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FAQ's about the Putter's PennyThe Putter's Penny is so simple in it's design and function, that some have a difficult time believing it can actually help them improve their putting. Here are some of the typical questions that come from first time users of the Putter's Penny Practice System... When I set up over the ball, I can't see the Putter's Penny. How can it help me if I can't see it? How does the Putter's Penny help me set up properly? Why is it so important to keep the putter low during the stroke? How does the Putter's Penny get my eyes EXACTLY over the ball?
Q: When I set up over the ball, I can't see the Putter's Penny. How can it help me if I can't see it? A: Congratulations! You're well on your way to becoming a better putter! When you are properly set up with your eyes directly over the ball, you won't see the Putter's Penny. Repeated practice will make this proper setup virtually automatic! Q: How does the Putter's Penny help me set up properly? A: When you step up to a practice putt using the Putter's Penny, any ball positioning error in your setup will immediately be indicated by where you see a portion of the Putter's penny beneath your ball. For example, if you see the edge of the Putter's Penny behind the ball, that indicates that your eyes are too far behind the ball rather than directly over the ball as they should be. (Click on the Function Flag at the top of the page to see a demo of how the Putter's Penny indicates and allows you to correct a poor setup) Q: On my first practice putt using the Putter's Penny, the ball came up short of the hole. Did the Putter's Penny cause this? A: Not at all. In fact, you'll probably notice that the Putter's Penny hasn't moved the first time you try using it. This is typical. You're aware that it's underneath the ball and the common reaction seems to be to try and NOT hit the Putter's Penny. But when you don't strike the Putter's Penny, it's an indication that you've lifted your putter during the stroke, causing a reduction of the energy you thought you were applying to the ball, which make the ball come up short. Q: Why is it so important to keep the putter low during the stroke? A: A couple of reasons come to mind. First off, That's how your putter was likely designed to operate. The best energy transfer to the ball occurs when the ball strikes the putter face on the "sweet spot". Blading the ball with your putter is not a great way to be consistent on the greens. Secondly, the ball is sitting on the putting surface, which is your frame of reference. If your putter is properly low at impact , it MUST be moving parallel to the ground and towards the target. If the putter is descending, it's likely to scuff the ground and cause the putter face to open or close, kill the speed of the putter, and make the ball go offline and/or come up well short of the hole. If the putter is rising at impact, the amount of energy you thought you were giving the ball is decreased because the putter head is no longer moving directly towards the hole as it strike the ball. To give a specific illustration of this, assume that you're making a perfect putting stroke on a 15 foot putt. You have the break read just right, have figured out the speed of the putt exactly, and are making exactly the right stroke with the correct clubhead speed to make the putt... but you make ONE seemingly small mistake. When your putter is just 1/2" from the ball, you lift it only 1/4" (just high enough to miss the Putter's Penny if you were using it). This is a typical mistake you might make when you "peek" just before impact to see where a putt is going. Doesn't seem like that will affect anything, right?...wrong! Check the following illustration:
When your putter is rising at impact, the amount of force you think you are applying to the ball is decreased because the putter is no longer moving directly towards the target. In this specific example of a 15 foot putt, if the putter is lifted that 1/4", the putt will come up about a foot shorter than you expected it to! And that's assuming that you keep making the perfect stroke as you lift the putter. More often than not, lifting the putter is a sign that you've quit on the stroke, which will slow the putter even more, causing even more distance to be lost. Never up, never in!
Q: How does the Putter's Penny get my eyes EXACTLY over the ball?
©2009 Colkat Associates
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