Putter toe is raised, does it matter?

[Lord Tyrion]

I was given a putt out mat at Christmas and as the weather is filthy up here I thought I'd get it out and give it a go. On a previous thread, which side of the hole do you miss, I mention that I miss to the right. I wanted to see if I could fix that. After a few putts I decided to video my stroke.

The thing that stood out, the putter face didn't sit flat, the toe was raised slightly. Not dramatically but certainly by a few mm. The question is, does it actually matter? What is the downside of this?

 

[Imurg]

I seem to recall that if the toe is up then you're aim is slightly left of what you think it is...think of lie angles on irons.
Could be standing a touch too far away...
This, of course, could be complete Rammel...to quote our esteemed colleague from the Mansfield area.....

 

[bobmac]

If the face is open at impact, I'd suggest you check your grip...maybe your left hand has sneaked anti clockwise a smidge.

 

[Crow]

It wasn't uncommon to see the great's of old with the toe noticeably high, I think Seve was one.

 

[bobmac]

It wasn't uncommon to see the great's of old with the toe noticeably high, I think Seve was one.

I think Isao Aoki was another

 

[chrisd]

Ever thought that your house could be crooked?

 

[sunshine]

The thing that stood out, the putter face didn't sit flat, the toe was raised slightly. Not dramatically but certainly by a few mm. The question is, does it actually matter? What is the downside of this?

Does it matter? No.

What is the downside?
It probably doesn't affect your putting, but your putter isn't fitted. You need to get fitted and spend a lot of money on a shiny new putter.

 

[Orikoru]

I've seen plenty putt like that - even a few pros - but it just doesn't look right to me. I'd have thought it means your putter is too long or the lie angle is wrong for you. If you're holing putts then crack on, but if not then that cannot be helping.

 

[BrianM]

If you put on the Players, look at Christian Bezuidenhout and how high he has the putter heal of the ground

 

[Orikoru]

If you put on the Players, look at Christian Bezuidenhout and how high he has the putter heal of the ground

I noticed similar with Zalatoris the other day - ok we know all about his putting woes, but he's actually switched to the LAB broomhandle which is meant to be the cure-all, and he still had the heel slightly off the ground. No helping some people.

 

[BiMGuy]

Most better putters appear to be more toe down. Make of that what you will!

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

Given that I apparently “push” every putt (according to GC Quad”), that must mean I’ve got the toe down and clubface slightly open at impact?

 

[Deleted member 35504]

Given that I apparently “push” every putt (according to GC Quad”), that must mean I’ve got the toe down and clubface slightly open at impact?

With so little loft on the putter it makes virtually no difference to the aim whether the toe is up or down.

 

[Orikoru]

With so little loft on the putter it makes virtually no difference to the aim whether the toe is up or down.

Makes a different to the stroke though surely? If the toe is a centimetre off the ground, then logically I'd imagine you must putt with a big arc on your stroke, which possibly makes it more difficult to square the face at impact?

 

[Deleted member 35504]

Makes a different to the stroke though surely? If the toe is a centimetre off the ground, then logically I'd imagine you must putt with a big arc on your stroke, which possibly makes it more difficult to square the face at impact?

Maybe in forum-talk, not real life though

 

[Orikoru]

Maybe in forum-talk, not real life though

Each to their own but I wouldn't want a wide sweeping arc of a putting stroke, it feels like that would be less consistent. Since switching to face-balanced putters I try and keep the arc as straight as possible (can't ever be truly straight of course). It naturally feels more consistent to me.

 

[Deleted member 35504]

Each to their own but I wouldn't want a wide sweeping arc of a putting stroke, it feels like that would be less consistent. Since switching to face-balanced putters I try and keep the arc as straight as possible (can't ever be truly straight of course). It naturally feels more consistent to me.

I agree but you've changed subject.
Originally it was about the toe being up in the air, that's not necessarily going to change anything.
You can have a lot of arc with the sole flat, or little arc with the the toe or heel up.

 

[Neilds]

Makes a different to the stroke though surely? If the toe is a centimetre off the ground, then logically I'd imagine you must putt with a big arc on your stroke, which possibly makes it more difficult to square the face at impact?

If you putt with a straight stroke, surely it just means the toe is always the same distance off the floor relative to the heel?

 

[Orikoru]

I agree but you've changed subject.
Originally it was about the toe being up in the air, that's not necessarily going to change anything.
You can have a lot of arc with the sole flat, or little arc with the the toe or heel up.

But I'm talking about what's most likely and what logically follows suits. If you're aligned with the toe up in the air, it's very likely that your eyes are well on the inside of the ball and that you have a very curved arc to your stroke. Otherwise why would the toe be up in the air?? Unless you accidentally bought a putter with a funky lie angle.

 

[Deleted member 35504]

If you're aligned with the toe up in the air, it's very likely that your eyes are well on the inside of the ball and that you have a very curved arc to your stroke.

You're just creating an assumption there.