Anybody putting this way or tried it in the past? My competitive season is done so I'm going to give it a try. Tried it before but never gave it a serious go. I have two or three putters I put together back when I tried it the first time. I'm going to use a Ping B90 at about 40".
Face on/ Side Saddle Putting
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I tried it a couple of offseasons the last few years. But I really lose distance control with the longer putters, and mine isn't all that good to begin with. Couldn't handle bending over really far like Snead did for a while, with one hand way down toward the head on a traditional length. I found it a little awkward with both hands on or near the grip with a 34-40" putter. The best solution I found for it was reverse shafting a left-handed Wishon OS mallet with a single bend shaft. Found I'm pretty good with an open 45 degree stance and playing it back, almost hammy-style, though I don't split my grip. But I've stayed with a traditional putter and I'm not putting badly this year.
Did you alter the putters to make the lie more upright? If so, how did you do it? I've fooled around with it,
but without the putter being the proper lie, I felt it was pretty uncomfortable. It sure makes a lot of sense to me from 10 feet in....
I've never experimented with the technique, but it would seem that the style is so antiquated that very few club fitters these days could even build a custom-fit putter remotely close to what the player would need. I'm assuming that at the very least a player wanting to try the technique would need to show up for a fitting, to get the length, loft and weighting correct to know whether it's something worth considering going forward.
Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe it's not that difficult. Perhaps some of the club fitters/builders here will chime in.
To my knowledge, K.J. Choi has been the most recent modern-day tour player who tried it, and eventually went back to conventional. And that was like several years or so ago. And he had access to the best club-fitting technology available, and still found it not as reliable as conventional style.
fatshot You just need to get the right putter head. Most heads used for long putters will work. There's probably 10 companies making heads specifically for Face On. I use a Ping B90 right now. I've also tried the reverse shafted left hand head and an old Golfsmith head , The Long John that Bankshot gave me. All work fine, just need to find the one for you. I also have a Cure putter that you can adjust the lie to near 80* and it will work but I'd need to put a new grip on.
I have putted face-on over the years. I'll post a few videos. I started putting sidesaddle with a Positive Putter TLB-MC of the Bernhardt family.
Paul Cleeve of AU formerly of Wonder Putter now produces the Smart Putter. I have a Smart Putter and the older Wonder Putter.
Randy Haag well known amateur golfer who has won a lot of amateur tourneys putts sidesaddle.
Bryson DeChambeau putted sidesaddle but abandoned it for a arm bar putter that he is using now.
https://golfweek.com/2017/02/25/bryson-dechambeau-calls-out-usga-after-ditching-side-saddle-putting/
Now that the anchoring ban is in place a lot of the advantages of SS is negated, imo. So I'm going to use this style of stroke https://www.smart-putter.com/ or the DeChambeau method without the arm lock. Both showed some promise on the carpet.
My competitive season is done so nothing to lose. I play in a "league" of sorts, but we play individual tournaments each week. You can play in as many or few as you want. They keep all kinds of stats. I'm a plus 5 on strokes gained putting so I'm basically giving up 5 shots to the field before we even start. I finished with a 13 index so if I could just get my putts to average I'd be an 8.
scotts33 Saw your post pop up as I was typing mine. I'm going to try the Smart Putter stroke first. I don't like the Haag stroke now that you can't anchor. I also like the DeChambeau backhand stroke without the wrist lock.
Heading out soon to give it a go. Just got 7 stitches in my left thumb so hitting balls may be an issue but won't bother my putting.
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garyt1957 BTW on the anchoring ban since the USGA/R&A PGA don't enforce the anchoring ban ie. Bernhard Langer and Scott McCarron. The key word is "intent" it's not their intention to anchor is how they defend their use of the broomstick anchored to their sternum. Anyone who has watched any of the PGA pro's use broomstick putters see them anchored to their chest. They get around it by saying it's not their "intent".
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garyt1957 Totally different in usage Gary.
Paul is a former AU rules football player/coach and his Aussie method suits his ability. The stance and your balance can be an issue.
I do believe there is some validity to Randy Haag's method and I wouldn't worry about anchoring with Randy's method. Facing the hole I have tried looking at the hole and looking at the ball. I am a 10 pin bowler so looking at the hole or a mark on the lane is not foreign to me.
Well, gave it a try today. Not too good. I was ready to give up but on the last hole I tried Haag's stance but used a backhand stroke. Threw 5 balls all over the green as far as 50 feet and no less than 20. Two putted them all so that was pretty good. Also found looking at the hole has some potential. Will give it another try next time.
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ptjn1201 But I really lose distance control with the longer putters,
I did a lot of tinkering with longer putters years ago. My conclusion was that each needs to be fitted to the person. I found that head weight was the most important factor. Too light and you have distance control issues and too heavy you have directional control issues. Then throw in club length and how far down the grip you go will also change stuff. It is probably the most difficult club fitting issue I have ever dealt with. You can't get there without a lot of trial and error. That is why most trying the longer putters never have any luck by just grabbing one off of the rack. I have used a Mentorsports Triad II in a 41" version for about 10 years with an open stance and it will be put in my coffin with me when it is time.
I tried different weights and lengths, I just couldn't get a handle on it. Maybe I didn't give it enough time but I never felt I was trending better sidesaddle than just an open stance. Maybe I'll try again over the winter -- give me something else to try as my hoing has slowed down a great deal.
It's sure no panacea. One thing I did learn that I will continue even if I go back to conventional is that I see the line better straddling the line using both eyes.
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Gary--I worked this morning using the Randy Haag method. Right foot forward using the Wonder Putter 42" length. In general, I find this the best way so far of using face-on/sidesaddle. Two reasons, I find the longer length easier to wield. I am 6'. At that length I am over the ball but not stooped over (feel much more bent over using Smart Putter) easy on back. Second, top hand is gripping top of putter with thumb and index finger only holding the butt of putter as still as possible per Randy and bottom hand is using pencil type grip with right elbow right down the line.
Whatever sidesaddle/face-on method you choose you do need to replicate it as any golf stroke. Then, practice comes in and I am a decent practicer but it takes a lot of time.