By Bobby Eldridge Head Professional,
PurePoint Golf Reprinted with permission
Golf Putting Backswing - The Correct Backswing
When you address the golf ball the putter head is soled on the ground. The shaft of the putter goes toward the center of your body and you are gripping the putter with the grip you choose.
Putting Backswing - Focus on the "Y"
Because you are bent over at the hips your arms hang from your upper body and they form the capital letter "Y". The backswing is a movement of the shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, putter shaft and putter head swinging back in one piece.
The Right Shoulder Tilts - It Does Not Turn
As the backswing begins the right shoulder will have a slight tilt up as the putter head swings straight back away from the golf ball. The entire swing back and forth is a one piece swing with the "Y" swinging back and forth.
It is very difficult to build a consistent and dependable putting stroke if the wrists become independent of the arms and putter. The sole purpose of swinging the "Y" is to make sure you maintain a smooth and repeatable stroke.
If you swing the "Y" correctly the right shoulder will tilt up in the backswing and the left shoulder will tilt down. During the backswing the putter head has to stay as close to the ground as possible. Of course if you have a 40 foot uphill putt the length of the backswing will be much longer than a 10 foot putt. During the backswing of a 40 foot putt, the putter head will come up higher off of the ground than a 10 foot putt.
Correct Putting Grip
After you have gripped the putter both thumbs should point straight down the shaft. During the backswing the putter face should not roll open. If you feel the thumbs roll to the right in the backswing that means the club face is opening and the "Y" is not intact.
Use the "Y" to Develop a Consistent Putting Stroke
By maintaining the "Y" in the backswing you can develop a stroke that will have the same amount of impact every time. The wrists have no place in the putting stroke. Using the "Y" you can develop a putting touch for all distances. It is very difficult to develop a putting stroke using your wrists. Any wrists movement in the putting stroke will add loft at impact and inconsistency to your distance control.
Golf Putting Backswing - Swing Path
I know I just touched on the backswing in the last chapter but I have to spend a bit more time on it. I would have to say that this has been the most controversial topic of the short game in the past 25 years.
I don't think we thought much of it until the video camera came along. The difference between a putter swinging straight back and one that swings back on an arc is a matter of a few inches, difficult to see without video. Of course once we put the camera on it everybody took sides. Arc or straight back? Fortunately for me I have ALWAYS swung the putter straight back. As far back as I can remember I have never believed the stroke had an arc and the face opened and closed.
The arc seemed very difficult to time and then add the face opening and closing, I knew there were other parts of the game I would spend my time trying to improve on, this was not one I was going to give time towards. Yes, I believe if you have a 45 foot uphill putt, the club face will swing slightly inside in the backswing. Anything short of that it has to swing straight back and straight through without the face opening and closing.
Putting Stroke - Straight back, Straight Through
There are many reasons why I believe the stroke is not an arc. The number one and foremost reason is the straight back straight through. It's very simple. It is simple to practice, easy to understand and conceptualize. You can also practice on a straight edge or base board and watch the stroke to see how accurate you are.
The second reason is when you are practicing the arc you do not have a training tool to practice with. The longer the stroke the more you have to arc. The more the arc the more the club face has to open and then return on time in the backswing. Too many moving parts. This does not include breaking putts. On putts breaking away from you does the face open less? On the same breaking putt do you not swing inside as much?
I think by now you know exactly how I feel about the direction the putter head has to travel on during the putting stroke. If you believe in the arc and you average less than 30 putts per round, STAY WITH IT. However if you struggle with putting, give this a try for 30 days and if your putting hasn't improved I will give you your money back. Wait a minute. You didn't pay anything. I know this will improve your putting results.
Putting Stroke - You Can't be Perfect
I think this is about the right timing for me to talk to some of you about your stroke that wiggles, shakes and does the mamba on the way back. You have to trust me on this one. FORGET IT!!! It has very little to do with you not being a great putter.
I figured something out a long time ago; I can hardly draw a six inch straight line with a pencil so how can I expect myself to swing a putter back perfectly straight for two feet. I spend hours putting on a straight edge and then I LET IT GO. Give it up to the golf gods and let them do there thing.
There is time to practice and time to play. When I step on the first tee it is time to play. Don't misunderstand me. I PRACTICE like I play and I PLAY like I practice. When I tee it up I have to let the playing take over. I do not try and figure it out on the golf course. I will tell you a little secret; I have made a whole bunch of putts with a wiggly backswing.
Golf Putting Backswing - The Shoulders
For the past two chapters I have talked about the "Y" and swinging the putter straight back. In this chapter I am going to describe what the right shoulder does during the backswing.
The Right Shoulder Tilts
If you swing the "Y" back correctly on a straight line, the right shoulder will tilt up slightly. The longer the putt the more the right shoulder will tilt up. If you have a two or three foot putt you will not have to swing the putter back far enough for the shoulder to tilt.
On the other hand, if you swing the putter back inside on an arc the right shoulder will have to TURN out of the way and not TILT. The best visual that I can give you is if you are watching a boat rock from side to side in the water. You have to have the feeling the right shoulder rocks or tilts up in the backswing and yes you are right, the left shoulder tilts up in the downswing. We will touch on that in the next chapter.
After you address the golf ball and you do not bend over at the hips, your posture will be too upright. If you are standing too tall to the golf ball at address, the right shoulder will have a tendency to turn and not tilt.
Your Shoulder Needs to Be Aligned Correctly
The one part of the address that is barely talked about is the shoulder alignment. After you address the golf ball you have to have your shoulders parallel to your intended target line. If your shoulders are closed (right shoulder back too far) the shoulder will turn and not tilt. If your shoulders are open (right shoulder in front of left) the right shoulder will tilt too much and the putter will arrive at impact on a steep angle.
Keep the Putter Head Low
You have to pay close attention to this one detail during the backswing. The putter head does not have to come up off of the ground just because the right shoulder is tilting up. You can make a smooth swing backwards away from the golf ball and still keep the club head close to the putting surface as the right shoulder tilts up.
If you find out the putter head is coming off of the ground too high, focus on the club head for some time and not on the right shoulder tilting up.
By the way this is the most profound thought about the right shoulder tilting up. The right shoulder tilting up is a RESULT not a cause.
If you have the correct length putter for you and you have the correct posture and your shoulders are parallel to your intended line with the correct ball position, you are 99% of the way there. If you swing the putter back on the correct path, THE RIGHT SHOULDER WILL TILT UP.
