Exclusive TT Sweepstakes: Brandon Stooksbury and "The Putter Book"

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By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

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  • 133 Replies
  1. Jim S

    Jim S
    East Point, GA

    Hi Brandon what is the most important part of putting in your opinion.
  2. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    The most important part of putting at the "average" golfer level is definitely speed (distance) control in my opinion. As the skill level of the golf improves that changes a bit, but improving your speed control is the easiest way to cut shots from your handicap for most golfers. Reducing the number of 3-putts down to just one per round usually saves 2-3 shots for most...
  3. Jerry M

    Jerry M
    Dallas, TX

    Brandon,
    How can I achieve a consistent putting stroke, especially inside 10 ft?
  4. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Jerry M said:

    Brandon,
    How can I achieve a consistent putting stroke, especially inside 10 ft?

    Jerry,

    "Consistent" putting inside 10-feet is mostly about having good control over the start line of your putts. In other words, being able to make the ball roll at your intended target when you hit it. Issues with start line control usually stem from bad stroke mechanics, which stem from poor setup alignments. Get those alignments correct (there are 5 specific alignments covered in "The Putting Book") and you'll be well on your way to improving your short putting!
  5. GMaynard

    GMaynard

    Military
    What is the best drill for 6 foot and less putts

    Semper Fi
  6. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    My favorite drill inside 6 feet is what I call the "compass" drill. Start with 4 balls and place each at 5-6 feet away from the hole at the N, S, E, and W marks on an imaginary compass. Next, place 4 more balls at the NE, NW, SE, and SW marks. Then move around the circle skipping a ball each putt until you've hit all 8 balls. Use your full routine on each and take as much time and effort as you would if it were to win your club championship.
  7. Scott F

    Scott F
    Lawrence

    Brandon, do you have a drill to help with set up and alignment?
  8. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    One of the best training aids companies on the market are my friends at www.EyeLineGolf.com. They make the best alignment/setup aid in the business in their eye line mirror. It comes in a few different versions and sizes but it's the best...hands down! Pick one up and spend 5-10 minutes using it every time you practice. Your setup alignments will get better in a hurry!
  9. Diego D

    Diego D
    Miami, FL

    Brandon, lifting weights (gym) the day before I play affects my putting stroke more than my swing. How can I balance keeping my body fit with having a good tempo and feel in my putting stroke?
  10. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    That's a touch question given what lifting weights does to your body. It breaks down muscle so that it can be rebuilt stronger than before...which is exactly what you want. Naturally that "breaking down" process will have a temporary adverse effect on the function and movement of those muscles. My best advice would be to avoid doing anything heavy with the arms and upper body before a day you know you're going to be playing golf. Short of that, I'd have to refer you to someone in the exercise science or physiology field for better answer.
  11. Dan M.

    Dan M.

    I used to be a super green reader - now with progressive lenses I'm really struggling and need help. Any advice?
  12. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Any conversation about green reading for me always starts and stops with AimPoint. Especially given your challenge with using your eyes, a system that takes your eyes out of the equations might be just the ticket! Check out www.AimPointGolf.com.
  13. John M

    John M
    Aiken, SC Lakewood, NY

    Brandon, how do I build confidence on downhill sliding putts?
  14. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    I talk extensively about confidence in "The Putter Book." Specifically I don't subscribe to the belief that confidence can be "built" when it comes to putting. I say that because the only way to build confidence is to make some putts...and you can't make putts if you're not putting with confidence. It just doesn't work.

    In short, you have to build your mechanics and green reading ability during practice using feedback to the point where you have confidence in your ability to perform the different pieces correctly on a consistent basis. Then, go out during a round with confidence believing you're doing the correct things and putt without doubt. Confidence can't be earned...it has to be owned!
  15. Ryan P

    Ryan P
    Erie, PA

    Brandon - what is your go-to tip for how to start the putt on the intended line?
  16. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    There are no "tips" that help you start it on line. You either have that skill, or you don't! If you struggle with start line control, use a chalk line or ball gate drill (both are outlined in "The Putter Book") to isolate that specific skill and practice it.
  17. Ed K

    Ed K

    Brandon, how do we who do not have access to technology determine where exactly the putter’s sweet spot is located?
  18. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    At the expense of sounding sarcastic (which I promise I'm not trying to be), start with the geometric center of the putter face. In older blade type putters (think Wilson 8802 or Scotty Cameron Nappa) the sweet spot used to favor the heel a bit but modern day putters are typically pretty well centered.

    All that said, also remember that hitting the "center" of the face is not the important skill. Rather, hitting the SAME place on the face every time is.
  19. Dan A

    Dan A

    Hi Brandon,
    What's the best way to figure out your putting arc?
  20. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    I assume by your question that I don't have to convince you that you actually have some arc and that putters don't move "straight-back and straight-through" without conscious manipulation. If that's where you are then we need to have a whole other conversation! As for how MUCH arc you're supposed to have, the technical answer is that it depends on the lie angle of your putter. The flatter the angle, the more the arc...the more upright the angle, the less the arc.

    However, as a general rule the amount of arc is a lot less than most people think. Without knowing your exact lie angle I couldn't answer that question, but it should be just enough to be BARLEY noticeable to the naked eye when you're putting against a straight edge like striped carpet for a chalk line on the green.
  21. Hughes H

    Hughes H
    Birmingham, AL

    Brandon, no matter how long the putt is, I always seem to put a 15 foot stroke on it. How can I change my mindset and alter my mechanics to allow myself to hit the putt the proper distance?
  22. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Distance control is a very specific skill that is NOT necessarily inherent to everyone. The same way that a kid has no idea how hard to throw a baseball to cover a certain distance the first few times he/she throws it. The ability to asses distance and then correlate the size/speed of the motor skill to accommodate that distance is something that has to be learned and continually honed.

    The only way to do that is to find ways to isolate the specific skill of distance control and then spend time with it in a practice environment. Ladder drills or "Leap Frog" drills are the best way to do this and I go through several other options in "The Putter Book."
  23. BCH

    BCH

    Brandon,
    Easy question: When do I know I need your book?

    Many ways to say you are a good or bad putter, how do you know you are good?
    Thanks
  24. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Well...I may be just a little biased, but I happen to think that everyone (regardless of existing putting skill) would get something out of "The Putter Book."

    As for how you would know if you are a good putter; that would all come down to statistics. For every handicap there are statistics for how an average golfer "should" perform on the green in any given round. The number of 3-putts, how many made inside 5-ft, proximity of the first putt, etc. are all trackable numbers that would show you how you perform specific to putting. For example, let's say you are a better than average ball striker for your handicap level and you therefore average more greens-in-regulation (GIR) than most others at your level...but you are a below average putter from a statistical standpoint. You may shoot the same score as another player who is above average statistically with a putter but below average in GIRs. One of you would be considered a "good" putter while the other wouldn't be...even though you have the same handicap and shoot the same average scores.
  25. Chris92009

    Chris92009
    Ohio

    What is the hardest putt to make for a right handed golfer?

    Also, I checked out the books...awesome!
  26. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Great question...but you're probably not going to like my answer. To me, a putt is a putt, and one isn't any harder than the other. For any putt you have to solve the puzzle of green reading and speed, and then still have to deal with the "uncontrollables" like wind and surface inconsistencies. In order to make a put that puzzle has to be solved (with a bit of added luck to help with the uncontrollables) regardless of the difficulty. Solve the puzzle correctly and you have a really good chance to make the putt.

    When golfers (or anyone else) talk about someone struggling with one putt more than another it's usually because that particular putt putts more pressure on a mechanical issue and exposes a weakness more than another putt might. For example, if someone has generally has poor speed control downhill putts would be particularly scary because they could get away from you easier with bad speed control. An uphill putt would be a bit more kind because it would "soften the blow" of poor speed control.

    Hope that makes sense...
  27. Anthony C

    Anthony C
    Tinton Falls NJ

    Brandon, I remember Ben Crenshaw stating a putt is 90% speed and 10% break. Has that changed in the past 20 years, and if so, why?
  28. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    I would argue that it never really was true to begin with! Allow me to explain. Any putt is made up of three skills that are covered extensively in "The Putter Book" and throughout my comments to other users on this thread. Those three skills are 1) green reading, 2) start line control, and 3) speed control. A simple way to look at it is that any putt is technically made up of 33% of each of the three skills. Technically you can give or take from one or two of them and still make the putt...but you can't take away much. All three MUST be present and relatively equal in order to give the putt a change. As such, Crenshaw's statement is not accurate.

    All that said...Ben (I'm sure) had good intentions when he said that. As I've stated before, most golfers don't have very good speed control as a general rule and are more deficient in that skill than the others. Their overall score would benefit greatly from improving that skill before worrying about the other two. Crenshaw knew as much and no doubt made that statement during the interview with that exact thought in mind!
  29. Anthony C

    Anthony C
    Tinton Falls NJ

    Brandon S said:

    I would argue that it never really was true to begin with! Allow me to explain. Any putt is made up of three skills that are covered extensively in "The Putter Book" and throughout my comments to other users on this thread. Those three skills are 1) green reading, 2) start line control, and 3) speed control. A simple way to look at it is that any putt is technically made up of 33% of each of the three skills. Technically you can give or take from one or two of them and still make the putt...but you can't take away much. All three MUST be present and relatively equal in order to give the putt a change. As such, Crenshaw's statement is not accurate.

    All that said...Ben (I'm sure) had good intentions when he said that. As I've stated before, most golfers don't have very good speed control as a general rule and are more deficient in that skill than the others. Their overall score would benefit greatly from improving that skill before worrying about the other two. Crenshaw knew as much and no doubt made that statement during the interview with that exact thought in mind!

    Thanks Brandon!
  30. JasonL

    JasonL

    Brandon, do you prefer a milled face to a smooth face?
  31. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    I personally prefer deep milling, but not for the reason you might think. It might look cool, but it's important to know what effect each style of construction has on the putter. Deep milling on a putter face is designed to dampen the sound and feel of the impact with the ball...something often described as a "softer" feel. That's the main reason deep milling came into existence. On milled putter heads the deep milling provides a way for the manufacturer to adjust the feel and sound.

    That adjustment allows the willful manipulation of "feel" depending on the type of metal, construction methods, and shape of the putter head.

  32. Jim C

    Jim C
    Duxbury, MA

    Conventional putting grip or cross handed, do you prefer one over the other?
  33. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Prefer? No. The only alignment I'm concerned with is the shaft of the putter and the forearms. As long as that's correct, I couldn't care less what style of grip you employ...just do what brings you the most comfort and confidence.

    Check out this video to see what I'm talking about:

    https://youtu.be/JdVCci1G6oU
  34. Neil U

    Neil U
    Chantilly, VA

    Brandon, there are way too many thing to consider when reading the green and the breaks towards the hole. how can we simplify it? Is there a mental checklist to putting similar to a pre-shot routine?
  35. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    If you want a simpler method for green reading you have to check out www.AimPointGolf.com. Find yourself a certified instructor (or come down to New Orleans to see me) and it will change your life on a green!!!
  36. AllStarBlue23

    AllStarBlue23
    Wyoming

    Hey Brandon, what would be your recommendation for a pre-putt routine? How much time spent reading the putt? How much time spent on either side of the putt? Should I be taking a practice stroke from halfway between the ball and the hole? Thanks for any insight you can share!
  37. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    I'm completely against any sort of "set" routine that I would teach everyone. Your routine is totally personal and is different for everyone!

    I will say that your routine should accomplish a specific few things for you. It should help you get a feel for the size of stroke necessary to control the speed (could include practice stroke or two if needed), set your eyes properly over the ball as you address it, and allow you to aim the putter face in the way specific to your needs. As long as your accomplishing those three things, take as much (or little) time as you need.

    Where people get into trouble is when they stand in their posture over the ball with 26 things running through their mind all at once trying to "get comfortable" and "remember" everything their instructor told them in their last putting lesson. That's definitely NOT what a pre-shot routine is for!
  38. Darryl M

    Darryl M
    Wichita, KS

    Brandon should a person use a lighter putter when playing on fast greens?
  39. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    Interesting question...that's a piece of advice I've certainly heard before and would generally put in the "old wives tale" category. The thought is that a lighter putter has less "weight" behind it and therefore won't hit the ball as hard...which would seem to be beneficial on fast greens.

    The trouble is that a lighter putter also allows you to swing the putter "faster" because of the lower weight. The same physics are at work with our driver being roughly ½ the weight of an iron (the lighter weight, along with longer length, allows us to swing it much faster). Using that logic, I could make the argument that using a lighter putter on a faster green actually makes it more challenging to control speed.

    Generally it's better advice to just stick with one putter, learn the weight and feel of that putter, and then learn how to adjust your swing length and stroke pace to accommodate fast/slow greens accordingly.
  40. Dr. Kovatchian

    Dr. Kovatchian
    Carlsbad

    Brandon- What are some of your favorite putting drills for competitive junior players?

    Cheers,
    Dr. K
  41. Brandon S

    Brandon S

    As I've mentioned a few times here in this thread, any drills that isolate the three putting skills (green reading, start line control, and speed control) are indispensable for practicing putting...regardless of age.
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