By Bobby Eldridge Head Professional,
PurePoint Golf Reprinted with permission
Golf Putting Setup - Ball Position
The first thing we want to do when we prepare to address the golf ball for putting is to see where the golf ball is in relationship to our stance. The optimum ball position is going to vary from player to player.
Some golfers like to have the golf ball in the center of their stance while others like the ball positioned slightly forward of center. Believe it or not there have been some very successful putters that play the golf ball off of their left heel. I have always liked to have the ball closer to my left heel than in the middle of my stance.
When I am asked where someone should address the golf ball in their stance during a putt I believe this is a very individual preference. You have to spend many hours on the practice green deciding where the golf ball should be in your stance.
Ball Position Effects Direction
Before we go on, here are a couple of reminders if you struggle with pushing your putts. The golf ball might be too far back in your stance. The ball position and your shoulder alignment go hand in hand.
If the golf ball is too far back in your stance you will have a tendency to have your shoulders closed at address and this could result in the putter swinging too much from the inside to the outside. If the putter swings too much inside to out you will push your putts.
On the other hand if you play the golf ball too far forward in your stance you will have a tendency to have your shoulders open at address and this could result in the putter swinging too much from outside to inside. If the putter swings too much outside to in you will pull your putts.
When you take a practice stroke the bottom of the stroke is where the golf ball should be in your stance at address. The putter swings back straight away from the golf ball and swings straight down in the downswing. The moment the putter head reaches the bottom of the stroke and begins to swing back up is exactly where the golf ball should be in your stance.
If you have a tendency to hit up on your putts you will want to place the golf ball back in your stance an inch or two and if you have a tendency to swing down on your putts you should move the golf ball forward in your stance an inch or two. The placement of the golf ball is vital to keeping the golf ball on the putting surface after impact and getting the golf ball to start on a straight line after impact.
Golf Putting Setup - Handle Position
Now that we have talked about the ball position, let's move on to the putter and where you should sole it as you address the golf ball. You have to sole the putter head on the ground as close to the golf ball as possible without touching it. You should be able to see a couple of blades of grass between the golf ball and the face of the putter.
Get the Lie Correct First
Keep in mind the average putter has 4 degrees of loft and that is not enough for you to see it. When you sole the putter on the ground, the grip end of the golf club must point to the center of your body.
If you have the putter square at address (putter face aiming towards your target) with the correct amount of loft and the grip end is pointing towards the middle of your body, you are ready to go. Do not forget you have to have the putter soled (the bottom of the putter must rest on the ground, the toe nor can the heel be in the air).
There are a couple of mistakes that can happen at address.
If the grip end of the putter is too far forward at address (more towards your left pant leg) the putter will not have enough loft at impact. If the putter does not have enough loft at impact, the golf ball will drive into the ground and the ball will hop along the way towards the cup. You will not get that smooth role you are looking for.
If the grip end of the putter is too far back at address (more towards your right pant leg) the putter will have too much loft at impact. If the putter has too much loft at impact, the golf ball will loft into the air. Again you will not get that smooth role you are looking for.
The bottom line of the club head and shaft is, if you do not start correctly at address it does not matter how good of a read, aim or stroke you have, it all goes out the window if you do not start it right.
One final thought. Some golfers have a forward press. A forward press is when just before you start the stroke you move the putter grip slightly towards the target and then you start the stroke.
This is fine as long as your forward press is a SLIGHT move of the putter grip towards your target. Make sure you do not move it to the right or left but straight towards the target.
Golf Putting Setup - Eye Position
The third part of the Set-Up is the positioning of your eyes. This is an absolute no questions asked, no grey, no excuses. This is it.
After you have positioned the golf ball in your stance and the putter is gripped and soled, you have to position your eyes over the first blade of grass directly behind the golf ball.
There is an invisible line that goes from the hole to the middle of your golf ball and then continues on indefinitely behind the golf ball. Remember the blade of grass directly behind the golf ball? Well that is the one you have to have your eyes looking down at.
If you want to know why allow me to explain. If the golf ball is in the center of your stance or slightly forward and the putter face is square at your target and your shoulders are aiming parallel to the target line, then your EYES will be directly over that blade of grass behind the golf ball.
Of course there is one more item we have to touch on however I am going to wait until the next chapter to explain it in greater detail.
The very reason this great game is so difficult to the masses is simple: We have to stand to the side of the golf ball when we make a swing including putting. The Rules of Golf states that the player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.
In 1967, golf legend Sam Snead is credited with innovating a different style of putting. It became known as croquet style of putting. Mr. Snead straddled the intended line the golf ball was going to roll on with both feet. The USGA deemed this method illegal. Mr. Snead was facing the target but he was not standing to the side of the golf ball.
Once the USGA deemed this method illegal Mr. Snead simply moved both feet to the side of the golf ball yet still facing the target and finished his career putting side-saddle.
Obviously Mr. Snead's style did not allow his eyes to look at the back of the golf ball. This had to be very difficult for him to SEE the line he wanted the golf ball to travel on. The single purpose of the eyes looking at the back of the golf ball is to give you as good of a chance of you SEEING the line on as straight of a line as possible.
If your eyes are not looking DIRECTLY behind the golf ball, you have too many moving parts to see the line.
If your eyes are lined up on the far side of the golf ball you will have a tendency to pull your putts and if your eyes are looking too far to the inside of the golf ball you will have a tendency to push your putts.
Golf Putting Setup - Posture
We have finally reached the last part of the Set-Up, the posture. We have the golf ball positioned, the putter head and the shaft lined up with your eyes over the first blade of grass behind the golf ball. Now, there is one problem if you do not have the correct posture, you will never find that blade of grass.
Bend at the Hips
When you address the golf ball with your driver, your back is straight but you are bent at the hips. When you bend at the hips this enables you to sole the driver on the ground. When you address the golf ball with a putter you have to stand closer and bend over from the hips more than a driver.
If you stand too tall when you address the golf ball with your putter, your eyes will not be on the invisible line behind the golf ball. Your eyes will be closer to your feet.
If you bend over too much your eyes will be on the other side of the golf ball. The correct posture is to bend at the hips until your eyes are on top of your spot behind the golf ball.
There is a really big problem with this posture. It does not work well if you want to spend hours practicing your putting. As a matter of fact practicing putting can be boring and PAINFULL because you have to bend over the ball.
As a matter of fact if you are practicing your putting and you have a little pain in your back, your posture is probably correct. The best way to practice putting is to hit some chips or pitches and then go up and putt them in the hole. To stand on the putting green for any length of time takes a few years of building up to that much time.
The Knees
There is a second part of the correct posture for putting and that has to do with your knees. If your knees are locked your back you will not be able to bend over to the correct address position. Your knees have to be slightly flexed and then you can bend from the hips into the correct position.
Can you see how it is all starting to come together? The correct posture helps get the eyes over the back of the golf ball. It also allows the arms to hang down from the body which in turn soles the putter correctly.
