Geoff,

I would like your opinion on this statement:-
"Understand that low point is three dimensional. The club is moving down and out and forward-Once there the club will move up and in and forward. When the ball is placed at or just in front(short) of low point it will not lead to a push because #3(right forefinger attached to grip) traces a straight base line. If your mind sees the arc of approach and separation and begins to believe this is what #3 is doing then you are in trouble. Don't confuse the two."

Is there merit to this?
As far as optimal putting strokes go, for me, this ranks behind a vertical shoulder stroke. But with the above conditions(I would prefer the ball at low point), would this stroke be good for a large proportion of those golfers who cannot get comfortable with the setup required for a vertical shoulder stroke.

Regards,
Damon

Dear Damon,

The statement you quote is a bit confused:

"Understand that low point is three dimensional. [TRUE] The club is moving down and out and forward- [TRUE BUT IN DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS DEPENDING UPON TILT ANGLE] Once there the club will move up and in and forward. [TRUE] When the ball is placed at or just in front (short) of low point [MEANING LEFT OF STROKE'S LOW POINT FOR A RIGHT HANDED GOLFER] it will not lead to a push because #3 (right forefinger attached to grip) traces a straight base line. [NOT TRUE -- FINGER IS MOVING IN ABOUT THE SAME ARCING PATTERN AS THE PUTTER HEAD AND PUTTER HEAD IS MOVING ON A TILTED PLANE DOWN AND OUT AND FORWARD THEN UP AND BACK AND FORWARD -- A LEFT OF BOTTOM BALL WILL RESULT IN A PULL, A RIGHT OF BOTTOM BALL WILL RESULT IN A PUSH] If your mind sees the arc of approach and separation [WHAT THE HECK IS THIS "APPROACH AND SEPARATION"?] and begins to believe this is what #3 IS DOING [WELL, THAT IS WHAT #3 IS DOING, ALBEIT IN AN ABBREVIATED VERSION BECAUSE HIGHER UP THE SHAFT] then you are in trouble. Don't confuse the two."

Is there merit to this?
As far as optimal putting strokes go, for me, this ranks behind a vertical shoulder stroke. But with the above conditions (I would prefer the ball at low point), would this stroke be good for a large proportion of those golfers who cannot get comfortable with the setup required for a vertical shoulder stroke.

NOT REALLY. BUT IF THE ANGLE OF TILT IS NOT TOO SEVERE, THE PLAYER CAN SORT OF GET A STRAIGHT STROKE WITH A LITTLE TRANSITION OUT OF THE SYMMETRY OF THE ARCING AS THE FORWARD STROKE HEADS INTO IMPACT -- A TRANSITION INTO A STRAIGHT-THRU-IMPACT STROKE.

Symmetry ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Coach and Theorist
PuttingZone
http://puttingzone.com>
Golf's most advanced putting instruction -- you're either in the PuttingZone, or not.

Dear Geoff,

The ball position as I understand this quote is meant to be short of low point, such that the putter can hit down on the ball, even if only mildly. My understanding was that it was a mistake to think that striking the putt before low point, and on an arcing track, would produce an off line hit! I can not get my mind around this logic.

The quote is from one of the inventors of the putting arc. Just trying to understand their approach.

Cheers,
Damon