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Putting: Rolling Versus Hitting
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Improving your ability to ‘roll’ putts can save you strokes on the green
BY BILL CHOUNG
Every golfer is looking for the next way to lower their handicap.
But truthfully, there isn’t a new secret method to shooting better scores – the best way to lower your handicap is to make more
putts from 8 feet and in. Sounds simple, but it’s a difficult task.
Players on the PGA Tour make, on average, 50 percent of
their putts from 8 feet; amateurs only make about 30 percent
of the putts from that same distance. To make more short putts,
you need to learn to roll the ball and not hit it. This is also true
on the Tour. When a Tour player makes a poor putt, chances are
he got caught up in the moment and hit the putt rather than
rolled the ball.
So, why is rolling the ball better than hitting it?
When you roll putts, the ball skids less after impact; therefore,
you experience better distance control and the ball takes its true
break. Your goal is to minimize the skid and get the ball rolling
end-over-end as soon as possible. Our research shows that on an
8-foot putt, the ball can skid as much as 5 feet before it starts to
roll. When the ball skids too much, the ball will roll through the
break and miss the hole. Your miss may be caused by too much
skidding rather than misreading the break on the green.
Not rolling the putt efficiently can be a biomechanical or an
equipment problem. An ill-fitted putter can lead to an inefficient
setup position, which then can produce inefficient mechanics.
How do I know I am a hitter? These are the symptoms of a
hitter:
1. A short backstroke and forced acceleration at impact
2. Inconsistency in distance control
3. The left shoulder or left elbow pulling or opening at impact
4. The wrist breaking down at impact
To tell if you are a hitter, draw a line all the way around the
equator of the ball. Aim the ball at the hole and make sure the line
you drew is pointing at the hole. If the line on the ball wiggles a lot
during the putt, then you are a hitter.
To roll your putts like a Tour player, make sure your arms can
swing more naturally, like a pendulum.
94 A V I D G O L F E R
Swing Solution: You must change your setup and get the arms away
from your sides.
1. With your palms up, stick your arms straight in front of your
chest
2. Drop the arms until your elbows are touching your chest or
stomach
3. Make sure the arms are relaxed and there is little bend in the
elbows
4. Bend from the waist
5. Start swinging the arms, creating a pendulum motion
6. Since you eliminated any need for compensational moves to
square the putterface, the hands, elbows and shoulders will stay
quiet
7. Look into non-traditional putting methods like the claw, lefthand low, brush, etc.
The proper release of
the putterhead is what
produces the pure roll.
Equipment Solution: The only way to reinforce the correct setup is
to make sure that the putter length and lie angle are optimal.
1. Make sure that it is not too long for you. I see too many players
at every skill level using putters that are too long for their bodies.
Ill-fitted putters will lead to inefficient setups. Make sure the lie
angle is optimal; an incorrect lie angle can create tension in your
forearms. After all, in golf, 90 percent of the success comes from
an optimal setup.
2. There are three basic head designs to match your stroke – face
balance, toe balance and heel balance. Make sure the putterhead
design matches your stroke.
Finally, as mentioned before, there are many non-traditional
methods of putting like left-hand low, claw, brush, right-hand only,
looking at the hole, side saddle and anchored putters. We have discovered from our research that the best putters on Tour feel the
putterhead release when they are stroking it really well. The proper
release of the putterhead is what produces the pure roll. Therefore,
try one of these methods to see if you are releasing the putterhead
better, which will help you roll the ball more effectively.
If this sounds too confusing to you, find a local pro or fitter to
help you. This game is way too hard to work alone.
Bill Choung is the founder of CompuGolf Center in Carrollton. He is a PGA Tour
instructor and Golf Digest Top 100 Fitter. He has done extensive swing and equipment research on the PGA Tour and currently works with K.J. Choi and Danny Lee.
He has worked with more than 40 Tour players. www.compugolfcenter.com.
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‡$YHQXH-(DVW
mcalef@greatsouthwestgc.com