Steve Stricker Putting Analysis

[Yoda]

YODA

What do you think of my thoughts as far as Steve Stricker participating in some way in Mr. Kelley's work?

I talked with Steve last month at the Kapalua Golf Academy during the Golf Digest photo shoot. I was specifically interested in his concept of the golf swing and what he was doing to achieve it. In a nutshell, here's what he told me:

1. He is very "left-sided". The left hand and side senses and controls from start to finish.

2. He feels 'turn and roll' of the hands combined with lots of body rotation.

3. He has always "loaded late" -- little wristcock on the way back -- and feels he gets additional wristcock on the downswing. In fact, regarding the loading action, he said that he has "always done it incorrectly". To which I replied, "Uh, no, Steve. The money stats don't lie!"

There was zero mention of TGM, by either him or me.

Full Screen Slideshow

[KevCarter]

I talked with Steve last month at the Kapalua Golf Academy during the Golf Digest photo shoot. ...

There was zero mention of TGM, by either him or me.

Darn. Oh well, I'm wrong again...

Kevin

[O.B.Left]

Darn. Oh well, I'm wrong again...

Kevin

Left to his own devices Steve Stricker has found an awesome way to get around the course though and one we can see as conforming to a lot of Homer's alignments. Too bad he thinks his loading is all wrong. Makes me wonder if he spent a lot of time trying to cock his left wrist earlier. Cock his left wrist with his hands or something. Im a late loader and I did, do sometimes, wont do again, as Yoda is my witness, I swear.

I see a Right arm on plane, extensor action, level left wrist, a repeating hinge action etc, etc. Snap Loading or float?

Even his dual vertical , straight back straight through putting would get Homer's nod of approval. While its Steering and a lob shot for longer shots, Homer thought that it was a fine procedure for putting..... interestingly, given that he is the father of the Arc of Approach. Of critical importance to Homer was the ability to replicate the putting Hinge Action, be it vertical or angled or horizontal even. Straight back , straight through with a square to the line face makes Hinge Action , Delivery line compliance easy to see and monitor , I guess, non planar though it is, in a clubshaft or sweetspot plane sense. With straight rails as a guide for the putter head its a sweetspot traveling in a straight line deal. The problem with it to my mind, or for me I should say, is the tendency to watch the clubhead as I putt and introduce corrective wobbles making the plane line three dimensional, "bending the plane line".

It is steering afterall, not something that will help you anywhere else unless you are trying hit a lob shot or cover the Angle of Approach or something totally crazy like that.......no offense to Ted Fort who's kitchen Im rattling around in here.......that man can steer 20' putts and 340 yard drives. But he also knows how to do it in a geometrically correct way .........which for the driver is not "Straight through towards the hole", thats for sure.

[Yoda]

Left to his own devices Steve Stricker has found an awesome way to get around the course though and one we can see as conforming to a lot of Homer's alignments. Too bad he thinks his loading is all wrong. Makes me wonder if he spent a lot of time trying to cock his left wrist earlier. Cock his left wrist with his hands or something.

Had dinner tonight with Jeff Hull, our own golfgnome http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/index.p...-gseb-pga.html, and Jarrod Clark, head professional at The Golf Club at Cuscowilla. The conversation turned to Steve Stricker, and naturally, to his former teammate relationship with Jeff. I saw them shake hands and get reacquainted last year at Liberty National and our Academy at The Barclays.

And you're right, O.B., Steve the Younger was much longer and looser and wrist-cockier.

I'll let Jeff answer and fill in the details.



P.S. Jeff, we've got to seriously update your Professional Contributors bio. As in . . . one Georgia Open Championship; one PGA Section Championship; and one PGA Professional Championship ago. Keep me informed, will ya?

[Thom]

And, with Horizontal Hinge Action (Clubface Closing Only / No Layback)! The giveaway is the toe of the Club pointing along the Line at the end of the Follow-Through (Both Arms Straight position).

Thom,

There may be a camera angle issue for you. Let's look at the question (of Clubface alignment) another way:

Imagine that Steve raised the club just slightly so that the shaft is parallel to the ground. Then, would the toe of the club point straight up (leading edge vertical to the ground, i.e., the horizontal plane). Or, would it be at a slight angle, i.e., vertical to an angled plane? To my eye, the toe would point straight up, and that indicates Horizontal Hinging. You may see it differently.

At the very least, I think we can agree that the Face of the club would not point at the sky (which would indicate Vertical Hinging).

aahhh, raise the club, so that the shaft is parallel to the ground....of course, I see, the exact alignment of the leading edge becomes much easier to see...point taken, lesson learned....thank you, Yoda

[Yoda]

aahhh, raise the club, so that the shaft is parallel to the ground....of course, I see, the exact alignment of the leading edge becomes much easier to see...point taken, lesson learned....thank you, Yoda

Thank YOU for the inspiration, Thom.

You 'way up northeast' guys are the best!

[O.B.Left]

Yoda, I keep relearning the importance of the Level Left Wrist, the solid attachment to the club. Steves Strickers misgivings about his late loading procedure, despite its obvious effectiveness really hit home for me. As a late loader myself who has always been enamored with the left wrist cock motions of others, I can now say that I've finally stopped chasing it. Its like a lot of other components I think, by actively trying to "do it" you dont, cant. Left alone, surrounded by proper alignments, given a good motion........it just happens.

No more rubber wristed weeks of #2 angle experimentation. The longer lever (left arm and club) has more leverage after all. Steve Stricker is my hero in this regard.

What did Homer imply in 12-3-0 Section 7, pt 27 "Full Lever Assembly prep"?

Im thinking that when you do assemble that full lever it is best not to compromised it with a loose attachment at the handle or it will snap in two.

[Burner]

Yoda, I keep relearning the importance of the Level Left Wrist, the solid attachment to the club. Steves Strickers misgivings about his late loading procedure, despite its obvious effectiveness really hit home for me. As a late loader myself who has always been enamored with the left wrist cock motions of others, I can now say that I've finally stopped chasing it. Its like a lot of other components I think, by actively trying to "do it" you dont, cant. Left alone, surrounded by proper alignments, given a good motion........it just happens.

No more rubber wristed weeks of #2 angle experimentation. The longer lever (left arm and club) has more leverage after all. Steve Stricker is my hero in this regard.

What did Homer imply in 12-3-0 Section 7, pt 27 "Full Lever Assembly prep"?

Im thinking that when you do assemble that full lever it is best not to compromised it with a loose attachment at the handle or it will snap in two.

I'm with you on this, O.B., and try to start my down swing before I feel any wrist cock kicking in.

The wrist cocks, of course, but it neither gets, or needs, any conscious help from me.

[O.B.Left]

P.S. Jeff, we've got to seriously update your Professional Contributors bio. As in . . . one Georgia Open Championship; one PGA Section Championship; and one PGA Professional Championship ago. Keep me informed, will ya?

I missed this. Thats great news. Fantastic Jeff. Congrats.

[O.B.Left]

I'm with you on this, O.B., and try to start my down swing before I feel any wrist cock kicking in.

The wrist cocks, of course, but it neither gets, or needs, any conscious help from me.

Nicely put Burner. I would have taken several pages to state something similar. You Brits are pretty good with the English language, eh?