[bray]

golfbulldog,

Thanks for your interest in my thread here......To answer some of your questions I have been using the Z-Factor for approximately three weeks with my students......and I do teach my students whatever stroke (straight back straight through or arc) fits best with their personality, mindset, physical traits, tempo, etc..I do believe that the straight back straight through stroke is very hard to do because it requires a manipulation of the hands.....I have also been toying around with the Z-Factor because my putting has not been the greatest over the last year.

The setting I find most useful for teaching on the Z-Factor is the most curved arc(red setting), this pattern is actually based off of Brad Faxon's Stroke and really encourages the student to swing in to in......One of the flaws I see a lot is students who tend to go out on their backswing which is not ideal, I would prefer to see the putterhead arcing in or moving straight back.

In regards to your questions on face balanced putters I belive this goes into putter fitting.....In my opinion the student must be fit to putter that they can properly aim at address before stroke style is taken into consideration. If the student can't aim the putter where they intend then they must now make a compensation in the stroke to get it on the intended line....once a putter is found that the student can aim, then stroke characteristics can be considered......I know David Orr and others on this site have some great input on putter fitting as well....maybe this thread will get jumping with their input as well, I don't mind the thread taken that direction.

Golfbulldog thanks again for you input and post it helps me continue to learn!

Sorting Through the Instructor's Textbook.

B-Ray