Putting question

[kid2]

Hopefully someone might chime in for this with maybe a similar issue.

No before I start this doesn't happen with every putt but it happens none the less.
Also just to add I want zero jargon in my head that's basically why I overhauled my game. To get rid of the technical stuff play golf instead of golf swing.

I changed to left hand low around September last season after a bout of the yips from being over dominant with my right hand.
It was a revalation to put it mildly and have never pitted better. (MAYBE it's because I have no thoughts between the ears)😀
Anyway today I had a few hours to myself for practice while my small man has junior golf and I used it for putting and chipping.

I've developed this nasty habit of getting the putter head caught in the backswing the odd time and I can't figure out what's causing it.

I forward press to start my stroke id it makes any difference.

 

[SammmeBee]

Can you give it a rest of posting utter tosh for another couple of years now please.....

 

[kid2]

Can you give it a rest of posting utter tosh for another couple of years now please.....

Yes Sir! Sorry Sir! My Bad Sir!

Great Input though. Must have taken a fair amount of thought.

 

[SammmeBee]

Yes Sir! Sorry Sir! My Bad Sir!

Great Input though. Must have taken a fair amount of thought.

Not really.......

 

[kid2]

Not really.......

You are aware you don't have to read posts aren't you. And no one is twisting your arm to reply to them. Just as well there's only one of you on the forum though. It would be a lonely place posting replies like the one above if there were more.
But I'm sure you see some merit in it. Can't imagine what though.

 

[the_coach]

taking this means 'snagging' the putterhead into the ground just as it starts to move back

{am guessing you not pressing the putterhead downwards at address - but if that could be an issue place a thin large coin directly behind the ball (say like your 50 pence coin) and address with the putterhead on top of coin make a stroke back and through without moving the coin}

- so as a first port of call checkpoint would look to see there's no lateral sway as the takeback starts (hips/upper body/head)
through mirror or video
can also rest a sand wedge sole on ground with handle leaning against trail hip - any lateral motion at the takeback then will feel the handle move against the hip during the stroke
also can focus on the 'nose/chin' staying in the same place relative to the ball it was at address rightways through the stroke

another checkpoint would be a little excessive hand/wrist motion can play into it - check the forward press hasn't got too pronounced - so too much 'hands/wrists hinging'

tension in the hands and forearms another thing that can play into it - often times if the grip hold is tight in the fingers on the 'bottom of the handle' and the thumbs on the 'top of the handle' so more like a 'pincher grip' then the forearms get rock hard tense and the motion away is a 'jerked' one
- pressure with handle more in the palms, handle running against the 'lifeline's' it's then a ways easier to be tension free so forearms can still be 'soft' with slight pressure applied only to the frontside and trailside of the handle - bit like the pressure of 'prayer hands' lightly pressing together that ways the pressure is in line with the motion direction back and through of the putter

 

[kid2]

taking this means 'snagging' the putterhead into the ground just as it starts to move back

{am guessing you not pressing the putterhead downwards at address - but if that could be an issue place a thin large coin directly behind the ball (say like your 50 pence coin) and address with the putterhead on top of coin make a stroke back and through without moving the coin}

- so as a first port of call checkpoint would look to see there's no lateral sway as the takeback starts (hips/upper body/head)
through mirror or video
can also rest a sand wedge sole on ground with handle leaning against trail hip - any lateral motion at the takeback then will feel the handle move against the hip during the stroke
also can focus on the 'nose/chin' staying in the same place relative to the ball it was at address rightways through the stroke

another checkpoint would be a little excessive hand/wrist motion can play into it - check the forward press hasn't got too pronounced - so too much 'hands/wrists hinging'

tension in the hands and forearms another thing that can play into it - often times if the grip hold is tight in the fingers on the 'bottom of the handle' and the thumbs on the 'top of the handle' so more like a 'pincher grip' then the forearms get rock hard tense and the motion away is a 'jerked' one
- pressure with handle more in the palms, handle running against the 'lifeline's' it's then a ways easier to be tension free so forearms can still be 'soft' with slight pressure applied only to the frontside and trailside of the handle - bit like the pressure of 'prayer hands' lightly pressing together that ways the pressure is in line with the motion direction back and through of the putter

Cheers Coach.
Amazing what a little help can achieve from the right person. 👍

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I always find not grounding the putter. and only hover it when addressing the ball helps as well.

 

[kid2]

I always find not grounding the putter. and only hover it when addressing the ball helps as well.

Tried this pal. But I can't keep it still enough when the winds blowing. Also as I have a slight forward press to start the stroke I can't really do that either when hovering.
Thanks for the reply though.

 

[Beezerk]

I also do the forward press thing and suffer from catching the ground when taking the putter back. It doesn't happen very often and the worst ing is it seems to be completely random. Great post by The Coach as per.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Perhaps it's not so much as a "forward press" but more of an occaisinal "press down". Thas why I hover my putter, so I can't press down and drag the putter on the turf.

 

[GMAC88]

I struggled a bit like this last season. Bought a putting mirror from eBay, and the putter rests on it at address. Has helped the stroke a fair bit.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You are aware you don't have to read posts aren't you. And no one is twisting your arm to reply to them. Just as well there's only one of you on the forum though. It would be a lonely place posting replies like the one above if there were more.
But I'm sure you see some merit in it. Can't imagine what though.

Glad it's not just my posts he puts inane comments against. Back to your post... and I think its simply a question of getting use to the new way of holding the putter and working on the stroke. I think the more you do it, the more confident you'll get, the more relaxed you'll be and the more you'll let the putter flow through the stroke. But doing that you can stand there with an empty head, concentrate on line and length and drain them on a regular basis

 

[kid2]

Glad it's not just my posts he puts inane comments against. Back to your post... and I think its simply a question of getting use to the new way of holding the putter and working on the stroke. I think the more you do it, the more confident you'll get, the more relaxed you'll be and the more you'll let the putter flow through the stroke. But doing that you can stand there with an empty head, concentrate on line and length and drain them on a regular basis

Your on the button Homer...
For every one smart comment someone posts you'll get a dozen genuine ones. That's the great thing about Forums.
Most are made up of genuine people.
Which is why comments like that from the 1st reply i got earlier in the post i take with a pinch of salt.

But there's at least always 1 on every Forum isn't there?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Your on the button Homer...
For every one smart comment someone posts you'll get a dozen genuine ones. That's the great thing about Forums.
Most are made up of genuine people.
Which is why comments like that from the 1st reply i got earlier in the post i take with a pinch of salt.

But there's at least always 1 on every Forum isn't there?

You're telling me :thup:

Stick with it. Practice putting can be repetitive and to a degree boring, but sometimes you need to dis-engage the brain and kind of grind it out. Once you get the confidence with the new grip and how that changes the set up over the ball, you can stand there, pick the line and feel happy you won't catch the ground and simply make the stroke. All the best putters have a fluid stroke. I know you're trying to simplify everything and once you get the putting stroke sorted this is another area where you can relax and simply go line and length

 

[kid2]

You're telling me :thup:

Stick with it. Practice putting can be repetitive and to a degree boring, but sometimes you need to dis-engage the brain and kind of grind it out. Once you get the confidence with the new grip and how that changes the set up over the ball, you can stand there, pick the line and feel happy you won't catch the ground and simply make the stroke. All the best putters have a fluid stroke. I know you're trying to simplify everything and once you get the putting stroke sorted this is another area where you can relax and simply go line and length

True👍

 

[Nashy]

I know you have said you do not want jargon and want to just play the game, I can totally understand this and that's when we all play our best golf. However if you havent already got a yourself a copy of Ken Browns 'One Putt' get yourself one, a very well written book and I have found it very helpful.

My putting has certainly improved as a result of reading this and putting what I have learnt into practice. I have struggled for years with the Yips and a total lack of confidence on the greens, over the last year I now enjoy the challenge of putting more than any other part of the game.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Whats the benefit of forwarding pressing the putter at the beginning of the stroke ? (hope you don't mind me asking)

 

[the_coach]

Whats the benefit of forwarding pressing the putter at the beginning of the stroke ? (hope you don't mind me asking)

it could/can help folks initiate a motion by relieving tension, very much depends on folks grip, putting stroke style etc - so can help prevent freezing over the ball and struggle to move the putter back or help stop jerking it back
so it's used as a 'trigger' to motion

- but it's not a given it would help necessarily, especially if the forward press becomes way to emphasized (like what happened to 'Lefty' some months back)
too much forwards press so too much wrist break independent hand action, so putter head rising up off of the ground too much as that could/can affect angle of attack the putterhead comes back into the ball leading to bad strike contacts can also affect the face angle alignment, swing path direction, so the ball direction starts off line

 

[bobmac]

Does your putter have a slot in the bottom?