Geoff:

Do you involve your upper torso or chest when you talking about shoulder-powered stroke? I am experimenting both shoulder initiated stroke and upper torso powered stroke involving
abdominal and lower back muscle. I feel like the later has more solid contact and even better direction control (prbably due to less contact time). What is your take on this?

Thanks in advance

Newgolf

Yes, I involve the total upper torso, but try to leave the mid-line of the throat unmoved and remaining over the line established as the bottom of the stroke by the putter face's leading edge at address. While one might "think" about moving the shoulder, this movement is actually done with the abdomenal and lower back muscles where the inner oblique attachments spiral down from the sides of the rib cage onto the pelvis structure.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Coach and Theorist

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Geoff ... Your advice may only apply to certain body types and not applicable for other body types.

I have seen slim woman golfer, young boys and ectomorphic males, all with 'soft' shoulders, putting only with their arms and shoulders, but only sliding their scapulae over their thorax. Their upper torso does not rotate, only the shoulder structure moves.

Then there are men and women with solid shoulder structure attached to large pecs which interfere with shoulder sliding over the thorax. These husky, usually barrel-chested golfers must rotate their entire upper body while their shoulders are locked into their chest. Rotation must be initiated in the body midsection involving the abs, spinae and other muscle groups between the thorax and hips.

Could you comment on body types and putting .. thanks.

(Btw .. have you considered my two other topics posted below?)

Dear sammy,

In my view, those skinny sorts sliding their scapulae over their thorax are not using the best movement patterns for accuracy and consistency. The word "rotate" is not really my term for the shoulder motion -- more of a reciprocating tilting beneath a pivot at the base of the neck, like an ox yoke that hangs by the neck ring on the barn wall on a peg. The more robust body types can do this sort of motion without much focus on getting it done, while the skinnier sorts may have to work at NOT leaving the shoulders behind in the stroke. It takes a while to stop focusing on the hands and arms and to focus instead on the shoulder frame.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Coach and Theorist

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"Upper torso moves like the head of a baby elephant."

Keeping this simile in mind is a wonderful mental note for me. Free and easy and loose.

Geoff, Thanks for all your time and knowledge that you share so freely on the net.
What a wonderful resource.
I'm spreading the word. Thanks

Jerry