Putting is Simple

Last year I went to COG hill in Chicago to Train on the “SAM” putting lab that we had purchased for our Academy. I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Christian marquardt the inventor of the SAM putting lab one on one. He was a very interesting person in that he had no background in golf at all.  Even to this day he does not play golf.  he is a scientist that studies human motion and movement.  He is the type of person that would study the hand movements of a concert pianist or why a person might get writers cramps.  He became interested in putting when he heard about the dreaded putting yips.  He started his research on putting by going out on the European golf tour.  His equipment was an apparatus that fit on the putter and read every movement that the putter was making during the putting stroke using ultrasound.  His finding was very surprising.  There were many different techniques and styles.  They all were pretty efficient.  The one common element was that they were very repeatable.  Consistency was more important than the technique.  It didn’t matter if they used a long putter, putted cross handed, used the claw grip, or a belly putter.  Consistency was the most common trait among the best players in the world.  This does not mean that technique is not important, it just means that consistency is more important.  Dr. Marquardt first statement to me was, “Mark, putting is a very simple movement.  There is very few moving parts and it takes very little strength or power.” “My first question to him was “why is putting so difficult for most people?”  His answer was that most people perceive it to be difficult.  So if we think putting is simple and that is is not difficult, and truly believe that concept, we are on the right track to becoming a great putter.  This really makes sense because in teaching the golf swing there is so many moving parts and the club is going at a very fast rate of speed. 

The putting stroke requires very little athletic ability and does not require a great deal of strength.  The key to developing a good stroke is simplicity.  A our academy, we always evaluate our students first.  The most common problems we see, is that the putter does not fit them, or should I say the the putter does not allow them to get into a setup that is mechanically sound that will allow their hands and arms to swing freely from their shoulders.  Most putters are too long and are too light.  If the putter first you right, you should be able to bend from your waist and get your eyes over the ball.  Your arms should hand freely with a slight bend in the elbows.  The ball should be positioned forward in the stance to allow a slightly ascending stroke.  The power in the stroke should come from the right hand and arm.  The left arm and hand should stabilize the path and face to keep it square to your target.  For left handed players just flip this concept around.  Waist action should be minimal but not necessarily eliminated.  Length of stroke should be determined by how much speed is required to reach the hole.  The ratio of back swing to forward swing is 1 to 2.  Grip pressure should feel firm but not tight.  There should be very minimal body motion.  The legs and head must be very steady.  Is this beginning sound to complicated?  Remember our perception is that this is a very simple movement.  Of course there is more to putting than just developing a simple stroke. How about reading the greens, or how do you develop the proper speed?  How about your mental pre-shot routines that are so important to developing focus and a relaxed state of mind when you putt?  These are all so very important keys to better putting.  As you can see there is a lot to putting.  Much more than what I can write in this article.  You just have to learn and feel the proper technique and get a putter that fits your stroke. If you would like a SAM putting lab lesson schedule at Robin Nigro Golf Academy. And remember putting is very simple.