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Hovering with the Putter

jvbart

jvbart

2022 Quest Cup with Edel Golf
Albatross 2024 Club
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For as long as I can remember I have picked the putter just barely off the ground and hovered for a few seconds before starting my putting stroke.

My friends noticed this last round out and mentioned that they had never seen someone else do this. I have never thought about it but now watching on tour I don’t see anyone else that does this. I just got back from putting practice and tried to start with my putter on the ground and felt awkward and jerky on the takeaway. I’m planning to spend a lot of time working on this but it just feels weird.

Does anyone else out there hover the putter off the ground before putting or am I alone? Anyone know what the negative effects of this style would be?
 
You’re not alone! Rickie Fowler does it (watch his stroke, first movement is up, then pause then swing) I suppose if you’re strong enough to hold the face steady and square in the air then there is no problem, if you’re not then the face may turn before taking it back.
 
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I hover every club including putter. No snagging on backswing.
 
I've started doing that with my putter and driver. I'm not sure if I'll do it long term but it feels like it gets my arms engaged quicker and eliminates some sloppiness I can get in the habit of having.
 
I've always set my putter behind the ball aimed down my line, take my stance and then, raise the putter as I lock my elbows in. Yup, I hover.:cool:
 
I also hover the putter just for a split second as my first move. I don’t even think about it honestly.
 
Glad to see some others do this. It felt so unnatural to me trying to keep the putter grounded.

I knew there was a reason I liked Rickie!
 
I can’t say I have, but will definitely try this next time out on the practice green.
 
jvbart said:
Anyone know what the negative effects of this style would be?
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I would think it could create tension in the arms. Also if hovering I would be interested to know how far off the ground the putter face is when striking the ball? It is quite interesting to think about.
 
Snickerdog said:
I would think it could create tension in the arms. Also if hovering I would be interested to know how far off the ground the putter face is when striking the ball? It is quite interesting to think about.
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I seem to strike the ball pretty centered on the face but have putted this way for so long I may be misjudging it. I actually feel a bit more tense grounding the putter since i feel like I need a little more force to pull it back on path. I think that’s mostly mental as I am not used to the feel of having it grounded yet.
 
It never occurred to me one wouldn't hover. I just always figured that, ideally, one would strike the center of the ball squarely. So I begin my putting swing in the same place I expect impact on the downswing. Re: "Tension in the arms": I would think one would want consistent tension in the arms throughout the swing?
 
I'm not sleeping, so I just tried it.

lol Hard pass on that. Feels so foreign, and makes my hands want to get active as heck. I want my hands and grip pressure to respond on kind of a increasing curve to the momentum of the stroke to combat movement. Since I can't hold the putter at a natural gravity angle over the ball (have to hold it out), they're already engaged while everything else is still static, and I don't seem to respond well to that as a starting point. mm mm Not for me.

Glad you found some hover buddies though! :p
 
It's funny - this is one of those questions like "do you inhale or exhale when you swing?". I honestly didn't know whether I hovered my putter or not, so I had to go out to my PuttOut mat and roll a few to see.

Nope, I don't hover the putter. It's lightly touching the ground at address. I tried hovering it and it doesn't feel as solid to me.
 
Never really thought about it. I am sure I ground the putter, then of course during the stroke it is off the ground very slightly.
 
OldandStiff said:
I'm not sleeping, so I just tried it.

lol Hard pass on that. Feels so foreign, and makes my hands want to get active as heck. I want my hands and grip pressure to respond on kind of a increasing curve to the momentum of the stroke to combat movement. Since I can't hold the putter at a natural gravity angle over the ball (have to hold it out), they're already engaged while everything else is still static, and I don't seem to respond well to that as a starting point. mm mm Not for me.

Glad you found some hover buddies though! :p
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I’ve fought this feeling of active too when I hover and you captured my experience well. I’ve found the hover to be both good and bad for my game - better for path and stroke but worse for speed when things get active. I still do it a lot of the time though.
 
I was just doing my putting practice and tried hovering the putter, felt really odd to me. I would assume if you had always done it it would work for a person.
Mine is grounded and the take away is slow and even then the same follow thru.
 
Most Tour pros seem to bounce the putter off the ground a bit at address. Not a "stagnant hover" but more of a very slight touching of the ground with the sole of the putter, then elevating it a bit so it's hovered, then touch the ground again etc... I believe this helps relieve tension within the player's body and also promotes a smooth takeaway from the ball.
 
Putter - I bounce the head up and down slightly off the ground while getting ready, and then hover for a moment before starting the stroke.
 
I hover all my irons, including my putter. I'm not one to set the low point of my swing in back of the ball. Just my way of doing it.

Now I do ground my putter, and irons in front the ball. Then move the club to the back of the ball before starting my back swing/stroke.
 
If it works for you, why are you trying to stop?

I hover my clubs before I start my backswing. It gives me the feeling of the club head
 
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