Putting Maxims

The Plane Truth

One well know putting instructor that writes for one of the big national magazine has told us putt on the arc. While the other well known magazines putting guru preaches straight back and straight through. Confused? So which is it? And what does the distinction mean?

My belief is that golf is nothing more than applied physics. If you were to design an object to swing straight back and straight through, you would insert shaft that's 90 degrees to the head. The USGA's Rules of Golf state, however, that the shaft can be no greater than 80 degrees to the ground. Consider this: If you were going to swing straight back and through, you would straddle the intended line of play like croquet. The USGA, though, requires players to have both feet on the same side of the ball outlawing Sam Snead's croquet style putting. This creates a side-on game, like hitting a baseball, hitting a groundstroke in tennis or hitting a hockey puck. All swing in an arc.

My high school physics class tells me the putter whose standard lie angle is 71 degrees is not designed to swing straight back and straight through. And in my putting research, I have found that golfers who try to swing straight back and through are manipulating the putter face closed on the back swing and open on the downswing and follow through. Over time manipulations break down, causing the yips. If you want to really help your putting don't think about swinging the putter straight back and straight through but focus much more on your target line and the speed of the putt.

The "Eyes" Have It

We all miss more putts than we think we should. A lot of times it is simply due to the fact that our eyes are out of position. If our eyes are too much inside the target line we will actually see the hole to the right of where it actually causing the ball to be hit toward the toe of the putter as we attempt to pull the ball toward the hole. Conversely if our eyes are outside the target line we see the hole actually left of where it is causing putts hit toward the heel of the putter in an attempt to push the ball into the hole. Putts not hit in the center of the clubface also do not have the energy of a putt hit on the sweet spot causing major distance control problems.

There are 2 really easy ways to check and correct where your eyes are at address. The first one is to use a large mirror and put a 12 inch piece of tape on the mirror. Place a ball on the tape, take your set up and check where your eyes are. They should be slightly inside the tape but parallel to it. The second way is to take your set up and place a ball on the bridge of your nose and drop the ball. The dropped ball should hit the inside edge of the golf ball to the heel of the putter.

Kevin Weeks is Director of Instruction at Cog Hill Golf & CC in Lemont, IL. Kevin was the 2005 Illinois Section Teacher of the Year and is the number 2 ranked instructor in the State of Illinois by Golf Digest Magazine. Kevin's teaches all areas of the game, but specializes in the short game. Kevin is the inventor of The Dynamic Impact Indicator, a system that uses laser technology to pinpoint the exact aim of the putter at address and impact. Over 35 PGA Tour Players visited the Putting Lab or work with Kevin at tour sites. Kevin also has a passion for developing complete junior golfers. In the past 4 years 42 students have qualified for the Illinois State High School Championships with 12 students finishing in the top 20 including the 2002 state champion. He can be reached at Coghillpro@aol.com or through his website www.Kevinweeks.com.