Putting Geometry

[vj]

The anatomy of a golfer changes the arc only by thousands of inches. NOW THE ANATOMY OF A GOLFER that sets up to the ball with eyes 8 to 10 inches inside the ball would change the arc considerably. Over the past 4 years we have made 5 custom arcs for variuos people. We have taken the measurements of hundreds of golfers but the difference in their arc isn't enough to matter.

Would you be better off with a bench? No. But if you were not going to use anything else, I would go for the bench. Plane boards are good, the putting arc is good, etc......The major reason we post the pics is for PRECISION. There is maybe more here than you need or can ever use.....but precision is precision.

Simply go this way. Decide on Shoulder Only or Right Arm Only. Then get a device to help you build a visual equivalent of these plane angles. Happy Planar Putting.

[vj]

Picture #2

This is the only way a golfer can go straight back and through. Oooooopppppps....I lied. A player can get their pivot point (upper spine, right elbow) directly over the ball or they can MANIPULATE the putter head to death off plane.

For all the straight back and throughers out there just remember your putter better be short and you had better be bent over.

[neil]

VJ,what is the significance of pics #3&4?

[lagster]

Can a golfer actually putt hook or slice spin on a putt, i.e. the ball is actually spinning across the green with sidespin, or do they all end up rolling over and over? I have heard different things on this... like this glancing blow only takes off power, due to it not being a centered strike. Others say the ball is actually side-spinning along the ground. Maybe this is a factor more with very short putts... causing more spin-outs.

[vj]

Bending the plane line will interupt the ball's "end over end" roll. You can't hook or slice a putt because of ball speed. There is not enough there to put slice or hook spin on the ball.

Pics 3 and 4 are the geometry of the circle for the shoulder only and the arm only stroke. This geometric reason is why we don't need to mix the two.

[vj]

There is so much information on putting out there. Most of the information mixes pics 3 and 4. Somewhere along the way I heard the statement, "I may change the shape of my stroke, but it will be because of geometrical reasons only." That is a profoundly brilliant statement.

An understanding of how "YOU" stand over the ball when putting makes a HUGE difference. The Arc of attack on the ball is dramatically different when you place the ball in different places in relation to low point. The stroke (shoulder only or arm only) produce dramatically different low points. So an understanding of how you walk into the ball- 3-F-5 ADDRESS ROUTINE cannot be overlooked for precision putting. Carefully examine where the ball is in relation to your low point. My personal teaching preference is AT or JUST IN FRONT of low point. This should be practiced dilligently with mirrors and "look, look, look..." A player doesn't have to pay $200 an hour for instruction if they will just "look" sometimes.

Avoid the feet at all costs. Player after player comes in and there sternum or head is not in the middle of their stance. Always monitor the balls positioning to the chest area. Never, ever the feet.

Beware of mixing the the arm only and shoulder only strokes. Not because I say so...because the geometry is different. Just look at the difference in low point in the two strokes. Now think about your putter's loft and the effects of skid on the ball when putting. There is a definitive correlation between switching ball positioning and switching putters because of the arc of attack differences.

Look,look,look at pic 3 and 4. Do you know what stroke you are using? Do you know where your ball positioning is? Do you know the loft of your putter? Answer these questions and we all will stop needing "new" information and begin building "precision" alignments.

[Yoda]

Oh...

That "$200 an hour" instruction V.J. mentioned in his post above?

You just got it.

Is this a great place or what?

[jim_0068]

I'm a putter that uses the #4 pic style.

Ball location is about the same as in VJ's pic. I'd say i might have mine a hair further foward. I use my left eye as a reference point, not my feet.

[vj]

As far as the "Down" is concerned. In the face on pics the arc of attack shows the correct amount of "Down" in the stroke.

How do you or I practice it without Cameras? Simply get in front of a mirror and "look, look, look" to make certain the putter head is off the ground the same amount on the backstroke and through stroke. By balancing out the length of the stroke and "looking" at top and follow through anyone can learn the proper amount of down. The mirror will cost you something......outside that all you need is your eyes and a putter.

Great Questions!!!!!!Thanks Lynn for the help with the "circles."