After a 14-GIR round with 5 three putts I have been on a significant journey to improve my putting. I have found that I set up much better with a shorter putter (under 34"), center shafted, and light to medium weight. In addition, if balancing is target-line or face-balanced, I have had the best results. All other balancing pales in comparison. Heavier putters have been difficult for distance control. Shorter putters make it easier for me to produce a pendulum swing. Center-shafted or onset putters are easier to align. Despite all this, I haven't found a putter that I love, but am infatuated with plenty, and my putts per round are only down to 33 off of an 8-handicap. Anyone have some success stories to share, and what worked best for them?

Thank you,

Jeff

Dear Jeff,

Here's an insight that may be helpful. I've just spent six days watching PGA Tour pros putting and another one day watching Buy.com pros putting, and I learned something interesting: A short putter has a slower tempo than a mid-size putter and is as slow or slower than a 35" putter.

The reason is the tempo depends upon the length of the system, from putterhead to pivot. Tnger the system, the slower the pendulum tempo. For a 30" putter, the golfer hangs his arms so the shape looks like a V without much elbow flex. With a 35" putter, the golfer's arms usually look like a Y with plenty of elbow flex. That's because these putters are too long to allow hanging the arms AND placing the eyes over the ball. The upshot is that the short putter creates a body position for the total system that is longer from pivot to putterhead (or at least not any shorter) than the system that results from a 35" putter.

This is even clearer with a mid-size putter. The mid-size putter derives from Phil Rodgers and Paul Runyan somewhere back in the 1960s (I think that's the time frame). The technique has the top of the putter handle placed against the sternum or stomach and secured there. This means the sternum / stomach just above the waist is the pivot. The putterhead-pivot distance, then is SHORTER with this putter than the system for a short 30" putter.

As a result, the short putter is smoother, works more closelty with gravity, and promotes better targeting and hand-eye coordination.

Applying this analysis to the broomstick, it would seem that this ought to have a slow tempo too. A typical broomstick is about 54" long. With the butt of the handle secured against the upper chest about heart-high, it would seem this would result in a tempo slower than a short 30" putter, but does it? I don't think it does. The typical length of a short-putter system with a 30" putter is about the same (54" or 4.5' from putterhead to pivot. If you measure this distance on a typical 6.0' males at address, it comes out about 54".

Tempo is just one factor in the technique mix, but to me it is one of the biggest factors. So I thought you might like to consider these points.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
The PuttingZone
http://hometown.aol.com/puttmagic
The Future of Putting Now - elite instruction, comprehensive resources.

Geoff,

As always, thanks for your commentary. I received my White Lightning Putter today and immediately went to the course. I also incorporated some of the things you have written, particularly on distance control and did that on every putt (follow the line of the putt to the hole, gaze at the hole for at least 4 seconds, retrace the break to the ball and pull the trigger). 28 putts today and shot a 76, my low round of the year, and it could have been better. Staring at the hole really ingrained distance and I seemed to be all over the hole. None of the dreaded 3-jacks. The combination of the new putter, and the change in preparation worked wonders. I will let you know if it continues.

Jeff

you posted:

>>After a 14-GIR round with 5 three putts ... and my putts per round are only down to 33 off of an 8-handicap.

my comments:

Jeff, if you are averaging 33 putts per 18-holes, that is 1.833 putts per hole...which is about consistent with your handicap. I have just begun to break 80 with some regularity myself, mainly because of my extra work on my putting game over last off-season. My typical stats lately are 60-65% fairways, 50-60% GIR, and about 29-33 putts AND I very rarely ever 3-putt anymore (maybe once in 36 holes, or 3% of the time).

Are you asking how to almost eliminate 3-putts from your game? If that is what you are looking for, I can probably help steer you in the right direction by letting you know what key info I have discovered in my research and how I have applied it to my game. Just let me know, because as I always say, "treatment without diagnosis is malpractice".

Pinhi,

I normally check the forum everyday but haven't the last few days. I am always interested in improving - and would love to eliminate 3 putts from the repertoire. If you can help, please send some information my way. I practice a great deal and always look to incorporate ideas that would help my putting.

BTW, when I wrote the first note, I had not settled on a putter and had tried a bunch. Now I have, the White Lightning Putter which I have reviewed and have a tremendous amount of confidence. Also, I have settled on one type of ball which seems to have helped with distance control. These changes have brought my 3 putts to just less than one per round since I started using the new putter.

Jeff