Should you putt straight back and straight through on putts just beyond gimme range?

Question

Im trying to get better at making shorter putts that are just out of gimme range. On such putts say just beyond 3 ft do I still open and close the putter head or do I go straight back and straight through?

Answer 1

Yes and every other putt

Answer 2

I've always been told that you should stay consistent, you should still focus on the putt the same way as you would a 20ft putt or a 5ft putt.

Answer 3

Laker,

I wouldn't pay so much attention to the opening / closing of the blade.

Simply concentrate on the line and make a solid stroke.

On short putts you should keep the backstroke and forwardstroke as short as possible, the worst thing you can do is take a long backstroke and then decelerate into the ball on the forwardstroke.....also, try to keep the back and forward stroke roughly the same length. (This is an old Harvey Penick tip....reference The Little Red Book here)

Good Luck!

Answer 4

If you go straight back and thru you will have a better chance of making the putt. Remember to accelerate thru the stroke. That is the important clue.

Answer 5

I think you should stay with the same stroke for all of your putts.

You currently use a toe-throw stroke for putting and I'm assuming that you have a toe-throw putter, one where the shaft typically enters the heal of the putter head and probably a little more weight in the toe than in the heal. You now want add a pendulum putting stroke for other types of putts but your still are going to use your toe-throw putter. It's just not going to have the same feel and you probably aren't going to repeat the pendulum stroke. Golf to me is about the fewest moving parts, both physically and mentally. I just think this adds a moving mental part you don't need.

Answer 6

Straight back and straight through. The putting stroke should remain the same regardless of distance.

Answer 7

I have never known anyone to instruct anything other than straight back and straight through, regardless of distance.  Kind of hard to define your putt line and keep it if you are not planning on a straight stroke through the ball.