Sep
06
2007

The Square Putting Stroke

Posted by Double Eagle in Putting Tips

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For years, it was taught that during the putting stroke, the face of the putter should open on the backswing, return to square at impact, then close during the follow through.

In his Putting Bible, scientist turned short game guru, Dave Pelz advocates what he calls the pure in line square (pils) putting stroke. In reality, he’s been advocating it for a long time, but he gives it a lot of coverage in his Putting Bible.

Through testing, he has discovered that the putter face being square at impact is about four times more important than the path, or arc, that the putter takes during the stroke. This means that if you don’t keep the face square then the opening and closing of the face must be precisely timed to have any chance of starting on line.

With the putter face remaining square throughout the stroke, the margin of error of trying to square the face at impact is eliminated.

The basics of his pils stroke are:

  • Keep the putter face square during the stroke.
  • Keep the putter head moving along the target line.
  • Use a simple pendulum stroke, originating at the shoulders. This takes the forearms, wrists, and hands out of the equation. The hands should hang freely below the shoulders, so that the “pendulum” formed by the shoulders and hands is perfectly vertical.
  • Grip the putter with a “dead hands” grip, so as to keep tension out of the hands and arms.
  • The shoulders must be aimed square to the target (but parallel left).

I find it interesting that he also points out that people claim that the greats have used the screen door approach (as he calls it, referring to the putter face swinging open and closed like a screen door). They point to photos that supposedly show this happening.

However, Pelz used his putting robot, called “Perfy”, to show that when photographs of the putting stroke are taken, because of the perspective an optical illusion is created, making it appear that the putter face is opening and closing when it isn’t.

In fact, if you putt with a pendulum motion originating in your shoulders (with a properly vertical “pendulum” formed by hands directly under the shoulders) and take the putter back and through on the target line, then the only way for the putter face to open is by rolling your hands and forearms open and closed. And if you don’t do that, the only other way to get the face to open is by rotating your shoulders and torso.

I can’t think of any tour pro that putts like that.

If you have trouble consistently starting putts on line, give it a try. I’ve been employing the pils stroke for about 6 years and have to say that I’m a big fan. The stroke is quite simple to use and the results are definitely positive.

——————————

Further Reading:

Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible

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There are currently 6 responses to “The Square Putting Stroke”

  1. 1

    c.a. Marks said:

    I will have to ask my golf guy what he thinks of this, will forward to him right now. Thanks.

    Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 10:28 am

  2. 2

    The Happy Rock said:

    I intuitively changed my putting to a pendulum a year ago and the results have been amazing. I use an unorthodox putting staggered putting stance were the right foot is near the ball and the left foot is behind. This allows me to get my shoulders and eys directly over the ball. Three putts are uncommon now, although sinking one putts from outside of 10 feet don’t happen often. I don’t know what to do to start scoring on longer putts.

    Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

  3. 3

    Double Eagle said:

    c.a., I’m interested to hear his thoughts.

    HappyRock, you’re right that your putting stance is unorthodox, but it’s given you some of the important aspects to a solid putting stroke.

    Your stroke is solid enough that you’re generally starting the ball off on line. The real improvement on longer putts will come from practice. That’s where you’ll improve your ability to read greens and gauge distance.

    Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 4:39 pm

  4. 4

    c.a. Marks said:

    Ah, well, he came on yesterday and started a comment but got distracted and when he came back he lost the comment. Sorry! I’ll try to nudge him back over…

    Posted on September 7th, 2007 at 10:13 am

  5. 5

    Seven Ways to Improve Your Golf Game Over Winter said:

    [...] working on your pure in line square (pils) technique. Set up right in front of a wall and use it to ensure that you take the putter back and through [...]

    Posted on October 4th, 2007 at 2:50 am

  6. 6

    The Art of Reading Golf Greens said:

    [...] will concede one place where science is key. That’s in developing your putting stroke. If you use a pure, in line, square pendulum stroke and practice it until it becomes very consistent, you can better absorb the feedback you get from [...]

    Posted on October 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am

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