Cut out a cut stroke in putting

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

If you mistakenly cut across the ball, you will have pulls and pull-slices thrust on you. You can even incur a cut stroke in your putting. Three amateur golfers out of four slice their putts the way they do when they make normal full shots.

A study says your putter face angle influences roughly 85 percent where your ball goes. Your putter path affects roughly 15 percent of your putts. Even a small error in your path, however, will prevent you from rolling your ball properly. Swinging your putter on the proper path, you will not put any side-spin on your ball.

There are two typical ways to roll your ball straight toward your intended target.

You can swing your putter on a straight-back and straight-through path. If you want to go for this stroke, you need to place your hands under your shoulders at address. To this end, you need to bend over at your waist. Also, you need to allow your putter to swing higher on the back stroke and forward stroke. If you try to keep your putter low, you will have trouble putting your ball consistently.

Similarly, you can swing your putter on an inside-to-inside path. If you want to arc your stroke, you need to make sure your backswing and forward swing remain similar. Also, you need to keep your putter head low to the ground during your entire stroke. That helps you better move your putter head on an arc.

Critically, don’t try to open and close your putter face during the stroke. You need to let it happen. Just make sure your putter head stays square to the swing arc. Then, your putter face will naturally open and close to your target line.

Incidentally, different putter styles yield different stroke paths. If you use a mallet putter, you are more likely to produce a square-to-square stroke. So, if you feel more comfortable swinging on a straighter path, a mallet putter is for you.

With a blade putter, you will have difficulty making a straight-to-straight stroke. If you prefer to swing your putter in an arc, go for a blade putter. When you balance a blade putter, its toe will point toward the ground. This says your putter will naturally open going back and close coming forward.

Briefly, you need to match your putter to your stroke, not matching your stroke to your putter. Make sure you keep what is your comfortable putting stroke in mind when you go out and buy a new putter.

A cut stroke stems from swinging your putter on a faulty path. Here are several errors causing you to swing your putter on an out-to-in path that inflicts a cut stroke on you.

Typically, your putter works along your shoulder line. If your shoulders are open at address rather than parallel to your target line, you will cut across your ball. This resembles the slice in your full swing.

To align your shoulders and hips parallel to the target line, aim your putter precisely at your intended target. And then, align your body square to your putter face. Fine-tune your footing by moving your feet just a touch so you can swing your putter toward your target. Doing this, of course, you need to apply yourself to a specific, precise target where you want your ball to go. More important, you need to leave your putter face remaining looking at your intended target. You will pull your ball if you mistakenly let your putter face look at the left side of your target.

You will have difficulty controlling your putter if your right elbow stays separated from your left elbow too wide at address. To avoid this fault, put your right elbow comfortably against your rib cage at address.

If you set up too close to your ball, your arms will move outwards away from your body going back. When that happens, you will mistakenly lift your putter, cutting across the ball as you come forward.

To stop cutting across the ball, you need to find the correct distance from your ball. Let your arms, hands and putter hang naturally from your shoulders, with your putter hovering. To do this right, you need to relax your shoulders, arms and wrists. If you stand the correct distance, your wrists will rest arched just a fraction at address.

Not less important than avoiding a cut stroke is to steer clear of watching the move of your putter. That will play havoc with your ability to swing your putter on the proper path. That can alter your eye line, thus changing your swing path. That will also deprive you of your chance to hit your putt solidly on the sweet spot of your ball. To roll your ball toward your intended target without putting side-spin on it, you need to swing your putter properly and hit solidly.

Similarly, avoid raising your head prematurely to watch your ball going in. If you address your ball properly, your eye line will rest parallel with your target line. Make sure your eye line remains unchanged during the entire stroke. If your eye line changes, you will alter your putter face, failing to roll your ball toward your intended target. Keep your head still and listen for the sweet sound of the ball rattling on the bottom of the cup.

With good alignment and correct ball position, your putter will stay on the proper path, leaving you free from a nasty cut stroke. Just make sure your left hand remains firm during the stroke. Don’t let your left wrist collapse or bend until well after you complete your stroke.

Hold your finish position as you should do when you hit your full shots.