Too Much Skid

This example shows a putt that has skidded too much. The ball doesn't start to roll forward until 1.41 inches, however, no significant forward rotation is achieved until after 3 inches...

While the ball is skidding it is easier for it to be deflected off line by imperfections in the green, for example, spike marks, pitch marks, footprints, grain... This deflection will cause a putt that started on the intended line to miss the hole and /or lose speed too quickly as a result of sliding into a slope or grain.

The above example skids for the first 1.41 inches before starting to roll. By the time the ball has travelled 12", the software highlights the fact that the ball has only rotated 173.52º compared to 227.74º in the ideal putt.

Obviously the harder a putt is struck, the more the tendency of the ball to skid...

Causes of unacceptable skid

• too much static loft on the putter
• ineffective putter face technology
• too much dynamic loft at impact
• breaking the wrist (flipping) just before impact
• having the ball too far forward in the stance