Putters and Putting Styles

Is Good Putting More About Luck or Skill?

Some golfer's actually think that way, but they haven't considered a strategy behind a repeatable game plan for the most important club in their golf bag. Luck is only coincidence that happens during a putting stroke in relation to how well you've prepared for your putt. While luck may be involved, putting is more about skill than luck.

There are several putter styles and options from which to choose. When learning to play the game of golf, little consideration is given to the style of putter. Rather, beginner golfers tend to choose a putter that looks cool, is used by their favorite professional, or a golf buddy.

Mallet vs Blade Putters

Whatever putting style you choose will determine which style putter you need. Generally speaking blade putters perform best with the "swinging gate" putting stroke, whereas mallet putters perform best with the "straight back and straight through" putting stroke.

Choosing the right putter first requires taking a look at putting styles.

The most common putting styles are…

• Conventional Putting
• Belly Putting
• Cross Handed Putting
• Long Putter
• Face On Putting

One more putting style you may not be familiar with is wrist style putting which is my personal choice. I've experimented with all the different styles and discovered this one works best for me.

Wrist Style Putting: My personal favorite. While gripping the club, your lead hand rests or is softly anchored to your thigh above the forward knee. This eliminates 90% of the movement you experience with any other style of putting. You're only moving the wrists as compared to the large muscle groups in the other putting styles. The anchor is maintained at all times during the putting stroke. You can use both the "swinging gate" method and the "straight back straight through" method with confidence. Your wrists are much more sensitive to the putting motion while using this method and accuracy is greatly enhanced. The greatest putters in the world used wrist putting. I highly recommend this style of putting and can guarantee you to take unwanted strokes off your score.

There are several golf experts who swear that the most successful putting method is the "swinging gate" compared to "straight back straight through". The "swinging gate" means the putter head moves on a path that goes inside the path moving into the back stroke, then straight through impact and then inside the path again. It resembles a "swinging gate" and hence, is called so. On the other hand, "straight back and straight through" style of putting where the putter head remains on a straight line in the back swing, through impact and onto the follow through. There is just a rocking movement of the hands from the shoulders which minimizes unnecessary movement of the shoulders. Shoulder movement is the norm when using the conventional style of putting.

Use caution with that style because the shoulders can easily over-activate the larger muscle group. You might consider using the "swinging gate" method for longer putts and the "straight back and straight through" method for putts less than 15 feet.

I personally use the wrist style putting and it works great using the "straight back straight through" even for those 100 footers.

Conventional Style: The most common you see professionals use, standing at address position, perpendicular or 90 degrees to the intended putt line, while using a "swinging gate" or "straight back straight through" putting stroke.

Belly Putting: Is similar to conventional style, perpendicular to the putt line, but uses a longer shafted putter which rests against the stomach area for support. A “straight back straight through” putting stroke is better suited for this added length putter shaft.

Cross Handed Putting: A focused effort on the lead hand being placed below the trailing hand, thereby allowing the forward shoulder to stay down longer during the putting stroke. This method is successful on any style of putting other than the face on style.

Long Putter: A compact or mallet style putter head is best used for this style. A putter shaft over 47 inches is about where this type putter begins in length. An address position square or open using a split grip or two individual grip positions is common. The "straight back straight through" putting stroke is the best method for this style. A cross handed grip is okay on this two grip set up.

Face On Style: A rare use, but very effective style. The "straight back straight through" putting stroke is the only real choice, because the ball is positioned to the right or left side of foot chosen. A big advantage is the use of full binocular vision down the putt line, while facing the hole. Not a bad choice.

It is so important to pick a reliable putting style and a good putter and stick to it. Putting is all about sticking to the routine and being consistent. Just plan on getting the best putter that is fitted to you and continue using it. Remember this, "You need the putter to adjust to you, not you adjusting to the putter". Find the putting styles that suit you well. Stick to that style of putting which has holed the most putts with the least of your efforts and for the maximum amount of times. Once you have convinced yourself of these important features, you will have control of the most important part of the game.

If you have any questions or comments about these styles or methods, feel free to contact me at bob [at] amazinggolfputter [dot] com Thank you and tell a friend!