franklygolf

Frank,
I saw you on the Golf Channel with Martin Hall and your comments about putting were very informative. I have recently been working with the use of the face on putter that I made. I like it for the reasons of error in the regular putter as you described on your segment. Especially when you asked Martin to toss you the golf ball when he was facing you. Interesting concept when looking at the cup face on as opposed to looking at the cup from the side. LINE UP AND HITTING THE BALL IS ALL VISUAL PERCEPTION. Face on you are looking at the cup with two eyes, side view is with one eye giving the brain different concepts of what is needed to hit the ball to the cup.
My questions are do you have face on putters and what are your opinions with use of the face on putters?
Thanks for your response
Terry

Hi Frank,
Would you please comment on the future of “Face On” putting, and if you will be providing a suitable Frog putter to support this fascinating trend.
Thanks!

Tommy

Terry and Tommy,
 Face-on Putting or Sidesaddle putting seems to be resurfacing as an alternative putting style.

As you know Sam Snead was stopped from using the croquet style of putting by the introduction, of Rule 35-1L in 1968; now Rule 16-1e Standing Astride or on the Line of Putt, which states: “The player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of the putt or an extension of the line behind the ball.”

Sam circumvented this by putting with a Sidesaddle style while he was still facing the hole.

Terry, I believe that this is a good method of putting, but not because you are looking at the hole with both eyes – you should be looking at the ball or a spot close to the ball during the putt – with both eyes.

In conventional putting, when you select the line of the putt, I prefer that you do it from behind the ball looking down the line of the put with both eyes to get the distance and slope, BUT when you get over the ball with your eyes parallel to, and in the same vertical plane as the putt, this helps see the line from the set-up position very well.

However, when you have lined up the ball using the Sidesaddle style — you still do this from behind the ball on the putting line – then set up and once again look at the hole the same way you would when throwing a ball to someone. This last look helps more to program your mind to plug-in the right distance, than the line.

Another benefit of using the sidesaddle style is that your arm moving the putter is moving in a more natural direction – i.e. forward and back not side to side.

Yes, Terry we do make Sidesaddle Frog putters. You can choose from 2 options that are available in our mid-mallet Frankly Frog style, either 72 degree lie angle with 350 gram head weight or a 79 degree lie angle with 380 gram head weight. For more information, The Fundamentals of Putting contains a complete description of Sidesaddle putting in the section about Alternative Putting Styles.

Hope this helps
Frank