Just for the Record -- the Stroke Form that I Teach
(Premier Login aceputt) Forum Owner Posted Dec 10, 2005 8:25 AM
Dear David,
After all that, I feel it necessary to reiterate that I do not really teach a "square-to-square" stroke. What I teach is that a vertical-plane motion of the shoulders translate to a straight motion of the putter, either back or thru, and that since the objective of the stroke is to roll the ball straight where the putter aims at address, this vertical-plane shoulder action accomplishes this so long as the action occurs over the critical impact zone (about 3-4 inches on either side of the back of the ball). I also teach that this stroke action is better than a tilted-plane or gating / arcing stroke style, because of the geometry and timing of the stroke, in which ball position and timing within this impact zone are reduced in criticality.
Restating this bluntly for the sake of clarity:
1. I do not teach that golfers should make a straight-back, straight-thru stroke.
2. If a golfer can make this stroke, more power to him -- he should use this style -- straight back all the way, and straight forward all the way -- this stroke form creates fewer problems than any other form for purposes of accomplishing the main job: a straight roll on the ball.
3. Regardless, the critical thing is to handle the impact zone with a square putter moving straight thru the ball online so the ball roll straight the way the putter aims, without variation in stroke from putt to putt (accuracy and consistency).
4. From the bottom of the stroke near the back of the impact zone, the golfer should use the vertical-plane stroke action to manage the impact zone, as this is better than other stroke style for accomplishing this job accurately and consistently.
5. It is helpful but not absolutely necessary to use a straight-back stroke for the backstroke, but a stroke that comes slightly inside does not significantly impair the management of the impact zone when the backstroke is mild in tempo and the pivot at the base of the neck is managed properly.
6. Past the impact zone going forward, it is helpful but not necessary to keep the stroke action heading vertically from a fixed pivot, as this casts the putter head straight and square down the line rising on a mild vertical arc, and the golfer may quit with his form once the putter head clears the lead-side foot (although this encourages an unhealthy degree of casualness that may bite on occasion).
7. The stroke does not require perfect symmetry from beginning to end -- either in a straight-back, straight-thru form, a tilted-plane form in which the putter head describes a tilted smile in space the shadow of which looks like a mild curve on the ground, or a torso-swinging or arm-swinging stroke -- and instead requires accurate bottoming out in a way that returns the putter head to the address orientation and then casts the putter thru the impact zone straight and square and on a slight rising: the back and the front of the stroke need not look the same for shape (even f the timing of the parts is fairly symmetric).
8. Starting the stroke back away from the ball with the lead shoulder pushing everything as a unit instead of the hands or arms pulling the putter head back is independently valuable, as this prevents the putter head from starting back across the line of aim -- the golfer should do this regardless of the stroke style he uses.
9. The two most important factors for a straight stroke are a) holding the pivot at the base of the neck still (although rotating in a vertical and parallel plane) once the top of the backstroke is achieved and until the impact zone is cleared, and b) casting the putter head squarely thru the impact zone from the top of the body by rotating the shoulder frame vertically and in parallel about this stable pivot.
10. The main trick in this to learn is to allow the putter head, hands, and arms to drop in a free-fall from the top of the backstroke while also keeping the pivot still but rotating (as this will return the putter head to the address position at the bottom of the stroke, assuming the setup is not weird), and then to time the falling pattern as the body "rides" the putter down (lead shoulder and putter head remain coordinated at all times) so that the vertical rocking up of the shoulder frame takes over right at the bottom and "rides" the stroke up to cast the putter squarely thru the impact zone (lead shoulder does not outrace or lag behind the putter head as the stroke continues past the bottom into its finish, at least as far as the the lead foot and the end of the impact zone).
11. The relationship between form and tempo is far more important than people suppose -- and tempo is not important solely for distance control, touch, or the pace of the stroke.
The end result is that the stroke I teach is not subject to the usual criticisms of the straight-back, straight-thru stroke (too hard to do, don't know how, feels odd, requires manipulations, makes the head move, creates other problems, is not "natural", etc.). Folks who teach other styles, in my view, make the mistake of thinking about stroke form solely in terms of simple symmetric patterns (same on both sides, no complications on either side, simple all the way). I believe that when you focus on the fundamental way the human body works BEST to accurately and consistently roll the ball the same way the putter is aimed, it boils down to a stable pivot and a vertical-plane action of the upper body thru the critical impact zone. This is the common factor between diverse styles of golf's greatest flatstick artisans, and golfers who don't use this combination thru the impact zone could very likely be taught to putt more accurately and consistently.
Cheers!
Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone http://puttingzone.com
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