Reader Question 1
Question:
I’ve been hearing and seeing a lot of advice about the putting stroke recently which suggests that better putting strokes employ an equal distance in the backswing and follow through. I find equal back, equal forward promotes more of a jerky stroke or recoil. I’m curious to get the opinion(s) of your panel.
John Goodman
PANEL ANSWERS
Danny King
John,
You’re not wrong to have a putting stroke that is balanced with the back swing and follow through mirrored, but what is happening is your body is reacting to what your stroke is doing.
We all have a ‘BUILT IN’ mechanism in our brains which allows us to measure distances instantly and, hence permits our bodies to react and adapt accordingly. The term ‘feel’ is thus our inherent ability to transfer images from our eyes to our bodies.
The fact that the putter is re-coiling at the finish position suggests to me that your distance control is going to be inconsistent and that you’re not completely committed or comfortable. Understand that the most important foundation of a good putting stroke is the consistency of where you hit the putt on the putter face, not neccessarily your mechanics. Billy Mayfair is a classic example of poor mechanics yet solid contact (hitting the same spot). He simply makes putts and wins PGA Tour events .
Start focusing on setting up to your putting stroke as if you were hitting a wedge. Good posture will allow your arms to rotate around good spine angles and thus allow the arms to swing naturally.
Start trusting your ‘feel’ and you’ll start rolling more putts in!’
Cheers, Danny King
Bradlee Ryall
John,
Thanks for your question. It’s nice to see someone thinking about the short game and how to improve in that area. When I was first taught the game of golf, I was also encouraged to have the same length in the backswing and forward swing of the putting stroke. Over the years, I have even been taught to have a shorter backswing and bigger follow through.
Although this information was given with the best of intentions, I did take it upon myself to spend countless hours working with some of the best instructors , doctors, and putting gurus the game has to offer. What I have found is exactly the complete opposite of what I had been taught. Ever since I began to understand kinetic energy and how to apply that force from the putter head to the ball, my game and my students’ game on the greens, has improved tremendously.
Putting is a very personal thing and there are many ways to get the job done on the greens. Major golf tournaments have been won with conventional and unconventional putting strokes. If I was to focus on technique with you, I would focus on what is most naturally instinctive. I would encourage a bigger backswing and a shorter follow through.
The last thing you want is recoil of the putter post impact. This implies that energy was lost from the putter head into the ball through impact. A feeling of stability, with a flat lead wrist post impact would be ideal. My recommendations are to watch Tiger’s putting stroke and notice how his forward swing is very low and doesn’t travel very far. I would also recommend that you read a book called the Putting Prescription by Dr. Craig Farnsworth. Many things will become a lot clearer to you, and there are many great ideas on how the putting stroke should work.
Good Luck, Bradlee Ryall
Conor O'Shea
John,
Thanks for your question. If I may, I’m going to read a little into what you have written to us.
It sounds like you have become interested in trying to make a putting stroke that is equal back and equal through.
My guess is that the jerky stroke or recoil you have been experiencing is in direct correlation to your brain’s indecisiveness.
Question: Can this putting rhythm / stroke produce putts that roll similar distances consistently?
Answer: If the prediction software in your brain is lost, or unsure, your putting motion will reflect that and the answer would probably be no.
When our attention gets overwhelmed by our thoughts, the ability to make a consistent, relaxed, and positive stroke is hindered.
John, we need to bring you back to putting with your instincts. Human Beings have been accelerating objects for thousands of years. We are all very good at acceleration. You are very good at it! – it’s part of your DNA.
So, let’s get you back to what comes natural.
Your Homework is Below.
1. Next time you practice, monitor the movement in your stroke after the ball while looking at the hole. Ask yourself would this follow-through do the job?
2. Hit your putts as hard as you can, but … when you watch the ball arriving at the hole you should be comfortable with the speed at which it arrives.
Conor O’Shea
Robert Hannah
John,
While it has long been recommended to have the backswing and follow through of the putting stroke be the same length, studies have shown that many top players have a follow through which is twice as long as their backswing.
As another one of the many examples in golf where feel is just an illusion, many of these players will say that they are actually attempting to produce strokes with an equal backswing to follow through, yet in fact the follow through is much longer.
The advice I give my students is to make a follow through which is at least as long as the backswing and also to error on the side of being longer in the follow through. As well, I recommend holding the finish position at the end of the stroke. Holding the finish promotes a smooth follow through and a more consistent stroke.
Another key fundamental is to keep the head still until the stroke is competed. Many golfers miss hit putts or send the ball offline due to the head and shoulders lifting and turning during the stroke as they are anxious to see the outcome of the putt.
Rob Hannah
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