Is there any such thing as a "traditional set up" anymore. Judging by what I see the guys on tour doing these days, it looks like whatever works is the mantra of the day.

E.

jack
 

of course, I have very similar problems with Jack's, but keep in mind that Jack is a needle in the haystack. I never said the style couldn't or wouldn't work. I merely stated that it would be difficult to teach to the masses.

traditional set up
 

I am very fortunate to get to spend a good deal of time with David Toms who he is not to shabby with the flat stick. "weight centered, eyes over the ball and target line, path like a closing door."

Yoda has priority #1 a flat left wrist through impact. Then using one accumulator for the motion.

What does the conventional stance put priority on? Eyes over ball?

When the ball is near the middle of the stance, the left wrist starts bent. Then it must stay the same degree of bent through the stroke.

Yoda's stroke is fine....there's more than one way to do it too you know.

Last night I was listening to a phone conversation between a Youthful Yoda and Homer Kelly. Yoda questioned Homer at length about putting, and Homer insisted that there was no reason to change set up or swing when putting. This follows Bobby Jones and Bobby Locke, who each said the same thing. And who were possibly the two greatest putters who ever lived. Locke set up to putt exactly the same way he set up to hit a full shot, which was with an extremely, yea, a legendary closed stance.

Watch the end of Ben Doyle's Video (now available on DVD!) where he putts with extreme open and closed stances. Yoda knows.

Homer Kelley's Putting Stroke
 

Homer Kelley Putted with an extended Left Arm and a Flat Left Wrist (Impact Fix Address Position). He saw "no reason to return to the Adjusted Address Position" (Bent Left Wrist).

He then located the Ball in his Stance so as to achieve an 'Above Center' Impact and thus a 'true Roll' (Overspin) immediately upon separation. [Note: This is NOT 'hitting up' on the Ball!] That location will be precisely at Low Point with a Reverse Loft Putter and just behind Low Point for a No-Loft or Loft Putter. How much behind Low Point? Far enough back to insure a Negative Loft ('Overspin') Impact -- and therefore not Zero Loft (No Spin or Skid) or Loft (Backspin or Lift) -- but not so far as to cause the Ball to be driven into the ground.

As usual, Homer emphasized that this was his procedure and that you may choose a different one. In which case, no matter how you choose to Impact the Ball -- Roll, Skid or Lift -- the really important thing is to do it the same way every time. Otherwise, your distance control will suffer...

And you along with it!

does the length of the putter matter? i have always choked down too the shaft with mine, being 35"...can i cut it off by a few? does it affect the putter? will it affect my stroke? can one get a putter 'reshafted'? thanks fellas, interesting thread!

Modifications are Fun!
 

PD,

You can shorten your putter easily enough. Depending on how you remove the old grip you might even save it and reuse. Shortening the putter will decrease the swingweight making it feel a little more head light. You can compensate, obviously, by adding weight to the head. This may or may not be practical depending upon the putter you have. You can also backweight the putter to modify the feel and balance (currently popular). All this assumes a little mechanical skill and basic tools. I personally have cut my 2-ball down to 32.5", added ~56 grams to the head, and have it backweighted with a 50 gram weight. Happy Putting! :D

P.S. - Also remember that adding all that weight to adjust the swingweight also changes the total weight of the putter. This will also affect "feel". Experiment a little before making any final modifications.

Steph,

How did you determine the amount of weight to add? Was it just feel and personal preference?