shanksalot
Member
- Mar 31, 2012
- 1
- 0
Hi all,
I'm new to the board, and want to start off by challenging conventional wisdom. Standard putting instruction (with a short putter) says that you should address the ball with your eyes directly over, or slightly inside the ball. The idea being that this is the best way to see the line of the putt.
While this is true, the problem with this line of teaching is that it assumes that seeing the line while at address, is a critically important factor in putting.
But what if it isn't?
In normal full swing instruction with irons and drivers, we are never told to get our eyes over the ball. That would be ridiculous because you would be so cramped that you could never make a full turn and swing with any power. Instead we are told to get into a balanced athletic posture which allows us to swing freely. Our eyes are a couple of feet inside the ball line. We are expected to find some other method to make sure we are aligned properly - like picking a blade of grass in front of the ball.
But suddenly when we are putting (especially shorter putts) we are asked to abandon the idea of getting into a comfortable athletic posture that will allow us to swing freely, and deliver the clubhead squarely to the ball. It's all about line now, and just get as comfortable as you can with your eyes over the ball.
Now some people may be able to do both i.e. get their eyes over the ball, and find a way to be comfortable and swing the putter with accuracy. These folks are probably good putters.
But what happens if you can't get comfortable with your eyes over the ball? Well you are probably not going to putt very well.
So here is an idea. If you have trouble with shorter putts (say 3 to 8 feet), try addressing the ball further away from your body. Now your eyes will be approx 6" to a foot' inside the ball. This allows you to extend your arms out a bit more, and puts your wrists into a more natural position.
You may now find that you can swing the putter more freely from the shoulders in a natural arc.
The other advantage to this is that when you are not looking down the line of the putt, you can concentrate on just making a smooth stroke. You can't see the line properly anyway, so you tend to be less bound up in your mind about hitting it on line.
So now the question is: how do I line up my putts if I'm my eyes are not over the ball? You do it the same way you do for a full swing - find some way that works for you. For example, if you have a caddy, then have him/her line you up when you are addressing the ball. Or you can get behind the ball and put your putter on the grass behind the ball and line it up from there. Then without moving the putter, move around to your address position, and go.
The main point here is to first find an address position that works well for your body, and allows you swing freely and accurately without tension. Then figure out how to get the line right. This is what we all do with a full swing. I'm just suggesting the same approach with putting - for some of us.
I'm new to the board, and want to start off by challenging conventional wisdom. Standard putting instruction (with a short putter) says that you should address the ball with your eyes directly over, or slightly inside the ball. The idea being that this is the best way to see the line of the putt.
While this is true, the problem with this line of teaching is that it assumes that seeing the line while at address, is a critically important factor in putting.
But what if it isn't?
In normal full swing instruction with irons and drivers, we are never told to get our eyes over the ball. That would be ridiculous because you would be so cramped that you could never make a full turn and swing with any power. Instead we are told to get into a balanced athletic posture which allows us to swing freely. Our eyes are a couple of feet inside the ball line. We are expected to find some other method to make sure we are aligned properly - like picking a blade of grass in front of the ball.
But suddenly when we are putting (especially shorter putts) we are asked to abandon the idea of getting into a comfortable athletic posture that will allow us to swing freely, and deliver the clubhead squarely to the ball. It's all about line now, and just get as comfortable as you can with your eyes over the ball.
Now some people may be able to do both i.e. get their eyes over the ball, and find a way to be comfortable and swing the putter with accuracy. These folks are probably good putters.
But what happens if you can't get comfortable with your eyes over the ball? Well you are probably not going to putt very well.
So here is an idea. If you have trouble with shorter putts (say 3 to 8 feet), try addressing the ball further away from your body. Now your eyes will be approx 6" to a foot' inside the ball. This allows you to extend your arms out a bit more, and puts your wrists into a more natural position.
You may now find that you can swing the putter more freely from the shoulders in a natural arc.
The other advantage to this is that when you are not looking down the line of the putt, you can concentrate on just making a smooth stroke. You can't see the line properly anyway, so you tend to be less bound up in your mind about hitting it on line.
So now the question is: how do I line up my putts if I'm my eyes are not over the ball? You do it the same way you do for a full swing - find some way that works for you. For example, if you have a caddy, then have him/her line you up when you are addressing the ball. Or you can get behind the ball and put your putter on the grass behind the ball and line it up from there. Then without moving the putter, move around to your address position, and go.
The main point here is to first find an address position that works well for your body, and allows you swing freely and accurately without tension. Then figure out how to get the line right. This is what we all do with a full swing. I'm just suggesting the same approach with putting - for some of us.
Australia
