The Basics of Side-Saddle Putting

I am not a side-saddle putter. To be honest, I don't even try to use the technique because I don't feel comfortable with it. But I found this recent article over at the Golf Tips Mag site and was impressed by how thorough it is. PGA teacher Dr. Gerald Walford has clearly learned the ins and outs of this technique.

I'm not even going to try and summarize this technique. Dr. Walford has written a fascinating four-page article, complete with charts and photos, that documents all the things he has learned in the process of using this method.

I will point out that he says a short putter is inadequate for this style of putting -- you need a long putter to make it work well. He talks about how the equipment needs to be set up, and even how take a short putter and properly lengthen the different types of shafts you might run into.

And when he discusses the mental approach you need, he includes all kinds of data to help you develop realistic expectations.

As I said earlier, I've never felt comfortable using this method, so I'm not the right one to try and explain it. But this is, by far, the best explanation of what's involved in the method of side-saddle putting, the mental approach to the method, and how to adjust your equipment for the method that I have ever read.

If you're interested in side-saddle putting, I think this article is required reading.