Putting - No Practice Swing?

[Orikoru]

Saw this doing the rounds on social media last week. No idea who the bloke is but:



Any truth in this do we think? The practise swing benefit for me (or so I thought) was to get a feel for how hard you're going to hit the putt. He seems to think this is not of any benefit?

Anyone here not bother practise swinging on putts and find it helps?

 

[Imurg]

I don't make any practice swings full stop....
Waste of energy.

 

[BiMGuy]

I don't make any practice swings full stop....
Waste of energy.

I’m almost the same.

Only time I do a practice swing is on chips and pitches so get a feel for how the club interacts with the ground.

 

[Backache]

I don't usually practice swing on my putts. No idea if it benefits
But all practice swings for me are to release any tension rather than to emulate the shot.
I'd rather know if it has a negative impact on the putt rather than on a brain reading though.

Edit: Actually as above some of my practice chips are to check ground interaction.

 

[srixon 1]

Everyone is different. I have one practice stroke when putting or chipping. I never have a practice swing for full shots. A full shot is the same every time regardless of the club in use. Putting and chipping is always a different distance.

 

[Orikoru]

I can't imagine not doing a practice swing for full shots. I think it's just like OCD now. If I skipped it I'd feel like I was rushing into the shot with no preparation - or something. Just part of the routine that feels like it has some mental benefit rather than technical.

Willing to try this on putting though this Sunday. I will try and leave out the practice strokes and see what happens. I can see some logic in it, since putting is often more of an instinctive thing.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

For me, it is about getting a bit of muscle memory going. Do a few practice movements, get a little groove going. Having that is more important for my stroke than my eye taking control.

 

[Imurg]

There may be some out there that can do it but in my 30 years of playing I've seen very few practice swings that even resemble to one that hits the ball....

 

[Orikoru]

There may be some out there that can do it but in my 30 years of playing I've seen very few practice swings that even resemble to one that hits the ball....

This is why I say it's a mental thing rather than technical. It just puts you in the frame of mind to hit the ball I guess. If I didn't take a practice swing, and then duffed my shot, I'd be fuming and thinking why the hell did I rush into that? But at the same time, I've had countless occasions where the practice swing felt like it would have been the perfect strike, and then the final shot is awful. So probably swings and roundabouts.

 

[RichA]

If your one practice swing is perfect, you might has well have used it on the ball.
If your practice swing(s) isn't(aren't) perfect, how many times do you repeat until you get it perfect? If the following shot isn't perfect, doesn't it prove the practice swing(s) we're a waste of energy?
Just my thoughts - not a criticism of those (slowcoaches) who do it.

 

[Orikoru]

If your one practice swing is perfect, you might has well have used it on the ball.
If your practice swing(s) isn't(aren't) perfect, how many times do you repeat until you get it perfect? If the following shot isn't perfect, doesn't it prove the practice swing(s) we're a waste of energy?
Just my thoughts - not a criticism of those (slowcoaches) who do it.

Hmm, it is silly isn't it? Odds of two perfect swings in a row (one practice and one on the shot) basically slim to none. It's just a part of my shot routine that I'm so used to it would feel weird not to.

For putting though, I don't think it would feel as bad to skip it and see what happens.

 

[paddyjk]

Rory doesn't take a practice putt swing

 

[Orikoru]

Rory doesn't take a practice putt swing

Oh. Maybe I should keep it then.

 

[sjw]

As long as you don't take 6-8 practice swings before every shank and duff like the kids in front of me the other day, do what you want!

 

[paddyjk]

Oh. Maybe I should keep it then.

he's a rubbish putter though

 

[chico]

I was at the putting green with my daughter last week. One of her rules was I couldn't take a practice swing. Through me completely, still beat her though.
I always take a practice swing with my irons as well. For me it gives me the feeling " that's the one." Might work, might not, but if I don't do it now I'll blame any bad shot on not having a practice swing.

 

[DeanoMK]

I take very little practice swings in my full swing, unless I'm trying to feel a certain type of swing i.e. 70%. Definitely see it as a waste of energy.

I do take practice swings in my putting, purely for feel but have experimented with little to no and it works out fairly well.

One thing I have done and it always amazes me how well it works, just needs more trust, is putting looking at the hole or 'heads up' putting, Dr Sasho MacKenzie is a + handicap and has done a lot of studies on it and uses it himself, well worth checking out. Most interestingly is that the quality of strike can decrease but accuracy increases.

 

[Orikoru]

I take very little practice swings in my full swing, unless I'm trying to feel a certain type of swing i.e. 70%. Definitely see it as a waste of energy.

I do take practice swings in my putting, purely for feel but have experimented with little to no and it works out fairly well.

One thing I have done and it always amazes me how well it works, just needs more trust, is putting looking at the hole or 'heads up' putting, Dr Sasho MacKenzie is a + handicap and has done a lot of studies on it and uses it himself, well worth checking out. Most interestingly is that the quality of strike can decrease but accuracy increases.

I tried that, just made me nervous. Hit it off the heel and toe mostly - felt like I was going to miss the ball and spent more time worrying about that than focussing on the putt.

 

[ADB]

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable but doesn’t hold up play.

 

[Backache]

I take very little practice swings in my full swing, unless I'm trying to feel a certain type of swing i.e. 70%. Definitely see it as a waste of energy.

I do take practice swings in my putting, purely for feel but have experimented with little to no and it works out fairly well.

One thing I have done and it always amazes me how well it works, just needs more trust, is putting looking at the hole or 'heads up' putting, Dr Sasho MacKenzie is a + handicap and has done a lot of studies on it and uses it himself, well worth checking out. Most interestingly is that the quality of strike can decrease but accuracy increases.

His findings as far as accuracy are concerned was that directional accuracy is unchanged but distance was improved.
I use it and my putting has improved though now for short putts I putt head down.