The 5th edition of our Voices of Putting series
Welcome to the fifth edition of Voices of Putting – our ongoing series featuring insights from top SAM Ambassadorsaround the world. In this issue, we asked:
What’s the biggest putting myth you see coaches or players still believe?
From stroke mechanics to equipment beliefs, our ambassadors reveal the misconceptions that continue to hold players back – and what coaches should focus on instead.
Expert Insights from the Field
Santy Garat – The “Accelerate Through the Ball” Myth
“One of the most common myths I see is the idea that you must always accelerate through the stroke. In reality, SAM technology shows that it depends on the player’s movement pattern. Many golfers end up accelerating more than necessary relative to the speed of their backswing, which can lead to inconsistency in speed control.”
SAM PuttLab Report – Inconsistent acceleration increase through impact:
Rolf Kinkel – The ‘New Putter’ Solution
“A persistent myth is that a different or new putter will significantly improve the stroke. I see too many players making the exact same movement with completely different equipment. It’s not the putter – it’s the player’s movement intention that shapes the stroke.”
Tyrus York – Overvaluing Putter Path
“Many players overestimate the importance of putter path. Grinding for hours to create a ‘perfect’ path can make players overly stroke-sensitive. In doing so, they often lose sight of what really matters – start line and speed.”
James Jankowski – The Arc & Rotation Misunderstanding
“I think the industry is improving, but there’s still limited understanding of how arc and rotation interact during the putting stroke. Many people don’t realize that there isn’t one single ‘perfect’ interaction between the two – and that certain interactions are actually undesirable. Understanding those nuances is far more important than chasing a textbook model.”
Nick Iacono – ‘Accelerate Through the Ball’
“Many golfers believe they must accelerate through the ball. However, SAM PuttLab data consistently shows that the best putters are not still accelerating after impact. Trying to do so often leads to speed control issues and inconsistencies.”
SAM PuttLab Report – Acceleration with a perfect release through impact:
Rob Mouwen – ‘Keep the Lower Body Completely Still’
“The most limiting myth I encounter is the absolute insistence on keeping the lower body completely still during the stroke. This often leads to stiff, disconnected, and inconsistent putting. I believe in allowing the body to use its natural coordination. Think of tossing a ball or throwing paper into a bin – there’s subtle, integrated movement that creates balance and precision. The putting stroke is no different. This doesn’t mean excessive movement, but rather a balanced one. Minimal, integrated lower-body movement can enhance rhythm and stability. It’s about finding the player’s personal sweet spot where coordination supports consistency.”
Charles Sandison-Woods – Straight Back & Straight Through
“A common myth is that the sweet spot must travel perfectly straight back and straight through. In reality, the putter head naturally travels on an arc because the stroke occurs on a tilted plane. There’s no need to manipulate the stroke to force it straight.”
.Leon Marks – The Myth of Perfect Symmetry
“The biggest myth is the idea of perfect movement symmetry. Making the backswing and downswing identical sounds appealing, but humans are not symmetrical. The moment of strike is far more important than the motion before or after it.”
Christian Marquardt – The “Perfect Aim” Myth
“A common myth is that Tour players always aim perfectly at the hole. In reality, while all Tour players aim consistently, more than half are not actually aimed directly inside the hole. What they have mastered is starting the ball consistently on their intended line. Many amateurs try hard to aim perfectly and then wonder why they keep missing to the same side. Often, they are perceiving the hole in the wrong position – something that usually can only be corrected by adjusting their distance from the ball.
SAM PuttLab precisely measures both aim angle and impact angle. If your impact angle is consistently square, a slight mis-aim is not a major concern. It is far more important to start the ball precisely on your intended line than to aim perfectly at the hole.”
SAM PuttLab Report – Consistently compensating mis-aim to impact: Ideal putt and ideal corridor:
Want to Learn More?
Discover how SAM PuttLab and SAM PuttStudio can elevate your putting instruction to the highest level. Contact our sales team at sales@scienceandmotion.com or visit www.scienceandmotion.com to get started.
Missed the Last Episodes?
Catch up on Voices of Putting episodes 1-4, now available on GolfWire:
Episode 1 – What’s the one putting skill you focus on most with elite players?
https://thegolfwire.com/science-and-motion-teaching-ambassadors/
Episode 2 – What SAM technology feature do you rely on most?
https://thegolfwire.com/science-and-motion-voices-of-putting/
Episode 3 – How do you use data to simplify putting for your students?
https://thegolfwire.com/voices-of-putting-podcast/
Episode 4 – What’s your favorite putting drill of all time?
https://thegolfwire.com/science-and-motion-putting-drills/
About Science&Motion:
Science&Motion is renowned for its cutting-edge technology in the golf industry, especially in putting. For over 20 years, SAM PuttLab has been the industry standard for professional putt analysis, training, and putter fitting. SAM PuttStudio is a comprehensive ball tracking and projection system for sensor-free putt training, performance drills, and games, including integration with tilting platforms. SAM PuttStudio+ adds SAM PuttLab into the ultimate solution for teaching and coaching putting, with options of adding high-speed video, balance analysis, and more.
Media Contact: Jef Carr, jef.carr@scienceandmotion.com
