I tried it years ago but never gave it a serious try. I've been playing with a guy who's putted face on for over 20 years and he's a great putter. Since I still had the face on putters in the basement I pulled one out and gave it a try. It's working out really well for me so far. I averaged about 37 putts a round conventionally, horrible I know.I've been averaging about 33-34 since going side saddle and I don't practice. This is just from the 4 rounds I've played using it. I made the two putters I have using heads not made specifically for SS. I may have to break down and get one made for SS. Anybody else using this method?
Anybody putt face on/side saddle?
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I have tried it (sort of), yes. When my putting goes awry, I start opening my stance more, sometimes to the point where I am almost facing the hole. Thing is, I'm doing this with a heel-shafted mallet, not a face-on putter. It helps until I start stinking it up again and then I switch back. When using a face-on stance, I do see the line better (using both eyes evenly, vice viewing the line "sideways"). Lately, I've been putting better with a center-shafted 2Ball
I don't use a real "Hammy" side saddle style but I do open my stance quite a bit. It seems more natural to me and I can see the hole better. Putting is the only aspect of my game that always seems to be good while the rest of my game is in the toilet (as it currently is). I also prefer a heal shafted straight shaft and a toe drooper head. I have using a Mentorsports Triad II for years and don't plan on switching unless someone steals it.
I have it a go at one point and switched back to a hybrid style more or less. What I struggled with is my tendancy for my arm to try to rotate as I come through the ball. It was a struggle to hold it straight and feel natural at all. So not unlike what I have heard from the guys above, I open my body up in a conventional stance, which lets me see the line better and my arm comes through more naturally... this year, I have been torturing myself and trying to get more conventional. Results? Less putts seem to fall on the longer range and if I don't practice my basics, I suck. Probably going to stick with my hybrid version for the long run.
I have gone to an open stance with my right index finger down the shaft. Also like a traditional thinner grip. Opposite of what everyone is doing nowadays but I’m putting a lot better.
I hit a lot of putts 4' and under that way. It's not good for me though on longer putts. 10' is about my max side saddle putt and that's not as good a 4' and under.
I use one of these from time to time but haven't committed to it. I actually putt better with a center shafted Positive Putter conventional.
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Here's the b90 Ping I use. It's a big ass putter.
What's good about it, it has the legal 80* angle but you can tilt it straight up and down ( also legal) to get that straight back and through motion.
This is how I try to do it
Besides the Smart Putter which is used differently than most face-on putters. I also use a Juan Putt.
Shown used by Randy Haag here.
scotts33 I've looked into all the dedicated SS putters. The problem is there's no where to try them and see if you like them. I'm not paying $200-$300 for a putter I might not like. I don't remember if they offer money back guarantees. Even if they do I want to make sure I stick with this style before dropping big bucks. I don't see me going back though. I'm about 4 putts better per round this way.
There's a cheap version on ebay, but again you can't try it. The thing with SS, because the legal lie is 80you have to be sure you can tilt it 10 and still be playable.
garyt1957 I've looked into all the dedicated SS putters. The problem is there's no where to try them and see if you like them. I'm not paying $200-$300 for a putter I might not like. I don't remember if they offer money back guarantees. Even if they do I want to make sure I stick with this style before dropping big bucks. I don't see me going back though. I'm about 4 putts better per round this way.
There's a cheap version on ebay, but again you can't try it. The thing with SS, because the legal lie is 80you have to be sure you can tilt it 10 and still be playable.
The Smart Putter is from Paul Cleeve Australia. He developed the Wonder Putter. I got in on the ground floor for $100 shipped. The Juan Putt I purchased off eBay for $80 used.
I still putt conventionally using a Positive Putter dot alignment on center shafted 375g head for right eye dominant golfers. Eye dominance along with head weight, type of grip used and above all else green reading ability are all paramount to good putting and scoring. What I found is the dot alignment aid on the PP along with dot on ball freed up my putting stroke which made a huge difference in lag putting. Line alignment aid on majority of putters and line on ball made me to mechanical, led to more tension and poor putting.
Brought out my Cleeve Face-On SmartPutter Sunday just cuz of this thread. I wanted to see how I would fare. I didn't do as bad as I thought I would. I may stay with this thru the end of the golf season as a true longer term test. It definitely has a valid possibility for putting for me. Just as in any golf swing set up is paramount for great results.
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scotts33 Have you been putting SS? I just switched to a mallet type head from the Ping B90 I was using and what a difference! The Ping had absolutely no forgiveness. With it's long face and no mass behind it any mishit was punished severely. I went to an old DTG head I had lying around with a much longer shaft (only cause that's what I had gripped up) and it's night and day better! It is not center shafted which is what I'd probably prefer but it's working fine.