DaveLeeNC

I would guess that 99% of the golfers out there have ZERO expectation of a specific loft at impact. But I had not considered this. I putt left hand low with a slight forward shaft lean at address (such that the putter shaft tends to point up my lead forearm). Maybe this improvement that I am feeling is related to a more optimum effective loft at impact. dave

OP on this thread, here. Recently I started to focus VERY STRICTLY on zero wrist movement and (secondarily) a strictly rocking motion to power the putter. This is (it seems) improving my lag distance results (as well as my ability to start the ball online). Unfortunately my on course results have been interrupted by a minor hamstring injury, but that is my definite sense of things at this point. BTW, if a month ago you had asked me if I had any wrist motion in my putting I would have said no. I would have been wrong. The physical difference is really small, BTW. dave

Actually it isn't the source of swing faults - it is the caretaker/protector of swing faults (IMHO). dave

I am going to add two more interesting lines to compare (in red). dave

I was you (20some years ago). I played as a kid and a couple years after college and then left the game (life got in the way) until I retired around age 54. I started playing again and in a year or two got down to a 5'ish index (my distances were similar to yours). That index bounced around in the 4.5 to 6.5 range for a decade or so. I half way stopped playing around age 65 for a couple years (played a couple times a month). In the last 3 or so years I have started back in earnest (DOB 1949). I have lost a solid 40 yards off the tee since my early 60's. I now struggle to maintain an index under 10 (but with some work and help am currently at 8.9). In looking back I got some helpful coaching on coming back to golf (also some unhelpful, to me, coaching as well). I ended up just learning to manage my swing myself. But the helpful coaching was quite helpful Rather than focus on my weaknesses I focused on 'what would respond to effort'. And I was a stats nerd and probably had more detailed stats than 99.9% of the golfing world (at least back then) I am a slow learner and don't blame my lack of progress from coaching necessarily on the coaches. But you need to pick carefully and I have no idea how to make that judgement in the general case. More recently I have utilized @MonteScheinblum online help and that was meaningful (but I am still painfully slow in making changes). FYI, things really had gone badly downhill (even on an age adjusted basis). Had I a chance for a do-over here, I would ask the question "Monte, where were you in 2005". Other than that - no regrets. dave

Note the 'tongue in cheek' comment (as in 'not intended to be taken seriously). And I don't know how you ended up with that move (that I have never seen before at that point in the swing). It could be some kind of subconscious move to avoid the shanks (or not). IMHO, you could end up with a darn good golf game with a bit of work - way less work than many/many golfers would have to undertake. dave

This has been mentioned by others, but your first move "away" from the ball is the most efficient I have ever seen. This is a tongue in cheek comment referencing the the fact that tilting backwards gets you further from the ball (per inch of movement) than motion in any other plane. dave

I believe that we have a winner - and the railroad ties are to be delivered tomorrow. dave

For me focusing on finishing my swing with turn rather than arm/wrist motion is helpful. dave