Putting Inconsistencies

[bernie]

Quick evolution of my putting style...
1st putted like an upshot-missed left, right, up, down (I think this is more of a long arm type of putt)
2nd switched to a straddle putt but even now, put extreme nose down angle and need to lob it high to get it to the basket which gets killed in the wind. My putts improved to being online but missed up or down. Also, had a max range of 30'.
Currently-switched to short arm. I grip with three fingers under and the index on the rim. I believe I am doing it correctly but have these questions: I have been missing a lot more close putts (9-15')-to the right-is this the result of a slow pitch? I don't even hit the chains-it's ridiculous. Secondly, if I hit the chains on the left side (15'+) I am almost always getting spit out-too much spin? Next, at my starting position I need to keep the disc parrell with the ground, otherwise I get nose down every time. Do I start with the disc parrell or perpendicular to the ground? (Sinclair is perpendicular) I have really tried to eliminate nose down putts but am having a hard time-is this a confidence issue? Lastly, I am having trouble generating enough power for a 50' putt-I believe this is a technique issue but I don't know what. I putt from my stomach with more of a bent arm than Sinclair-does this expain the close misses and the lack of power? My putting is starting to become my weak point in my game even though I have a basket in my backyard and practice nightly. Frustrated in Michigan!!! Thanks in advance for your time. I can record my putting if that would be helpful.

[Blake_T]

on the short putts, it is a slow pitch or a mis-timing on release. most likely a mis-timing on release caused by a slow pitch. an easy fix to this is to grip closer to 3 o'clock (or even near 4) as it will remove a lot of the wrist flex that occurs.

as for left side putts, that is why you have to hit center or right side.

as for nose angle and keeping the disc parallel at the rest position, i have the same result and that is what i do.

as for 50' putts, those are long putts. i don't expect to make more than about 1 in 15 from that range (but some days i will get hot and drill 3-4). add weight shift or jump putt to get more power. also, if you are using a control grip, that will also take off some power.

[presidio hills]

that seemed like an especially good response, blake.

it's funny because i was getting way too much nose down with a 3 o'clock position so i switched to the 4 for my closer putts a few days ago and it's totally worked.

i go through phases of putting well, slowly getting worse... staying that way... then eventually i hit a good spot again. right now i'm putting the best i have in 3 months or so (when i was having my last good spell) and i've been trying to think of what it is that's helping me putt well;
i'm relaxed when i step up to putt. i don't think about whether i will make it or miss it. i realized that when i worried about a putt i had a much higher chance of missing it. if i can relax and just execute the motion without worrying i will probably putt the way i should (make it or have a good run if it's tricky).
for me this has been the key. i relax, aim and visualize (which takes me a while), then i throw the putt.
the 4 o'clock position helped me throw a more effortless putt which helped me relax, too. on longer putts where i need more wrist, it was easier to figure out how much more since i had a sense of where 4 o'clock was getting me.

[Weebl]

on the short putts, it is a slow pitch or a mis-timing on release. most likely a mis-timing on release caused by a slow pitch. an easy fix to this is to grip closer to 3 o'clock (or even near 4) as it will remove a lot of the wrist flex that occurs.

as for left side putts, that is why you have to hit center or right side.

as for nose angle and keeping the disc parallel at the rest position, i have the same result and that is what i do.

as for 50' putts, those are long putts. i don't expect to make more than about 1 in 15 from that range (but some days i will get hot and drill 3-4). add weight shift or jump putt to get more power. also, if you are using a control grip, that will also take off some power.

Changing grip to 3:00 for putting helped me tremendously, more consistant release, more nose angle control, more accuracy.

[The Clergyman]

Right now I'm experimenting with about 3:20

[bernie]

All good tips-thanks! I worked for only about 15 minutes last night and this is what I found: a 4:00 grip does reduce/eliminate misses to the right by stopping the wrist but I had less power and more wobble ( I normally putt with a 3:00ish grip). It seems that any grip past 3:00 impinges the wrist wag-how is power generated when the wrist is so open? I also experimented with a different thumb position and I found by moving it away from the edge (I keep it very close) and towards the center this gave me more control on the the nose angle. Is it possible that a forward thumb generates nose down instead of the ring finger?

Good one Blake! "as for left side putts, that is why you have to hit center or right side" har har I meant that the short arm putt seems to generate significantly more spin so my spit outs have increased. Perhaps by going to the 4:00 grip it will reduce the spin.

Is it a good idea to change the grip depending on length of putt? Up close go to 4:00, medium 3:00, and long 2:00? Intersting thought....

[Blake_T]

the closer to 12 o'clock you are, the more snap is generated.

from the sound of it, starting at 3, you are likely riccocheting your wrist too much which will cause inaccuracy.

the spin will exaggerate spits on left side, but if you putt better with spin, then you are less likely to hit left side.

[bernie]

By riccocheting my wrist, do you mean that I am bouncing/moving it too much? If so, do I just tighten my grip to help make the wrist less 'loose'? That makes sense about the spits-thanks!

[ApesOfWrath]

am I the only one that can't visualize this clock on the wrist?

...I hope there's not an article I missed detailing this

[Glock23]

It is easier if you picture it on a disc. That is what they are refering to. The top of the disc being 12, the bottom 6 and so on. 3 and 4 o'clock are grip points on the disc. Hope this helps.

[Weebl]

for me i relax everything and let my bicep and deltoid(shoulder) do 90% of the work with my last 10% going towards wrist stabilization (it's not floppy, just hinges from open to closed easy) as the less mechanics I have in my putt, the less that can go wrong and the more consistant I am. For me, the technique which Feldberg uses is very similar to my technique. Same style of jump putt (more of a jog putt) too.

[Terrence]

Wow! I read this thread this morning. While playing a round today, I gripped my short-arm putts at 3:00 and I didn't miss to the right at all. I hit a few off the rim, but I didn't once miss the basket completly. That's been bugging me all this season, lol.

[ApesOfWrath]

It is easier if you picture it on a disc. That is what they are refering to. The top of the disc being 12, the bottom 6 and so on. 3 and 4 o'clock are grip points on the disc. Hope this helps.

ahh, thanks.

[Blake_T]

By riccocheting my wrist, do you mean that I am bouncing/moving it too much? If so, do I just tighten my grip to help make the wrist less 'loose'? That makes sense about the spits-thanks!

there needs to be some flex/reflex action on the wrist to putt with snap (the way i putt).

the key for accuracy with this is that the "bounce" needs to start with the motion forward, and reflex needs to happen at the stop of the arm before the spring out of the fingers.

riccochet = you are starting out, pulling back (giving a bounce) and then exaggerating the bounce by moving forward. basically, it makes you spray, which is why there should always be a small pause if you start with the disc away from your body.

[Luckyg71]

My short putts tend to just wobble up to the goal. My long putts tend to drop right infront of the baskett often hitting the pole at the bottom. When I try to throw them harder I am off line. I dont know what to do. One guy said t hat my putting grip looked bad. I have my pointer finger on the rim of the disc. He said that I had to move it below the disc.