Forward Press: is it Really Improving Your Putting?

Usually when golfers forward press, they’re “trying to take something away.”  Some people say they need something to get the stroke going.  In reality, the reason they “can’t get the wheels going is because they know if they stay in the position they’re in at address, with the aim bias that accompanies that issue… they know that nothing good is going to happen from it.”

Let’s talk about what a forward press is.  It’s the “changing of a vector… which is a power angle, like hitting a cue ball with a cue…”  In general, forward presses are trying to take away left aim.  This delofts the putter and opens the face. 

The problem is that people forward press so much that they create negative loft which is terrible for trying to roll the ball truly.  Even more, it makes both speed control and direction difficult to achieve. 

While there’s most definitely something to be said for having a trigger, like a forward press, to get things in motion, the negative variables that it brings about tend to create more serious issues. 

In the end, a little bit of forward press can be good.  However, most people do it too much.  For some players, it works great and by all means, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.  However, if you’re forward pressing and not seeing the results you want, it’s probably best to try and negate the motion as much as possible.

Thanks for tuning into to another episode of the Edel Podcast.  We are always hearing from our listeners so feel free to drop us a comment with your thoughts below.