franklygolf

Watch Frank talk putting with Martin Hall on The Golf Channel tonight. 7pm EDT.

Frank,

I’ve had a Frog putter for 2 years and have been using “The Fundamentals of Putting” since early 2013. My putting inside about 15′ has improved dramatically. However, I’m having problems on longer/slower/uphill putts.

I can’t keep a light grip and still lock and rock. The putter tends to get floppy, and then my hands try to direct it at the last second. This results in 5′-10′ second putts. Granted, I make a lot more of those than I did before getting a Frog and reading your book, but there are still too many 3 putts.

I use a close to standard weight jumbo grip (arthritic hands) on a 34″ putter. I would appreciate any ideas you may have. And I thank you and Valerie for all you give to this wonderful (albeit sometimes frustrating) game.

Jack, CA

Jack,
First thank you for the kind comments and well done on trying to improve your putting by getting a Frankly Frog putter and learning how best to use it reading your copy of the Fundamentals of Putting. We often say, “It is no good buying a Ferrari and then driving it like a tractor 🙂 ”

The problem you describe is one we have experienced with several of our students, who are sometimes a little reluctant to take the putter back farther on the back swing.

Some feel that they will lose control of the putter and as a consequence they truncate the back swing and then try to make up for it by accelerating excessively on forward swing – i.e. punching the ball – which makes them tighten up on the grip pressure or else lose control of the putter.
This is inclined to lead to poor distance control on the long or uphill putts.

A light grip pressure will help prevent you from punching the ball and allow the inertia of the putter to dominate the speed of the forward stroke. You will still need to accelerate the forward stroke BUT this is so slight that you hardly know you are doing it and will not have to increase your grip pressure.

Once the putter is in motion from the start of the down stroke — initiated by the thought of rocking the shoulders, not using your arms — the putter will stay in plane and you will make good solid contact with the sweet spot of the Frog and sink more long and uphill putts.

Jack don’t be scared to take the putter back farther. Practice this on uphill and longer putts. Remember all putts have the same rhythm.

Good luck and putt well.
Frank