I suck at putting. As an example I had 41 putts on the weekend (greens were soggy and sloooow but still)...12 3 putts in that too.

Anyway, I used to be a pretty good putter…I was more the lag putter rather than ramming it home type but the thing I am having issues with now is the grip, I just feel that no matter what grip I use it is not right, feels terrible . I am using the reverse-overlap at the moment but have used all sorts. I am missing right, short, long…everywhere there just seems to be something wrong with the way I am holding the putter and it is driving me crazy…I am getting to the green fairly well but then I putt…AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!.

Putting Guru’s, please help…I’ll try anything.

Live 4,

Open up this link

http://www.puttingzone.com/...

and read all you can that is written by Geoff Mangum.

There are also videos for you to view for free.

I suck at putting. As an example I had 41 putts on the weekend (greens were soggy and sloooow but still)...12 3 putts in that too.

Anyway, I used to be a pretty good putter…I was more the lag putter rather than ramming it home type but the thing I am having issues with now is the grip, I just feel that no matter what grip I use it is not right, feels terrible . I am using the reverse-overlap at the moment but have used all sorts. I am missing right, short, long…everywhere there just seems to be something wrong with the way I am holding the putter and it is driving me crazy…I am getting to the green fairly well but then I putt…AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!.

Putting Guru’s, please help…I’ll try anything.

A bad day at golf is better than a good day at work.

Chris Demarco’s CLAW GRip
tried it ??

yeah, felt terrible but didn’t really give it a good go because it felt so awkward…happy to try anything….maybe I need to try it for longer….are there any god articles on the claw grip? – I had a look in Google but not a great deal popped up.

Burner, the link didn’t work mate

maybe best way is to look at vids of DeMArco doing it

heard is akin to sweeing a broom (action) !!

tried a couple times didnt suit me

felt freakin awkward as if the club was about to fall out !

live4golf: sounds like you are trying too hard and have falling into the steering the ball trap. The Dart loves putting threads so lets see what gems he comes up with:)

http://puttingzone.com/

Take a break from golf to clear your head and if you cannot, spend countless hours on the putting green.

Live4Golf. I had similar problems to you I think. Likely worse. I would call mine more of the yips of an overagressive right hand that wants to take over. I tried a bunch of variations, and have now settled on a rather unconventional style, possibly even unique But it works really well for me, and since you said you were up for anything, I thght I would share it.
Involves gripping club only with the left hand, and then your right hands thumb on top of the left wrist with the second finger of the right hand on the bottom of the wrist. So your right hand is not touching the club, just 2 fingers of it on the left hand wrist.
In effect all I am doing is having the right hand for a bit of balance in the swing.
But my stroke is so smooth as a result, especially for anything inside 10 feet. Really long putts I have to switch back to 2 hands on the grip, but my variation works for anything within 20 or so feet.
PS: Obviously I am not a golf pro, but I have had playing lessons with my pro, and he is quite amazed at how well I putt, and as a result does not even bother trying to change something one is comfortable with.

Other than that I can recommend a very good little book to read called “Putting out of your Mind”. Helped me see the mental picture of it, and golf is quite a mental game as we all know.

I once read that the hands in the putting stroke should be both applying equal inward pressure at all times. The best way to describe the sensation is to get a rather large book (bible, dictionary, whatever is handy..) and open your hands as if you were going to slap somebody. Now with your hands open, ‘clamp’ the book with your hands and try your putting stroke now. For me it helped understand my grip pressure. Try keep your forearms pretty untensed. Might be worth a shot, takes 30 seconds to try and could shave a shot or 2 if it works for ta. As for my grip, I use a double overlapping grip, feels comfy enough to me.

“Putting out of your mind” by Rotella is a great book. I have it as an audio book and listen to it every so often.

I’m a Pelz disciple and can really advocate his stuff. Turned me from a reasonable putter to a very good one.

I find his website and products to be fantatsic and would recommend you get on there and have a look.

Burner’s guy Magnum is interesting but his website is rubbish – far too cluttered for my liking.

Burner has also alluded to the fact that Magnum has done a bit of Pelz bashing and indeed he does on his website. However, perhaps both Burner and Magnum are forgetting that Pelz has been doing his thing for 30 odd years and it is ludicrous to suggest he is ‘copying’ it from a relative unknown like Magnum.

Of course, try both and go with the one you like.

As for the claw grip – personally I think its rubbish – however, like one-handed putting, if it works for you, go for it!

Burner, the link didn’t work mate

A bad day at golf is better than a good day at work.

Just tried it again myself, 10.35 GMT, and up popped Geoff Mangum’s Putting Zone.

Its NOT the page that “laney” kindly put up, but one where Geoff gets into it good and proper.

He is on his hands and knees in a video, rolling a ball at various speeds into the cup and explaining the accuracy, and pace needed, in order to sink ‘em. It blows Pelts away.

I believe the videos may also be on Youtube so do a search there also.

However, serious putting students should take up residence in Geoff’s site IMHO.

There does appear to be some good info, and as non-officially the worlds worst putter I am not going to dismiss anything. But burner, that site is painful to look at, really really painful.

If I wasn’t in such dire need for putting assistance I wouldn’t even look twice at a site that looked like that.

I have had a bit of a look at Geoffs stuff now and there is some good reading. Going to the golf course tonight to try some of the stuff he suggests.

BUT…he needs to get a new web designer for sure!

Try putting www. in front of it perhaps, it worked for me too. But I agree with styles, the site is hideous, don’t bother.

If you’re 3-putting two thirds of your holes, then I would imagine a lot of the time the first putt doesn’t get anywhere near the hole. If so, then distance control practice is needed. I did like the advice from MrConsistency about the equal pressure grip, having one overly dominant hand definitely used to affect consistency for me.

Another point I remember from the Mizuno video tips site, is you need to work out what stance you prefer as a putter, and therefore what sort of swing is best for you.

For the record, I haven’t stuck with any one training school for my putting. I’ve found things from all over the place, practiced a lot, and I 1-putted 5 times on the weekend between 4 and 12 feet, and missed a double-breaking 30-footer by a hair.

I got Geoff Mangum’s book. Wow.

Putting still sucks. Played twice over the weekend and had 34 and 38 putts (5 GIR and 10 GIR). Still no idea what is wrong, my mates cannot pick it up either. I have gone back to the old inter-locking grip with my right index finger running down the grip.
I actually found that I was picking the right line and then missing it with my putter, generally left but sometimes right….so I am figuring I am not bringing the putter back square but I have no idea why and my playing partners are unable to pick why either…

KYC, tried the ‘CRAW’...it might be an option but it is going to take a lot of getting used to…A LOT :)

HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!!!!!!

Are you holding the club in a both palms grip or a standard finger grip?? ie the shaft runs up the grove between heel pad and thumb pad so your thumb sits on top of the shaft with both hands?

Are you swinging with a piston action or a pendulum? Are your hands quiet during the stroke or are they what is moving the club (ala a flicky action at impact).

Putting is an arms or shoulders only motion. Hope Elvis has left the building too.

Are you holding the club in a both palms grip or a standard finger grip?? ie the shaft runs up the grove between heel pad and thumb pad so your thumb sits on top of the shaft with both hands?

Are you swinging with a piston action or a pendulum? Are your hands quiet during the stroke or are they what is moving the club (ala a flicky action at impact).

Putting is an arms or shoulders only motion. Hope Elvis has left the building too.

Standard fingergrip, piston I think…I try to have a short backswing and a longer follow-through, it feels that my hands are quite on the backswing and then arc up as I start tge downswing

Finger grip is not recommended for putting or chipping. Too much room for additional power to sneak into a shot.

live4golf,

This is by no means the only grip out there but once I got it I never looked back.

When I hang my hands at my sides my wrists point inward about 45 degrees. When I raise my hands to where my forearms are paralell to the ground keeping my elbows at my side my wrists point outwards 45*.

I then grip the putter without changing my wrists to where both forearms are in the same line (on plane with) as the putter shaft. This puts the heel pad of my left hand (pressure point #2) on the left side of the shaft. The bottom of the grip lies across my palm in the crease just above the first knuckle joint of my little finger and across to the second knuckle joint of my index finger. My left thumb is placed where it is comfortable (more to the left side of center).

I then place the heel pad of my right hand (pressure point #1) against the last three fingers of my left hand. This has pp’s 1 and 2 opposing one another (tons of control). The fingers of my right hand rest comfortably under the grip allowing my right index finger pressure point # 3 (the pad between the first and second knuckle joint) to be placed more under the grip. My right thumb is placed where it is comfortable (more to the right side of center).

The thumbs of both hands can sit on the edges of the putter grip if you like.

This grip is similar to the great Paul Runyan (Little Poison).

live4golf

I had the identical problem to you, read the books, bought new putters and practised and practised. It got so bad that i thought of giving up. Then i was introduced to the 2 thumb grip and ….the answer to a prayer. The grip is huge and needs boths thumbs on it but it takes out any wrist action and for ME works a treat. I am now putting really well. I think it cost around 14 bucks from Golfsmith…the best money i have ever spent.