Hovering the putter

Does hovering the putter above the ground help with making a decent putting stroke?

Payne Stewart's trick. It is a way to be sure you stay connected (arms, hands and shoulders), there is no doubt. But you run the risk of having too firm a grip. Be sure to stay light in pressure.

cheers, it has helped me on short putts because the putter used to get caught in the grass on the backswing

My putter is actually designed to be left on the ground during address. The way it's designed is so that when it's soled properly, the face stays square. If you're heel up or toe up, the face will shut down or open up when you relax your grip pressure. So my routine is to setup on my line, then relax my grip and see if the putter moves. If so, readjust. If not, then I reset my pressure, pick the putter up, and stroke it. My reason is the same as yours: I hate chunking a putt, and until I started hovering my putter, I used to do it all too often. I've played a few rounds with some seriously low cappers that still chunk putts.

FWIW, I don't use a forward press.

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I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Also, some pros will use this trick when there is a lot of wind and really quick greens. That way if the ball moves and the club is not grounded it is not a penalty.

Bob

There was a time by some the pros back in the 1920s (?) when hovering the putter head was the "in" thing to do. A golfer who's name escapes me for the moment, but who was considered the best putter of his era hovered the club, while tilting the handle forward at address, while using his version of the pendulum swing. What this did was allow the top half of the putter head to contact the top half of the ball at impact. This imparted a better roll on the ball, which worked well for the green surfaces being played on back then. Not a good stroke on todays greens used by the pros since the stroke is some what of down stroke, which is not a good thing on softer greens. However, those of you who play on greens with longer grass, slower stimps, those less manicured ones, can try this stroke and will see a better roll on the ball. GJS