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Side Saddle Putting

SeeMore Golf
I have done this on occasion for 30 years and didn't know it had a name except for the people I played with called it cheating ! It makes it so easy to drain 10 footers.
 
Hotled said:
I have done this on occasion for 30 years and didn't know it had a name except for the people I played with called it cheating ! It makes it so easy to drain 10 footers.
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Hotled if you get a chance could you do a video and let the rest of us see how a veteran gets ur done?
 
I suppose I can if ya need a good laugh. I use a standard putter and don't anchor,the funny thing is when using a standard putter just squat behind the ball instead of standing upright,it keeps me much more stable for some reason.
Also be warned I am unaware of hand placement rules on the putter, do both hands have to be on the grip or can one control the shaft?
 
Hotled said:
I suppose I can if ya need a good laugh. I use a standard putter and don't anchor,the funny thing is when using a standard putter just squat behind the ball instead of standing upright,it keeps me much more stable for some reason.
Also be warned I am unaware of hand placement rules on the putter, do both hands have to be on the grip or can one control the shaft?
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If you get a chance it would be great to see your adaptation of side saddle putting in a video. I promise not to laugh.
 
Played with a more mature gentleman today and he used this stance. I have yet to try it like I thought I would. Still in as an option down the road. Having trouble reading greens during this time of the year, and so was he.

LtEvO TaPpEd In
 
sharkwrestler said:
If you get a chance it would be great to see your adaptation of side saddle putting in a video. I promise not to laugh.
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I will try and shoot one today, I don't have a video camera so I need someone to hold my phone. Maybe I can show you my stances from my living room.
I haven't found the need to spend the money on a special made putter for this but I would love to DEMO one "hint".
 
I actually putt side saddle a lot because I have been having problems with double vision. I'll try to get some videos today if I have time.
 
c0ncept- I have a bit of that issue as well as dominant eye issues that's why I use this method more often from say 15 feet and in, it really does help.
Finding a putter to use that is designed for it is another issue in itself.
I believe SeeMore could do it easily and reverse the rifle scope to face forward and hide the dot that way....just an idea.

I may just drill into one of my old putters and do some configuring on my own may be a great winter project!
 
Hotled said:
c0ncept- I have a bit of that issue as well as dominant eye issues that's why I use this method more often from say 15 feet and in, it really does help.
Finding a putter to use that is designed for it is another issue in itself.
I believe SeeMore could do it easily and reverse the rifle scope to face forward and hide the dot that way....just an idea.

I may just drill into one of my old putters and do some configuring on my own may be a great winter project!
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I have a 43" belly from Boccieri and for some reason it also works perfectly for side saddle.
 
c0ncept said:
I have a 43" belly from Boccieri and for some reason it also works perfectly for side saddle.
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Your belly putter is upright enough to side saddle putt with? I could see a long putter working for that, but not a belly.
 
Hotled said:
I will try and shoot one today, I don't have a video camera so I need someone to hold my phone. Maybe I can show you my stances from my living room.
I haven't found the need to spend the money on a special made putter for this but I would love to DEMO one "hint".
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Sounds good Hotled. I've messed with one of my regular putters attempting a crouched position and having both eyes looking at the hole gives me a better prospective for some reason.
 
I'm modifying a putter right now, I'm letting the metal filler set for an hour, me thinks this will be cool as Heck.
 
Hotled said:
I'm modifying a putter right now, I'm letting the metal filler set for an hour, me thinks this will be cool as Heck.
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It sure is fun tinkering around.
 
None of this conforms to USGA standards and is all illegal for play.

Here is a very short video from my living room as well as some photos of my modified putter.
The key is the grip and the head weighting, I prefer a very heavily weighted head for this style.
It was 40mph winds today or I would have done this on the practice green for you but you wouldn't hear anything maybe tomorrow?


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Good looking job on the putter. I'm going to need to read into the rules to see about just where the feet can be on the setup.
It was a little hard to tell if your right foot was behind the ball and that would be what may come into question. Thanks for posting up the Video.
 
I just read this:[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-1]

[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-1] Rule 16-1(e)[/SIZE][/FONT]
The player shall 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 that line behind the ball." You may take any type of putting stance you like so long as your feet are not straddling the imaginary line running from the cup to the ball and beyond.[/SIZE][/FONT]

If this is indeed true then the first stance I use is borderline but the rest are illegal. Very glad I read this.
An offset head may be better suited, but I'm still reading.
 
sharkwrestler said:
Good looking job on the putter. I'm going to need to read into the rules to see about just where the feet can be on the setup.
It was a little hard to tell if your right foot was behind the ball and that would be what may come into question. Thanks for posting up the Video.
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I was going to say the same thing, and Hotled, I would say the first one didn't look borderline at all, it really looks like you are straddling the line, if even a little bit which is illegal. (Croquet style.) That is what they ruled illegal when Snead did it. Both feet must be on one side or the other.
 
Also, the shaft has to be at a minimum angle, and that looks perpendicular.


Shaft Angle
Shaft angle (aka lie angle) is the angle of the shaft as measured from horizontal; declination angle (B) is this angle as measured from vertical. So declination angle is the 90-degree complement of lie angle, and vice-versa. USGA Rules require putters to have a minimum 10-degree declination angle and that equals a maximum 80-degree lie angle.


http://golf.about.com/od/equipment/a/diyputterfittin.htm
 
I agree after testing it out again. It was all illegal. I will be deleting that video soon as well as the images and be updating them with a conforming putter and stance.
I was actually looking at the L2 Putter online. I will see what I can cook up!
Mods may want to delete all the above since it is "Illegal". If so just holler or delete them at will:)
 
I say you should leave it as a "first draft" if you will. Then we can see what your next model is like.
 
I practiced a few putts before pulling the shaft using the true legal side saddle stance. It did prove to be VERY accurate for me as compared to the illegal stances.
I have pulled the shaft and filled in the metal for a 10.5* re-drilling. I am doing this without a workshop, I am just JB welding and using a file to shape everything so it is very crude.
I have also discovered the longer shaft requires the putter head to be extremely heavy to obtain better accuracy. I wish I had one of the old heavy weight putters to use this for or a big head blank with just a face milled on it, it would be much easier to work with.
 
I set out to the clubhouse today to hit the practice green and then play a round. When I went in I told Tony (club pro) what I was doing and he giggled and said man I got something you need to try. He walks back into the locker room and comes out with his Ghost Manta Long Putter it is 48" long with a lie angle of 78 degrees and a 400+ weighted head. In turns out he has been tinkering as well with the upcoming decisions on anchoring.
He said take this to the green and tell me what ya think.

This took some getting used to I hit about 150 putts varying my holds and stances and found 2 that work very well so well that I went in and asked Tony if it was cool to go use this for my round. He agreed because he is a great guy and said he would come check in with me on number 7.

First real putt- 17 to 18 feet, I would normally lag this putt because I am just not confident in my lines, but I said this is a test so lets go for it.
Did I hole it? No I missed short by 1" and left by 2". Still a great outcome for me.
Second putt: 8 footer left to right about 4 inches- sunk it and it felt good!
3rd Putt: 13-14 feet down hill about 2" right to left- sunk it for a birdie!
4th putt: 12 footer dead straight par 3-sunk it for another birdie!
5th putt: 22 footer for birdie didn't get the speed even close and wound up sitting 6 feet out.
6th: finish up the 6 footer but lipped it, I think I rushed it a bit and it was a little to fast.

Tony showed up on number 7 on my approach shot from 190 and I stuck my M4 on the front of the green about 13-14 feet from the uphill pin.
7th: I showed Tony my styles and he dropped 2 balls down and tried it, I sunk an uphill 14 footer for par that I normally do not make, Tony sunk both his and said holy ^&**.

Tony graced me by giving me my next round free for showing him what I was doing. He also took back his putter and went to the practice green so I putted standard the rest of the day.
I missed allot of putts standard vs. face-on so there is definitely something to this and I will be doing a full time switch without anchoring just in case!
 
Saw the Juanputt putter at a show this weekend, and liked the concept much better than the more upright side saddles. The problem I see with many like the reeso and krutch versions is they somewhat violate the spirit of the rules by being marketed to use vertical regardless of conforming in design. I won't go into the debate here on the lie angle versus usage, but the Juanputt model is more bent over for use and designed for the 80* lie usage. Also I found it much easier to maintain a square clubface. Not for someone with back issues! Have a few putters now, and may throw this into the rotation for some fun.
 
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Hotled nice update using your Club Pros 48". Sounds like you have def. Found something that will work for you.

SF I have not had chance to see those putters in person as of now. I'll def. Keep them in mind.
 
The Juanputt team was at Hank haney's booth at a Golf show in Dallas area last weekend--and I got about 45 mins with it. Met a Guy named Stevie who is tryng to qualify for Senior tour and he was putting lights out with it on the demo green.
One thing about the Juanputt model--it was the one KJ choi used for one tournament that I know of. There is no anchoring and you are leaning pretty far forward (Idea is to hang over the putter a bit)--I found this so much easier to allign then the Reeso-Cook I tried out for just over a month. I had issue delivering a good square face with the reeso and I think the leaning so forward with the Juanputt eliminates that. By the way you can straddle your putting line off the Green per the rules and the Juanputt guys recommend going croquet style when off the green surface (100% legal). This site shows some video http://juanputt.com/system.html Warning the music is cheesy :bananadance:

My theory is if they eventually ban anchoring putters, then this method may have some new testers. It has taken many putter purchases and testing, but it is clear to me that you have to address the mental aspects of putting regardless of the style--If you can't deliver a solid stroke with good target focus, or can't make a decent read, then no method will help that.

Anyway, I pulled the trigger and ordered one for the collection--may do a review after some time with it.
 
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