We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Forward Press?

SeeMore Golf
CobraX51

CobraX51

F-ck Yeah Baby!
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
7,983
Reaction score
1,201
Location
Pinehurst,NC
Handicap
7.4
I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in swing tips but here it goes...

It seems lately I've been leaving a lot of putts short, perhaps a bit of a timid stroke on my part, or a little more tension in the arms. Anyway, it's very frustrating so yesterday morning I was watching the South African Open and watched one guy setup to his ball and before he takes the putter away he moves his hands forward and then brings the putter head back and strokes his putt.

It's something I see Jordan Spieth do all the time so I decided to give it a go today on the practice green. I was hitting the ball well past the hole, a much better roll, a nice sound hitting the center of the putter face, and now it's a bit of a different battle controlling lag instead of forcing it to the cup since I was leaving them short too often, a problem I much rather have.

Anybody else use this method?
 
I do have a slight forward press. Like you mentioned you saw, i tend to get a better roll. Usually because thenforward press helps me maintain the wrist angles and arms during the stroke. When I don’t forward press, my wrists will fold/change through out the putting stroke and I get really inconsistent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I started doing it late last year after an older gent I was playing with gave me some help. It improved my putting for sure, the most important thing was getting the ball rolling smoothly sooner.
It felt a bit odd at first, but once I got used to it no problems at all now.
 
I use this on every putt. For me, it stabilizes my takeaway.
 
I used a forward press for a long time and had mixed results. The thing with the forward press is that it’s inconsistent and never will be the same each time.

I went for a putter fitting at Club Champion a few years ago and the fitter noticed my forward press. I told him that I mainly did it bc of me trying to control distances and get the ball rolling quicker. Going through the process we adjusted my putter loft. This helped me on shorter putts and consistently has me not leaving putts short.

Not sure if it’s for everyone, but maybe looking at adjusting the loft of your putter and it might help with distance control.
 
Tricky thing about a forward press: unless you press it forward every single time the exact amount, you’re creating a changing face angle and loft every putt.

Ever wonder why Phil is really sketchy with short putts? Forward press, and trying to take too much break out of putts by hitting them firm.
 
What you’ve done is triggered a motion to start your stroke. JS has a slight FP, matsuyama taps his putter. A lot of pros have some sort of trigger. You should find one that work for you.

FP can leave the blade wide open if you are not careful. You have to repeat the same action each time. Takes tons of practice.
 
MWard said:
Tricky thing about a forward press: unless you press it forward every single time the exact amount, you’re creating a changing face angle and loft every putt.

Ever wonder why Phil is really sketchy with short putts? Forward press, and trying to take too much break out of putts by hitting them firm.
Click to expand...
Nailed it.
 
Jman said:
Nailed it.
Click to expand...

I do pay attention during putting talk hehe. POB confirmed that during a THP video with him at the pga show too if I recall?
 
MWard said:
I do pay attention during putting talk hehe. POB confirmed that during a THP video with him at the pga show too if I recall?
Click to expand...
I believe so.

Its a variable in the truest sense. Now, that doesn't mean it won't work for someone, but it is definitely something that imo breeds streakiness.
 
I prefer opening and closing my right hand as a trigger vs forward pressing the club. It's a bit less disruptive to the perfect setup I took all that time to get into.

I used to forward press, then I went to the less is more approach to golf and just stood there instead. I'm a good putter now so it worked for me.
 
Jman said:
I believe so.

Its a variable in the truest sense. Now, that doesn't mean it won't work for someone, but it is definitely something that imo breeds streakiness.
Click to expand...

If you have time to practice it adnauseum, you can make anything consistent. Is it reliable though? Ehh
 
If I did it, I would see the red dot and fall to pieces!
 
Jman said:
Its a variable in the truest sense. Now, that doesn't mean it won't work for someone, but it is definitely something that imo breeds streakiness.
Click to expand...
I agree with this comment.

But from my view wouldn't it be better to at least give myself a chance of getting the ball to the cup instead of leaving it short so often? Way more frustrating to me leaving it short than rolling it a bit past.
 
MWard said:
Tricky thing about a forward press: unless you press it forward every single time the exact amount, you’re creating a changing face angle and loft every putt.

Ever wonder why Phil is really sketchy with short putts? Forward press, and trying to take too much break out of putts by hitting them firm.
Click to expand...

Tadashi70 said:
What you’ve done is triggered a motion to start your stroke. JS has a slight FP, matsuyama taps his putter. A lot of pros have some sort of trigger. You should find one that work for you.

FP can leave the blade wide open if you are not careful. You have to repeat the same action each time. Takes tons of practice.
Click to expand...

Bingo. At the SeeMore event years ago I had the same conversation with them about this and said this exact thing. Unless you are playing daily it's hard to duplicate each and every time. Was enough for me.
 
CobraX51 said:
I agree with this comment.

But from my view wouldn't it be better to at least give myself a chance of getting the ball to the cup instead of leaving it short so often? Way more frustrating to me leaving it short than rolling it a bit past.
Click to expand...

You not getting the ball to hole is a product of you not knowing the speed of the greens. The forward press made you hit it harder but still not controlling the speed. Learn the pace of the green and how far the blade has to be brought back and through. This will make you a better putter.
 
CobraX51 said:
I agree with this comment.

But from my view wouldn't it be better to at least give myself a chance of getting the ball to the cup instead of leaving it short so often? Way more frustrating to me leaving it short than rolling it a bit past.
Click to expand...
Getting the ball to the hole isn't a loft thing though, it's a stroke and stroke strength thing. That said if massive skidding and hopping is happening, I would say either get the putter adjusted or focus on the stroke by using the big muscles rather than a pop stroke.

Forward pressing will open a whole other can of worms.

JMO, of course, and something I have to work with a lot of my HS golfers on.
 
PapaJohick said:
I do have a slight forward press. Like you mentioned you saw, i tend to get a better roll. Usually because thenforward press helps me maintain the wrist angles and arms during the stroke. When I don’t forward press, my wrists will fold/change through out the putting stroke and I get really inconsistent.
Click to expand...
I felt like this as well. With my putting stroke I've had I would get a little open and the backstroke would sometimes get ankle high, causing a loss of roll with how I would hit down on the golf ball, and when I would try to focus on keeping the putter low I would not feel comfortable at all.

Today when I did the FP I felt the putter low to the ground and during the swing my wrists didn't move, I just liked rolling the ball better.
 
Tadashi70 said:
You not getting the ball to hole is a product of you not knowing the speed of the greens. The forward press made you hit it harder but still not controlling the speed. Learn the pace of the green and how far the blade has to be brought back and through. This will make you a better putter.
Click to expand...
Probably true. But it's annoying with how the putts have been left short and when I do make a putt it "dies in" or scary lip-ins to save par or bogey.

I'd much rather miss on the high side than the low side, I'm giving myself a chance.
 
I looked at a few previous videos of myself putting and I guess what im calling a FP is really just setting my hands. It feels like I’m pressing but on film it’s barely there. Hands are just slightly ahead of the ball. Again for me, it’s a motion/trigger I do that helps me keep my angles constant through the stoke.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I do not forward press. Never have.
 
Also, something that really helped me become a better distance control person was fixing my tempo. If you can keep an even tempo, learning speed control for your stroke becomes much easier to do. For me, it’s the old 1-2 stroke. One on the back stroke and two is contact/follow through. Speed/length of stroke dependent on distance of putt. Short putts it’s a quicker 1-2 count and longer putts it’s a longer 1-2.

I know that sounds kinda weird or very inconsistent, but it’s actually very reliable (for me).



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
CobraX51 said:
Probably true. But it's annoying with how the putts have been left short and when I do make a putt it "dies in" or scary lip-ins to save par or bogey.

I'd much rather miss on the high side than the low side, I'm giving myself a chance.
Click to expand...

Speed control and the proper line. Missing low isn’t always a product of speed but line as well.
 
i would say to read up on it more. someone like dave stockton says it’s good because it is a way to mentally trigger the stroke and free you up. but others (a lot of others honestly) say it’s a way to build in inconsistency. personally i don’t like it at all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I used to forward press and was very good at it when hot, but I went through some brutally ice cold stretches. After switching methods my putting consistency improved rapidly.
It's worth noting that 9 out of 10 amateurs who forward press have nowhere near enough loft on their putters. If you're going to do it you might as well get fit and do it properly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top