Last week a tour player came down to my place to work on his golf swing. He made the cut at the FEDEX, but came down immediately following his last round before heading home out west.
We worked for a couple of hours on basic principles of the golfswing such as prelimenary address, hinging, and going down and out to full extension.
Before he left, I asked him some things about putting. Afterall, he is known as a great putter and he's been on tour for 20 or so years. This is what he said:
Concentrate on the "whole" ball during the stroke. Alot of us tend to watch the putterhead move back. If you do this you will not putt well.
The average putter length on tour is 34 inches.
Most of the great putters putt with their hands closer rather than farther away from their body.
Practice moving the putter at YOUR rythm. I know what mine is, make sure you know what yours is.
Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.
Will have to try the "whole" ball concept as I am guilty of watching the putterhead.
Originally Posted by vj
Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.
"Remember boys, aim small, miss small." Mel Gibson in The Patriot
Of course he made a hole with the ball.
Originally Posted by vj
Concentrate on the "whole" ball during the stroke. Alot of us tend to watch the putterhead move back. If you do this you will not putt well.
The average putter length on tour is 34 inches.
Most of the great putters putt with their hands closer rather than farther away from their body.
Practice moving the putter at YOUR rythm. I know what mine is, make sure you know what yours is.
Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.
Thanks for the tips vj.
I think it's bunk to look at one concentrated spot on the ball too...I'm gonna try to kinda "defocus" on the whole ball....I'm also guilty of watching the putterhead from time to time....usually happens when you're unsure/anxious I think.
The tempo thing is good too.....everyone tells me my stroke is too long....I don't think it really is.....that's just the way I do it. Like David Toms type-deal.
...
I also like to pick out a small target to roll the ball over....usually about a foot away so my aiming is fool-proof.
With the tempo idea I think a metronome is invaluable. My tempo is pretty slow, I found 55 beats per minute is perfect for my stroke so I just set the metronome accordingly and work on distance control with it on the entire time. As an example, Dave Pelz says his stroke is at 70 beats per minute. Start on one beat, end of backstroke on the next beat, impact at the next beat.
Matt
I like the whole ball concept. Similar to Tennis, when I play badly, I'm watching my opponent and not the ball....
vj
I am a fairly good putter...and I sometimes practice putting not looking at the ball but rather at the hole. It is amazing how the eyes can communicate to the hands the direction and force required. There also is no head movement when using this putting drill. I have had friends even do this for an entire round of golf.
When player's eyes begin to anticipate the hit problems can arise. Most always it is because their practice of mechanics is lacking, however, the eyes need to be calm when you putt. If looking at the hole remedies this for a while....great!
Originally Posted by vj
Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.
This is great advice. I use this in
ALL shots, including putting. I would add: this intermediate target should be as close to the ball as you can get it. It's always easier to aim at a blade of grass within 6 inches of the ball, rather than at a hole that's 40 feet away.
Seemingly, the better putters aim precisely and use a close intermediate target. The worst putters aim in a general area that's too far away from the ball.
Most players don't aim well because they have never been puttter fit 2 Aim....David Edel....is the next Scotty Cameron..His fitting system is superior to all others and His artwork is as good ....if not better than the "Crown" of Putters..Mr. Cameron...
Putter Fit..
Head Design
Head Material
Hosel Shape
Offset
Impact Loft
Lie
Length
Etc...
www.edelgolf.com
Originally Posted by annikan skywalker
Most players don't aim well because they have never been puttter fit 2 Aim....David Edel....is the next Scotty Cameron..His fitting system is superior to all others and His artwork is as good ....if not better than the "Crown" of Putters..Mr. Cameron...
Putter Fit..
Head Design
Head Material
Hosel Shape
Offset
Impact Loft
Lie
Length
Etc...
www.edelgolf.com
Got one...love it!
Looks like an interesting fitting system---too bad it's mostly west coast locations. Guess I'll continue to base my putter selection on feel.
Originally Posted by vj
Concentrate on the "whole" ball during the stroke. Alot of us tend to watch the putterhead move back. If you do this you will not putt well.
Aim as small as possible. Never aim at an area, aim at the smallest thing possible, like a blade of grass or the edge of an old ball mark. This way if you miss that quarter inch target you will still have a chance of hitting the 4.25 inch target.
This is very similar to the "Quiet Eye" theory that GD wrote about a while back. The best putters focused on the back of the ball and a small spot in the cup or on the line whereas poor putters gaze was all over the place.
Originally Posted by dcg1952
Looks like an interesting fitting system---too bad it's mostly west coast locations. Guess I'll continue to base my putter selection on feel.
Don't rely on feel...she will lie to you just to get in your pockets...Just because she looks good and feeels good doesn't mean she's someone you should be married to....I had a Napa by Scotty Cameron... given to me by PGA Tour Player, Neal Lancaster...beautiful putter..best feeling of all of them...
from 6 ft on a laser I aimed approx. 2 cups to the left then proceded to ruin my stroke by downstroke loading and blocking them right into the hole occasionally....now putting with a "Fax Day"...Circle T..Not hte purttiest girl at the dance ....feels good in my arms and I can split her in the middle!!! with a laser ..she's lookin where I'm lookin!! So it's not a sale for edelgolf..just the best putter fitting you can get!!!!!No matter what the brand!!!!
Originally Posted by lagster
Players known as good putters...
I heard Dave Stockton say the other day that he thought Michelle Wie had a good stroke... "but it looks like she is TRYING TO MAKE THEM." He said something like, "just make a good putt, and let the ball get in the way of the hole." "Don't try to make it." Maybe this in TGMese is similar to STEERING, which is related to QUITTING.
I think that this is a good point in that "hole line" steering on breaking putts inevitably, in my hands, leads to misses! BUT some concept of distance to target is needed. Distance targets don't cause steering problems though. There was a recent article in golf monthly, i think,which showed benefit of putting whilst looking at hole throughout the entire stroke. Took less than 30 mins practice for a group of average players to outlag putt a similar group of players who spent the same 30 mins practice normal style. Effect not present on short putts though.
Not sure of quality of statistical analysis of their study but they claimed about 9 inch difference between two groups. ie one left putt 2.5 feet from hole, other 3.25 feet from hole. Not massive but it helps my lag putting alot, except where there are large up/downhill breaks. All i feel in my hands is the weight of putt that my eyes feed into coconut!
FORGET STROKE MECHANICS - helps me - but to get to next level will need to bring some analysis back into game, i think. Tiger's long putts in Hoylake were superb!!! Forget critics of the "patchy" greens - that is what they look like in summertime - he just putted well!!
Stan Utley says he is PROCESS ORIENTED, rather than TARGET ORIENTED when putting. He thinks one should have some mechanical thoughts, and if a good stroke is made, the putt will be good.
I would think you need to be one or the other. Mixing them... may cause a yip attack.
What makes putts? A combination of speed and line makes putts. How do you make more putts? Practice your mechanics, practice "target conscious" putting, Practice putting just as you play. After hours and hours of practicing the above, putting becomes pretty simple. Remember not to live in just one area of the putting game. Practice all three elements as Homer set forth.
Originally Posted by vj
What makes putts? A combination of speed and line makes putts. How do you make more putts? Practice your mechanics, practice "target conscious" putting, Practice putting just as you play. After hours and hours of practicing the above, putting becomes pretty simple. Remember not to live in just one area of the putting game. Practice all three elements as Homer set forth.
You should also practice reading greens or at least study how and put into practice green reading techniques. The best putting stroke in the world will miss most of the time if the putt is misread. The great putters are all great readers of the green and it is a skill that can be acquired.
Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus
You should also practice reading greens or at least study how and put into practice green reading techniques. The best putting stroke in the world will miss most of the time if the putt is misread. The great putters are all great readers of the green and it is a skill that can be acquired.
Totally agree!!!
Learn to read direction and speed..
VARDA
Originally Posted by golfbulldog
I think that this is a good point in that "hole line" steering on breaking putts inevitably, in my hands, leads to misses! BUT some concept of distance to target is needed. Distance targets don't cause steering problems though. There was a recent article in golf monthly, i think,which showed benefit of putting whilst looking at hole throughout the entire stroke. Took less than 30 mins practice for a group of average players to outlag putt a similar group of players who spent the same 30 mins practice normal style. Effect not present on short putts though.
As an aside in snooker it is common practice to be taught to look at the object ball and not the cue ball. In fact looking at the cue ball is often described as a fault as its said to be like playing with your eyes closed. I find this an interesting fact as the striking of the cue ball in snooker is just as if not more a precise task than the golf putt.
Originally Posted by danny_shank
As an aside in snooker it is common practice to be taught to look at the object ball and not the cue ball. In fact looking at the cue ball is often described as a fault as its said to be like playing with your eyes closed. I find this an interesting fact as the striking of the cue ball in snooker is just as if not more a precise task than the golf putt.
This is the equivalent of much of the golfing "hoary old chestnuts" that still prevent us from playing golf as well as we might.
No good focusing on what we are not involved with. We, in your example - and I play a lot of snooker - must focus on the ball being struck by the cue. Imprecise contact with the cue ball, despite focussing on the object ball, will damn the shot to eternity.
A golfer, as should a snooker player, must focus on what he is hitting rather then what he is hitting at.
Sure, make your alignments and set out your objectives and ways of acheiving them - then focus on what you need to do to get the job done. That is hitting the golf/snooker ball correctly and accurately.
If the preparation you did before striking the golf/snooker ball was thorough then the outcome, when focussing on the primary objective - the golfball/cue ball - should be a forgone conclusion.
Good thread.
Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus
You should also practice reading greens or at least study how and put into practice green reading techniques. The best putting stroke in the world will miss most of the time if the putt is misread. The great putters are all great readers of the green and it is a skill that can be acquired.
Why are the great putters great readers?
What makes one a great reader of greens?
What are the skills?
Originally Posted by Homerson
Why are the great putters great readers?
Sort of a chicken / egg situation. Basically, though, pure strokes in the wrong direction with the wrong speed miss. Great putters are known for not missing much and certainly not when it counts most.
Originally Posted by Homerson
What makes one a great reader of greens? What are the skills?
Attention to detail. Acute awareness of surroundings. Knowledge of agronomy. Look, look, look, at every ball that rolls on the green from any direction. Each will offer clues. Course architecture / construction will dictate paths for drainage for each green (find the drains). Feel the slope with your feet as you walk the green. Good eyes. Lasik hasn't been a big hit on tour just because the guys look better without glasses. Finally,
supreme confidence in the read is paramount. There can be no doubt; the best
always commit to the line and speed dictated by their read. There are probably many that I have missed that folks will point out.
