Parallel forearms. Is it the most important fundamental in good putting?

[502 to Right]

Stan Utley says in his "Art of Putting" book that the single most important fundamental for effective putting is to have your forearms parallel to one another.  I.e., the right arm is not higher than the left, and the left is not higher than the right.

How important do you think this is?

I cannot for the life of me get my arms parallel.  My right arm is always little higher than the left.  The only way I can get my arms parallel is to manipulate my arms and grip in a completely unnatural way.

I have a Learning Curve putting mirror I use on the floor and make sure my shoulders are parallel to the target line.  They are.  Also, my putter shaft is on the same plane as my forearms.  Finally, I use the grip that Utley suggests (grip running through the lifeline of my left hand). 

I'm a pretty good putter so I'm not in any hurry to change, but I wanted to get some input here on whether you think the forearms must be parallel.

[502 to Right]

Here is Stan's description in his own words:

2. Align forearms for better aim

If you start with bad body alignment, you're going to do some things--even subconsciously--with the stroke to compensate for that alignment problem, and you won't be consistent. That's making putting way more difficult than it needs to be.

Although it is best to have your shoulders, hips and feet square, having your forearms aligned parallel to your start line is most crucial. A perfect grip, with your elbows tucked to your sides, is the best way to achieve this important position.

[tbws6]

The only way I can do that would be if I used a even grip.

[bargolf]

It is important if you think that both hands work equally in the stroke. Most players have a dominant hand in the stroke and more would be better if they did.

Bad analogy but would you trust a surgeon with both hands on the scalpel?

Granted very important, very important in the Ultey method, but you have to use all his other suggestions as well.

PS If path is 18% of the direction the ball leaves the putter, and the forearms determine a path direction for the putter, the it would be pretty tough to argue it is the most important.

[invadingcanuck]

it isn't the most comfortable position, and it isn't all that natural for me to putt that way. 

[502 to Right]

I have unlocked the key to getting my forearms parallel.  Thanks to Pat O'Brien's teaching, I learned a method of gripping the putter that helps me do.  My getting the grip under the pad of my left hand hand, it raises slightly the left forearm and gets it level with my right.  I've been practicing this way for a couple of weeks and a long putting session today has validated my efforts.  (although I live in Wisconsin and the season has been over for a month now I am visiting the in-laws in California for Christmas.)

In addition, I have lengthened my putter by one inch (from 33.5 to 34.5, dropped the lie from 70 to 68, and dropped the weight from 350 to 333.  I feel completely in control of my stroke now and look forward to the 2010 season getting under way.

Here's a link to the Pat O'Brien grip:

http://www.patobriengolf.com/2009/06/index.html


Here's a pic:

[tbws6]

Pictures of the new gamer?

[502 to Right]

Pictures of the new gamer?

The new gamer is the 2007 gamer--Bettinardi C03.  It's good to keep old putters around because you never know when you'll want to put them back in play.

[cbrian]

I putted like that for a while around 2 years ago.  At times it seemed extremely easy keeping the club face square with that grip, but I was very inconsistent with it.  I guess I'm just a life line kind of guy..

[raiderholic]

pats mechanics are great,  i was very inconsistant with it too until I got a smaller grip and it made all the difference in the world.

[502 to Right]

pats mechanics are great,  i was very inconsistant with it too until I got a smaller grip and it made all the difference in the world.

I agree with you.  I used to use a Titleist Baby T or something around that size.  Now I use an old-school Pingman.

[reflog74]

Sorry I missed this thread.  Thanks for bumping it.

Who am I to argue with Utley?  Still, I don't think it's important for both forearms to be "level".  In fact, Kevin Weeks, who is basically an Utley disciple, wanted me to relax my right forearm (dominant side), and keep it "below" the left.  This helps me take the putter back on an inside arc, while minimizing my right hand dominant tendency to take it back outside and pull back to the ball.  This lets me set up square to the target and aim straight at it, instead of aiming right of the hole.

Just my experience,
John

[TR662004]

Good mechanics are important but confidence is king!!!

Tim

[bargolf]

John,

Another way to look at your stroke is that you still hit it with your right hand and the new forearm position lets you do that accurately.

The reason I wanted to comment is that any right hand dominant stroke is going to work better on an inside out path. To compensate for the release of the right hand and the subsequent closing of the face through the ball.

Bruce

[jr]

I assume I am right hand dominant. When practicing my putting I will hit many short putts, inside 6 feet with one hand. if I use my right hand only I am pretty accurate. If I use my left hand only I look like a spastic and can not even make solid contact. In fact at times I think I am better from short distances using only my right hand instead of using both hands.  lol

[reflog74]

John,

Another way to look at your stroke is that you still hit it with your right hand and the new forearm position lets you do that accurately.

The reason I wanted to comment is that any right hand dominant stroke is going to work better on an inside out path. To compensate for the release of the right hand and the subsequent closing of the face through the ball.

Bruce

No doubt about that Bruce.  The trouble for guys like me is when the right arm/elbow gets away from the body.  Muscles just take over and that stroke might go anywhere -- but will usually be a pull left.

John

[bargolf]

I assume I am right hand dominant. When practicing my putting I will hit many short putts, inside 6 feet with one hand. if I use my right hand only I am pretty accurate. If I use my left hand only I look like a spastic and can not even make solid contact. In fact at times I think I am better from short distances using only my right hand instead of using both hands.  lol

jr. I would bet you are. Try this. get a 2x4 or yardstick and set it outside the ball pointed on a path a little right of the target. With your left hand going along for the ride swing the putter on a similar path through the ball. does the ball follow the direction of the yardstick or did the ball go left? It should go left because as the right arm swings across the body the natural rotation of the arm is counterclockwise closing the club. This is very similar to the method Tiger uses and even with all of his other struggles I think he can putt.

[razaar]

Here is Stan's description in his own words:

2. Align forearms for better aim

If you start with bad body alignment, you're going to do some things--even subconsciously--with the stroke to compensate for that alignment problem, and you won't be consistent. That's making putting way more difficult than it needs to be.

Although it is best to have your shoulders, hips and feet square, having your forearms aligned parallel to your start line is most crucial. A perfect grip, with your elbows tucked to your sides, is the best way to achieve this important position.

One of the reason God gave us golfers elbows, is to use them to align our shoulders.  The big guy made us so we could see our elbows at address but not our shoulders. There are plently of very proficient putters of the golf ball, who don't have their elbows tucked into their sides; Aaron Baddeley, Tiger and Steve Stricker immediately come to mind. IMO there is alot going for having the elbows in front of the body where they can be seen.