Better putting method, arc or straight back straight through?

Question

What are the pros and cons of each method?

Answer 1

straight man...see though the world is not straight but somethings are gud this way

Answer 2

Former Golf Apprentice, its commonly refered to as a heel shafted putter.  A heel shafted putter is best for a stroke on a slight arc and a center shafted putter works best for a stroke that is straight back and through.

Answer 3

Laker,

I thought you were satisfied with the links provided by the Ohio Golfer on your last question on the same topic. Still curious though.

The arc type of stroke is a natural stroke. All of the other strokes you make in golf incorporate that same technique. The muscle memory has already been developed and inherently instilled in your mind and thought process. The pendulum stroke, or as you refer to as the straight back and through stroke, requires muscle movements that are contradictory to that intrinsic process. The only effective pendulum putting stroke in golf was outlawed by the USGA over thirty years ago. That was the crochet style of putting where your stance is perpendicular to your putting line and you swing the putter between your legs. It was just too easy. Seems like an odd statement when it comes to golf.

Answer 4

arc,ask gentle ben or faxon

Answer 5

The best method is what works best for you.  Try both and do whichever works the most consistently.  Consistency is what counts in putting....not the method.

Answer 6

the better method is the one that works for you, they both have pros and cons, but as logn as you get the putter face back to square at impact, who cares which stlye you use as long as it works.

Answer 7

You have to experiment with each to determine which works best for you.

I have found my best success with the straight back straight through method

Answer 8

Laker,

Normally you'll do one or the other naturally.

If you have a long smooth, flowing golf swing, then an arc putting motion might look good to you.....also depends on your putter, notice most arc putters have heal shafted models.....Phil, Gentle Ben, and John Daly normally put with heal shafted models.

If you're going to use an arc style putting stroke you'll want to consider using a heal shafted putter that's not face balanced.

To see if a putter is face balanced hold your index finger on the shaft about three inches back from the head. If the face does anything but hang straight up and down you have a face balanced putter.

A good example of a face balanced putter would be the Ping Anser. This is also a good putter for a straight back straight through stroke (which I use).

Pro's and Con's would be this:

arc: Take's mucho practice. Can yield good lag putting results.

straight: Low maintenance. Good for short putts.

Good Luck!