This is the first of a series of golf instruction articles you will find helpful to your game. Golf is filled with myths and bad teaching that sounds really good but will mess up both your game and your head. Putting is the one golf skill that can help your game the quickest. The pendulum putting stroke technique is one of the myths that hurt your game. If you choose to abandon this myth, then you open up the possibility of becoming a really good putter.

There is a critical concept you should understand. Golfers use many different styles of putting. Style doesn’t matter … open/closed stance; Vardon/reverse overlap grip, hands together/split/strong/weak. Anything goes! "It’s your thing, do what you want to do"! Nothing could be further from the truth!

You would be foolish to take such an undisciplined approach in your personal or business life. Style and fundamentals matter. And yes, there are fundamentals for putting just like there are fundamentals for the whole swing. There’s also some very good news! Putting fundamentals can be used to integrate your game into a complete package.

Pendulum putting has some appealing concepts … on the surface.  Who wouldn’t want the rhythmic smoothness of a pendulum? Unfortunately there are some solid reasons why this technique doesn’t make sense.

You ask, "What about all those great putters who swear by the pendulum technique?"  The simple explanation is, many of the pros we hear endorsing the pendulum technique are not really doing what they think they are doing. In truth, many professional players are very skilled but ignorant about their technique. They can be victims of the same clichés, myths and bad teaching as everyday players.

A pendulum is a machine and we humans use a farm more complex bio-machine!  The human machine is not built with the same physical structure as a simple pendulum.  A pendulum hangs from one fixed point and swings back and forth in one direction. A pendulum also depends upon gravity for its consistent movement.   Finally, a pendulum must be started in motion by an outside force.

The main problem with attempting to use the pendulum method is that you will invariably hit at, not through the ball. This causes the putter face to be mis-aligned. Mis-alignment is one of the two biggest problems in putting.

The human putting machine is connected to the club at two points through a system of other semi-flexible links. It is a double-pendulum. This system of links can (and often does) move in more than one direction.  This system is powered by muscles, which sometimes does what we want and sometimes seem to have a mind of their own!

Putting, like other aspects of the game is best learned in sequential, bite sized pieces. When fundamental techniques are learned, you can then move onto other requirements such as reading the green for break and speed. Until you can make a repetitive stroke, you are doomed to inconsistency. The ideal stroke technique on modern, well-conditioned greens is to use an arm and shoulder technique (minimum use of the wrists). Easy to learn mechanical fundamentals exist that will allow you to make a repetitive, dependable, shoulder/arm style stroke.

Your first task is to develop the ability to repeat the mechanics of your stroke without mental effort. Basic putting skill is the application of some simple techniques that allow you to consistently strike a straight ten-foot putt.  There are three mechanical requirements to putting: 

Move the putter relatively straight back and straight through the "impact zone". Research has proven there is no need to make a perfect stroke.  Controlling your stroke path is largely a matter of using correct pre-putt fundamentals.

1. Square the putter face to the intended target path at impact.

2. "Slowwww andd … GO!" Rhythm causes you to "strike the back of the ball" which causes the putter face to square up to the path

3. Control the speed of the putt in a manner that assists with the second mechanical requirement.  Speed control involves both "feel/touch" and strategy … more on this later.

4. Longer follow through indicates you have accelerated the putter head into and through the ball
    

Controlling BOTH putter face direction and speed is actually one in the same task Because face direction directly affects the direction of a putt and because stroke path has only a secondary, limited affect, our first requirement is to learn how to strike a putt squarely (relative to the intended target path).

There is an extremely effective method for controlling both face direction and the speed. The technique involves nothing more than controlling the rhythm of the stroke. "Striking" into and through the back of the ball CAUSES the putter to "square up" to the target path! If there is a magic move in golf, this is it!

The technique is as simple as using a "Slowwww andd … GO!" rhythm. Please note the tricky spelling and punctuation. "Slowwww" means taking a deliberately, ultra slow backstroke. "Andd" means you using a smooth transition between the backstroke and the forestroke … don’t hurry the forestroke. And GO! Means strike into and through the back of the ball

The time it takes to make the backstroke should be about three times longer than the time it for the forestroke. The length of the forestroke is ALWAYS about three times longer than the length of the backstroke. 

Taking a slow backstroke forces you to accelerate the putter. Proof that you accelerated is seen a longer length forestroke. Learning this technique is easy, but it takes intention, focus of attention and discipline.

Learn this stroke technique in parts, on lag putts that are not aimed at any hole. Take away the target and you can focus on your technique.

Part one is to practice making ultra slow backstrokes … you don’t even need a ball. Part two is to learn how to make a smooth transition between the backstroke and forestroke. In the early stages of practice, you might try to make a deliberate, but fractional pause at the limit of your backstroke. Later, you can eliminate this pause. Finally, your most important learning task is to "strike the ball" with an accelerating stroke.

How far the ball rolls will depend on the length of the backstroke, NOT on the amount of power/force you use. All putts will use the same amount of muscular force. Using this technique, "feel" is the same for all length putts … you simply strike through the back of the ball.

Controlling distance becomes a matter of practicing different length putts on different surfaces to learn how much backstroke is required. So, how long should the backstroke be and how do you develop the "touch" needed to control the speed of a putt?

We need to answer the second half of that question first. As you undoubtedly know, practice, practice and more practice is the key. Over time and after practicing on greens of different speeds, you develop a sense of feel. Ultimately, controlling distance is a matter of allowing your subconscious sense of feel to control the length of your backswing. This is something you are probably, naturally, already doing. This technique simply requires a refocus of your attention onto more productive ques.

How do you know if you are doing this technique correctly? You will notice three things. First, you began to feel and become comfortable with the slower backstroke. Second, you began to develop a sense of confidence that you do not need to hurry the forestroke. And most importantly, you will feel a much more centered, solid contact with the ball. You will know where the ball is going before you look up!

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Pre Putt Fundamentals of the Shoulder and Arm Stroke
Lesson 2 of 52

Before we begin, a quick review of last week’s lesson. We were trying to kill the pendulum. We learned there are three mechanical fundamentals to a putting stroke:

1. Swing the putter relatively straight back and through the impact zone

2. Square the putter face to the intended target path

3. Control the speed of the putt

The second and third tasks are one in the same. We learned the ability to strike into and through the back of the ball was the secret to squaring the clubface. When your mind is focused on striking the back of the ball, the speed of the putt is controlled by the length of the backswing, NOT the amount of muscular force used. How hard you swing (amount of muscular force) will be the same for all putts. Later we will learn how to develop the sense of feel needed to determine how much backswing is needed for different length putts and for different surface conditions. For now, remember your backswing length requires BOTH touch/feel and strategy.

Pre-putt fundamentals directly affect the mechanics of the stroke. Our goal is to use the more consistent shoulder and arm stroke technique. When greens maintenance equipment produced more consistent putting surfaces, "handsy" putting pretty much died! There are fundamental things we can do to simplify and better, yet effortlessly, control the motion of our body, our arms and the putter. We want to create a balanced, square, "Monkey Arms" position.

Today’s lesson is about the pre-putt fundamentals that cause the putter head to move straight back and straight through the back of the ball, along the intended putt path. Here’s great news! Pre-putt fundamentals have much more to do with a making consistent stroke than swing mechanics or skill. Even better, there is a NATURAL way to make a putting stroke.

The word natural is very overused in golf language. Here is the definition we will use. If something is natural, you do not have to learn and you do not have to try. Here’s the bad news! First, it takes zero athletic ability to make a putting stroke. Second, you have nearly 100% command and control over what you need to do (it’s natural). Finally, there is no excuse for failure.

Here’s a "mini" routine that will guide you through each pre-putt fundamental. We will expand on this routine and also use it for short game and full swing mechanics, so why not introduce it now? Just say the key word and then execute the technique.

• Club … flat and square

• Grip… the club

• Point … "Bow" over the ball

• Aim … your shoulders parallel to the target path

• Hang … your hands under your shoulders and check to ensure your weight is balanced (toe to heel) on the balls of your feet

Step By Step Pre-Putt Routine
Routine Step 1:  Club ... sole the club flat and square to the intended putt path, when it is in position keep you eye on it, if it moves, put it back		This putter face is NOT square.  Even such a slight error will cause you to pull putts!
Routine Step 2:  Grip ... once the club is in position keep you eye on it, if it moves, put it back	Left hand dominate putters should place all four fingers of the left hand in position, then move the right hand into place	Right hand dominate putters should place all four fingers of the right hand into position, then move the left hand into place
A modification of the right hand dominate grip is to rotate the left hand outward (counterclockwise) in order to prevent an inside to outside stroke path	Routine Step 3:  Point ... bow over until your eyes are over the ball Routine Step 5:  Hang ... check/adjust your feet so you are balanced on the balls of your feet (flat footed); a properly fit putter (lie angle and length) will cause your hands to hang under your shoulders	Routine Step 4:  Aim ... align your shoulders and knees parallel to the putt path, many players will appear to have a "closed stance"
Notes This routine takes just a few minutes to learn.  During play, it takes less than 5 seconds to execute ... once it has been learned and practiced enough to be of practical value on the course.  Memorize the five "que" words" ... Club, Grip, Point, Aim and Hang.  This routine is for the set-up only.  It is adapted from the full swing routine and is part of a larger, Master Routine which we will learn later.  Using a routine is the single most important key to the Mental Game.  It is your ticket to the 3 C's ... Composure, Concentration and Confidence. Pre-Putt fundamental errors CAUSE in-stroke mechanical errors.  They are 90+% avoidable!  Avoiding basic stroke errors is a matter of knowledge of what to do, why it is important and most importantly, the discipline to do what you know is right.  The learning part of pre-putt fundamentals takes a little time and effort, but the payoff is huge. Putter alignment to the the intended path is a VERY critical fundamental that is COMMONLY overlooked or wrongly executed.  It creates failure or at least doubt.  It is 100% avoidable. The grip style you choose is an individual matter.  The goal is to make sure you have all four fingers of the dominant hand on the club and that your hand is square/parallel to the putter face.  Check you grip and make dead certain it is installed square to the putterface.  Consider the possibility of using the two handed, switching hands, right hand dominant technique (top hand rotated outward to a weak position) described in the main text.  Correct is most important.  Comfortable comes from habituation. Getting your eyes over the ball is critical.  It, along with a "spot" putting technique fixes the right/left eye dominate vision problem and depth perception problems.  Most importantly, eyes over the ball helps focus your concentration on the "Go" part of the stroke and the ability to control the speed/distance of your putt.  Eye position is directly related to the mechanics of your stroke.  It, along with a correctly fit putter (lie angle and length) helps fix you hands under your shoulders, creating the "Monkey Arms" position we desire for the NATURAL stroke motion made possible by the shoulder and arm method.  Aiming your shoulders and knees parallel to the intended path allows your body to effortlessly control the direction of the stroke path.  You will make very, very few stroke direction errors if you correctly aim your body where you want the putt to go.  Open shoulder alignment is another critical and common error.  It is very comfortable, but very WRONG.  Jack Nicklaus may have used this technique, but we are not Jack.  Unfortunately, mis-alignment might be called natural.  When the bottom hand goes on club, the shoulders naturally open!  Again, this is comfortable and works very well if you are using a "hands"  putting style (like Jack).  Aiming your shoulders is a DELIBERATE ACT.   After your bottom hand is on the club, THEN align your shoulders.  Note the sequence of the routine ... it is Grip, then Aim. Aiming and Hanging are nearly the same steps.  To aim, you must move your feet into place.  Because your eyes are already over the ball and your shoulders/knees are aligned, where you place your feet is largely a matter of comfort.  For most people, standing flatfooted with your weight evenly balanced between toes and heels.  There is zero reason why the same doesn't work best for putting, short game and the full swing.  For longer swing, your weight will shift back and forth and from toes to heels at different points in your swing.  But, the starting point is a flatfooted, balanced position.  There are very few sports where you initiate a movement from an unbalanced position (ex. a 100 meter sprinter or a platform diver).

Learning this routine takes just a few minutes.  During play, it takes less than 5 seconds to execute ... once it has been learned and practiced enough to be of practical value on the course.  Memorize the five "que" words" ... Club, Grip, Point, Aim and Hang.  This routine is for the set-up only.  It is adapted from the full swing routine and is part of a larger, Master Routine which we will learn later.  Using a routine is the single most important key to the Mental Game.  A routine is your ticket to the 3 C's ... Composure, Concentration and Confidence.

Pre-Putt fundamental errors CAUSE in-stroke mechanical errors.  More than 90% of stroke errors are completely avoidable!  Avoiding basic stroke errors is a matter of knowing of what to do, knowing why it is important (for confidence) and most importantly, having the discipline to do what you know is right.  The learning part of pre-putt fundamentals takes a little effort, but the payoff is huge.

Club … Putter alignment to the intended path is a VERY critical fundamental that is COMMONLY overlooked or wrongly executed.  It creates failure or at least doubt.  It is 100% avoidable. Sole the putter flat and square to the target path. Make double sure the putter does not move by watching it throughout the set-up. This means you must complete the remainder of the set-up by feel. If the club moves, put it back and restart you routine.  The putter head must be soled flat on the ground to prevent pulling or pushing the putt. The lie angle of the putter must be bent to angle towards your hands. Again the length is relative to both the lie angle and to your height. Again the putter fits YOU, you do NOT contort yourself to fit the putter

Grip… Grip, like ball position is both a fundamental and an individual technique. This is one time when the physics of club to ball contact and the bio-mechanics of your body do not dictate a specific way of doing things. The putting grip style is your choice. A correct and comfortable hands position on the club is far more important than it is to the full swing.

You need to know if you are a left handed, right handed or two handed putter. The answer to this question will guide your decision about how to put your hands on the club. The goal is to make sure you have all four fingers of the dominant hand on the club and that your hand is square/parallel to the putter face. The interlocking grip used for the full swing is NOT recommended for putting. The Vardon overlapping grip is acceptable for left handed putters. The ten finger/baseball grip (four fingers of both hands are on the club) is also acceptable. The key is to have both thumbs on the flat part of the grip. The exact position of the thumbs can be "fiddled" with to favor a stronger or weaker release. This allows you to "micro adjust" towards either side of the hole when all other fundamentals are correct!

A two handed putter will place both hands parallel to the face of the putter and both thumbs on the flat surface of the grip. Equal pressure is applied with each hand. You might feel as if both thumbs are moving together as a team.

A left handed putter will "backhand" the ball. You will have a feeling of dragging the putter head through impact. A right handed putter will "spank" the back of the ball. You will feel the speed of the putt in the palm of your hand. This is much like feeling how far you would toss a ball.  Consider the possibility of using the two handed, switching hands, right hand dominant technique (top hand rotated outward to a weak position).  That was a eyeful, but it just means you will take a right hand grip, then use the top hand to push the club back and the bottom hand the strike through. Weakening the top hand allows you to eliminate the possibility of the club "fanning open" on any short or intermediate length putt.

Correct is more important than comfortable. Comfortable comes from the habits you will develop over time.

If you are a right handed putter, the reverse overlap or ten finger grip is recommended. A slight modification can be made by rotating the upper hand counterclockwise so it is in a very weak position.

Check you grip and make dead certain it is installed square to the putterface.  My experience indicates about 50% of all putter grips are installed crooked. I have seen the problem on $300 putters as well as discount beaters. You can’t putt your best with a dirty grip. Oil from you hands gets caked onto the grip. Clean your grip with a solvent and rinse with clear water. Your grip should feel a little sticky.

Point … Getting your eyes over the ball is critical.  It, along with a "spot" putting technique fixes the right/left eye dominate vision problem and depth perception problems.  Most importantly, eyes over the ball helps focus your concentration on the "Go" part of the stroke and the ability to control the speed/distance of your putt. 

Eye position is directly related to the mechanics of your stroke.  It, along with a correctly fit putter (lie angle and length) helps fix you hands under your shoulders, creating the "Monkey Arms" position we desire for the NATURAL stroke motion made possible by the shoulder and arm method. 

You do not have to be perfect, but you do have to be pretty close. The most critical error is to stand too tall which leaves the eyes inside the target path which causes you to push putts. Standing too tall is often related to poorly fitted, longer putters. A standard 35-35½" putter is too long for a typical golfer. "Off the rack" putters need to be custom fitted to your needs.

A putter is always custom fit to a golfer in a correct posture. It is not your job to accommodate a mis-fit putter. If your hands are outside your shoulders (too far from your body) you will pull puts to the left. That’s the good news. The bad news is that after missing a few putts, most golfers start fiddling with their stroke mechanics (trying). Somewhere in the process, your confidence goes down the tube.

You can know the value of getting your eyes over the ball and hanging your hands right now!  Stand up and then bow over as if you were setting up for a putt.  Completely relax your arms and let them hand straight down from your shoulders.  Now, swing them back and forth.  Notice two things.  First, your shoulders barely move and second, your arms effortlessly follow a very straight line parallel to your shoulders.

Where you play the ball between your left and right foot is both a fundamental and an individual technique. The ball must be played forward of center, closer to your left foot. A forward position promotes the accelerating ball strike. Your lead elbow will be folded more than your trail elbow. Individual players will vary in how far forward they should play the ball. If your are making a solid, arm and shoulder stroke and pushing putts, the move the ball more forward. If you are pulling putts, move the ball back towards the center of your stance.

Aim … Aiming your shoulders and knees parallel to the intended path allows your body to effortlessly control the direction of the stroke path.  Square shoulders are the key to the preferred arm and shoulder technique. You will make very, very few stroke direction errors if you correctly aim your body where you want the putt to go.  The chief problem with mis-aligned shoulders is that your are doing something you body does not want to do!

Open shoulder alignment is critical and common error.  It is very comfortable, but very WRONG. Unfortunately, it is naturally easy to mis-align your shoulders.  When the bottom hand goes on club, the shoulders open!  Again, this is comfortable and works very well if you are using a "hands"  putting style.  Aiming your shoulders is a DELIBERATE ACT.   Align your shoulders after your bottom hand is on the club.  the sequence of the routine ... it is Grip, then Aim. When facing a breaking putt, you must come up the courage to turn your back to the hole.

  So, how/why did Jack Nicklaus putt with open shoulders and why can’t we? First, he used a hands technique during a different era. Second, you and I aren’t Jack! Typical pro golfers have better eyesight than most everyday players. Third, they practice ten times more than a typical golfer. This allows them to can get away with things we can’t do!

Hang … Because one hand is lower on the club than the other, your shoulders will tend to open to the target. This is a very comfortable position. You can see the target line more clearly. It is also dead wrong. Later we will learn how to "spot" putt. Here’s the key … align your shoulders after your bottom hand is on the club. Your knees should also parallel the target path. When correctly set-up, many players will appear to have a closed stance. This is not only OK, is it desirable!

Aiming and Hanging are nearly the same steps.  To aim, you must move your feet into place.  Because your eyes are already over the ball and your shoulders/knees are aligned, where you place your feet is largely a matter of comfort. 

Standing flatfooted with your weight evenly balanced between toes and heels is the key.  The same concept works your short game and the full swing.  For longer swing, your weight will shift back and forth and from toes to heels at different points in your swing.  But, the starting point is always from a flatfooted, balanced position.  There are very few sports where you initiate a movement from an unbalanced position (ex. a 100 meter sprinter or a platform diver).

How far you stand away from the ball will be determined by your stance posture and hand position. A quick checkpoint of performance is that your hands will be no more than one fist width from your thighs. A dead certain giveaway that you are in the wrong position is if the toe of the club is up off the ground. When this is the case, either you or your tool is wrong!

Putting with your hands inside your shoulders will cause you the push putts. A poorly fitted putter typically means the toe of the putter head will be up off the ground (putter sits on it’s heel). Having you hands too "high" or away from your body is the opposite error. From a high position, you will tend to pull putts.

A final point about posture and balance. Your elbows need to flexed and tucked into your belly. This allows you arms to have a little "shock absorber" protection. This is the "Monkey Arms" situation.  Execution of the stroke involves little more than moving your Monkey Arms back and forth while attending to the "Slowwww andd GO!" rhythm to push the club away from the ball then striking the back of the ball.

Here are some final checkpoints of performance you need to consider.

• First, the hand that dominates your forward stroke should have all four fingers on the club and should be the first hand to go onto the club.

• Second, the palm of your dominate hand must be parallel to the putter face.

• Finally, the non dominate hand must not interfere with the natural movement of the controlling, dominate hand.

When pre-putt fundamentals are combined with the "Slow and Go" rhythm, you are practically guaranteed to make a quality putt. Your stroke should feel effortless and ultra smooth. You should feel in total control of the stroke motion.

Unfortunately, quality stroke mechanics DO NOT guarantee you will make the putt. Once you have developed a consistent, repetitive stroke, you can move onto other requirements like reading the green for speed and break, selecting the correct target and controlling the speed of the putt.

Weekly Practice Assignment

Continue practicing the "Slow and Go" rhythm you learned last week … you have not mastered the skill until you have completed the 60/21 program … 60 correct repetitions for 21 consecutive days … you don’t have to go to the course or even use a ball to practice stroke rhythm.

Practice using the routine to set-up to the ball. Use these illustrations to double check for correct performance. This is where a buddy comes in real handy. Most people need some well trained eyes to tell you if they are really doing what they are trying to do.

If you don’t have a buddy, then a "poor man’s video" will do. A home, full length dressing mirror will do. If you have an indoor putting carpet, then you can combine pre-putt fundamentals with swing rhythm.

If you don’t have a buddy or a mirror, just go out into the sunshine and watch you shadow.

• Aim … align your shoulders and knees parallel to the intended path of the putt … ignore the "closed stance" feeling

• Hang … check your balance to ensure you are "flatfooted", evenly balanced between you toes and heels

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Pre-Putt Routine and Stroke Mechanics
Lesson 3 of 52