advice would be this kinda method if this or real similar is the technique you use - it tends to leave a lot of room for inaccuracy both in the twisting of the face angle aways from square at contact but also can lead to real inconsistency in the pace through force put into the ball - plus issues around strike location of the face & the loft on the face at strike

most reliable method would be the one described in earlier post about the engine of the whole stroke both back & through the ball is provided by the shoulders that tad of a rocking action (there's also a tad of rotation too) with the hands & arms being mostly passive - which allows the putter head to be pretty low to the ground as it starts back then again on the through stroke
this makes it a whole bunch easier to have the putter's loft shown to the ball & also the center of face to contact the equator of the ball at strike

then alls that has to happen is the overall stroke gets longer while keeping the same tempo for longer distances - so not trying to 'hit' the ball any harder or softer

would say it would prove real worthwhile to make that trip to a pga pro to have stuff with the flat stick looked over - even better if they are a putting specialist teacher - but any pro would be able to help for sure