We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Does anyone else put draw/hook spin on a putting stroke?

SeeMore Golf
bulls9999

bulls9999

Active member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
351
Reaction score
184
Handicap
10 (Green)
Not sure how prevalent this practice is, or whether I'm unique, lol. But my home course greens have multiple (tri-) levels so often you find yourself with a sidehill putt with break. Depending on the amount of break, I may strike the ball with open or closed putter face to go against the break to minimize it rather than putting square and trying to go directly with the break. For me, I find that straightens/flattens out the break a bit for me. Don't kick me until you try it, but it's not for everyone, lol.
 
I really don't think you can put an amount of spin on a putt that would make any discernable difference on it's shape. Hitting the putt with the open or closed face is changing the line for you, not so much the spin. Even if you did put a small amount of spin on it, the sidespin would stop almost immediately once it starts rolling. Your line is just different because of the face like you stated.
 
 
I save the english for the pool table
 
This is wild lol. Not knocking it by any means.
 
bulls9999 said:
Not sure how prevalent this practice is, or whether I'm unique, lol. But my home course greens have multiple (tri-) levels so often you find yourself with a sidehill putt with break. Depending on the amount of break, I may strike the ball with open or closed putter face to go against the break to minimize it rather than putting square and trying to go directly with the break. For me, I find that straightens/flattens out the break a bit for me. Don't kick me until you try it, but it's not for everyone, lol.
Click to expand...
You can get the same result by striking the ball on the toe side of the putter face or the heel side of the putter face for the same result. A toe side strike will open the putter face on contact while the heel strike will close the face. Just make sure to grip the putter with a light sensitive grip. This method has the putter face more lined up with the hole at address.
 
razaar said:
You can get the same result by striking the ball on the toe side of the putter face or the heel side of the putter face for the same result. A toe side strike will open the putter face on contact while the heel strike will close the face. Just make sure to grip the putter with a light sensitive grip. This method has the putter face more lined up with the hole at address.
Click to expand...
Yea, I have done that, but I can't do that consistently to maintain my intended putting line. At least i'm not going crazy that some/few others know what I'm talking about.
 
Last edited:
Muchmore18 said:
I really don't think you can put an amount of spin on a putt that would make any discernable difference on it's shape. Hitting the putt with the open or closed face is changing the line for you, not so much the spin. Even if you did put a small amount of spin on it, the sidespin would stop almost immediately once it starts rolling. Your line is just different because of the face like you stated.
Click to expand...
I've done it enough that it works, or I get it to work. I especially use it where if it's a side hill putt, I'm lefty, let's say I'm facing up hill, lefty, and hole to my right and there's enough of a slope that if I miss the hole, it's going to careem 6, 7, 8 feet down the slope. I stroke it straight but with putter face open and i take less break but it fights the break enough the line has less break, but if I miss, the momentum is not going in the direction of the downhill, so it doesn't drift off as far. I do it to stave off the curved arc of the putt toward the downhill hole, which if it misses, it's got momentum from making the turn of the break and sails on past.
 
bulls9999 said:
I've done it enough that it works, or I get it to work. I especially use it where if it's a side hill putt, I'm lefty, let's say I'm facing up hill, lefty, and hole to my right and there's enough of a slope that if I miss the hole, it's going to careem 6, 7, 8 feet down the slope. I stroke it straight but with putter face open and i take less break but it fights the break enough the line has less break, but if I miss, the momentum is not going in the direction of the downhill, so it doesn't drift off as far. I do it to stave off the curved arc of the putt toward the downhill hole, which if it misses, it's got momentum from making the turn of the break and sails on past.
Click to expand...
I still don't think you're actually putting spin on the ball to make any actual change comparatively to just making your actual line, the line the ball takes with an open face. But I won't say that for an absolute fact since I don't have any way to measure it. But I'm sure comfortability has something to do with it as well as you stated this works for you and no one can argue that, so keep on keeping on with it!
 
Muchmore18 said:
I still don't think you're actually putting spin on the ball to make any actual change comparatively to just making your actual line, the line the ball takes with an open face. But I won't say that for an absolute fact since I don't have any way to measure it. But I'm sure comfortability has something to do with it as well as you stated this works for you and no one can argue that, so keep on keeping on with it!
Click to expand...
I'll have to try that putting stroke next time I come across a putter stroke analyzer (much like a swing analyzer) and see if you can impart side spin by putting straight with an angled putter face, like fading a ball with side spin by hitting outside to in through the line or drawing by hitting inside to out.
 
I don't know the physics of it, but I could swear I've seen my buddy slice putts before.

To answer your question, no i don't and wouldn't 😂
 
bulls9999 said:
I'll have to try that putting stroke next time I come across a putter stroke analyzer (much like a swing analyzer) and see if you can impart side spin by putting straight with an angled putter face, like fading a ball with side spin by hitting outside to in through the line or drawing by hitting inside to out.
Click to expand...
Don't bother, the scientists proved it is not possible to put side spin on a putt that will make it hook or slice. The thing that makes the putt vier left or right is friction on the green with slope and/or grain of the grass.
 
razaar said:
Don't bother, the scientists proved it is not possible to put side spin on a putt that will make it hook or slice. The thing that makes the putt vier left or right is friction on the green with slope and/or grain of the grass.
Click to expand...
Really, got a reference?

The Golf Fix: Stop slicing your putts
APRIL 02, 2015

The Golf Fix's Michael Breed shares two easy drills that chronic slicers can use to straighten our their putting stroke. Watch The Golf Fix Mondays at 8PM ET.
 
Last edited:
I've heard of this before, putting side spin on a putted ball. but it's not something I would do. I'm not even sure I could do it.

As close as I get to manipulating the roll of the ball is to contact the ball on either the heel, or toe of the club face for speed purposes. Even that's tough for me to accomplish since I use a very heavy mallet putter.

I prefer to roll the ball on a straight line that's not necessarily at the hole. Then, let the green control the ball's path to the hole.
 
Millions of golfers have believed or continue to believe they impart sidespin that causes their putts to hook or slice.

Then again millions of people believe all sorts of things that aren't, literally, physically possible. Nothing wrong with believing, if believing makes golf (or life) more fun.

P.S. You could always try some pool cue chalk on your putter face.
 
Topspin is what you want. The ball rolls smoother and straighter. Much higher potential for holing side hill putts.
 
leftshot said:
Topspin is what you want. The ball rolls smoother and straighter. Much higher potential for holing side hill putts.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

You have no control over the difficulty of the putt and once you've made your best attempt at a read you no longer have any control over that. The one thing you can control is concentrating on starting the ball rolling end-over-end on the line and with the pace that matches your read.

Trying to deliberately make a putt wobble or slip or side-spin rather than rolling smoothly is just making an already difficult putt 10x harder than it has to be.
 
Short answer for me is : Not on purpose. During my putter fitting there was some L to R spin from path, so I now keep that in mind to remedy it with path.
 
I think many are missing the point I originally made. I'm not trying to fade/draw the ball, I'm trying to cut down on the curve of the break needed to get to a hole on a side hill lie by trying to (I'm a lefty, facing uphill, ball in front of me with hole to my right) draw fade the ball against the curve of the left to right break, minimizing the curvature of the break. So 1) I feel it flattens out the amount of curve/break and 2) fading against a draw break slows the momentum of the ball should I miss the hole that it doesn't ramble down the slope as much as a ball that you send on a bigger arc of break, misses the hole, and now has momentum of rolling further down the slope. And possibly why I feel I am able to do it, is maybe the non-smooth surface of my putter face that has these little nubbins (Stroke Lab Double Wide); I would not think a slick steel surface putter face could do that. But OK, those that don't agree or feel I'm imagining my results, fine. Have a nice day. And putting is the best part of my game, and most consistent, and I hardly ever practice it. I think for the same reason Justin Suh gave when asked why he putts so well and he said he never even practices putting, he likes to go out fresh and just tries to 'make putts'. Practicing putting technicalities makes him mechanical about it. My reason is I find it enjoyable when the hole is near/on an uneven surface, I like the challenge and I have no problem "seeing the line". The only thing I might try before a round is a few putts to see what the speed is.

1685801552111.png1685801650927.png
 
Last edited:
Is it possible to do it consistently? Aren't the Microhinges supposed to eliminate this?
 
bulls9999 said:
Really, got a reference?

The Golf Fix: Stop slicing your putts
APRIL 02, 2015

The Golf Fix's Michael Breed shares two easy drills that chronic slicers can use to straighten our their putting stroke. Watch The Golf Fix Mondays at 8PM ET.
Click to expand...
The scientific study into golf "Search for the Perfect Swing" Chapter 21 Science on the green. Page 131 'You can't slice or hook a putt'. Side spin on a putt comes into much the same category as topspin or backspin. We can put a bit more of it on, since the blade or the club can be drawn across the ball at quite a sharp angle; but it's effect is still negligible. Once again, after a short distance, the ball will simply be rolling across the green. Another one and a half pages follow explaining the first paragraph (above).
Chapter ends at Page 142.
 
I do it and hate it. On slow greens would not show but n fast greens or my putting matt it is visible

as soon as try to do play Right side of cup I push it :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top