Breaking the Average Barrier – Part 3

“It is much more important to understand what a putt feels like as opposed to what it looks like.” 

I do not think anyone would argue that ball speed control is critical to being better than average at putting. I contend that you are more likely to see the break than you are finding the correct effort to match the read. I would also submit that it is an area of weakness from an instruction perspective. As I speak to other instructors about this subject the following are some of the questions I ask and comments I submit. 

1. 1. How do you judge the distance?  

1. Do you take visual snapshots?  

1. Do you take a visual video?  

1. Do you measure as you might with a field shot? 

1. 2. I suggest that we speak in terms of effort rather than speed as in, “How much effort is required to roll the ball the required distance?” 

2. 
   

3. 3. Do you have a sense of where you apply the most effort in your stroke? 

1. 4. Do you swing the putter, or do you hit the ball? 

1. 5. Once you have judged the distance, do you have a feel for the effort required prior to movement or do you react while you are in motion?  

1. 6. Do you judge the effort required by the length of your stroke or the speed of your hands? 

1. 7. Do you prefer to be past the hole or is short of the hole safer? 

These questions and others help me understand and define the player mechanics or instructor preferences. It is important to suggest there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. They do however identify conflicts. For example, we know if you consider yourself a hitter, a heavy mallet is not the best putter choice.  

As you consider these questions accept what you do and look for a way to use that understanding to be better at what you do, rather than thinking there is a better way and continually changing. Remember every time you make a change you start over. 

 

Breaking the Average Barrier - Part 2

One of the characteristics of the best putters I have known, is that they understand that all putts are different. So, with that thought in mind let us consider how using that one understanding changes our perspective, as we try putt better than average. 

Practice 

I am going presume to speak for all instructors when I say this, “Because striking a ball with a putter is a relatively easy task, there seems to be an assumption that finding the “right” putter or the “right” method, will substitute for the work required to succeed.  

Putting aids and repetitive drills prepare us for a single circumstance when the key to putting well is the ability to adapt to a different circumstance with each putt.  

The attitude of the “above average putters” is different. When interviewed there is a common theme. A ball, a putter, and a putting green and working on the entire process with each putt. A decision on ball speed required, reading the break, finding the appropriate set up for the putt, and then making the stroke. Making conscious decisions to perform an unconscious act. This is a key distinction; most practice regimes do the conscious portion for you.  

Here is a simple example. One of the drills I offer to my clients is to roll golf balls through a gate built with tees. I never ask them to putt through the gate to a target. I only ask to build a stroke that can roll the ball through the gate. But, because most are result based rather than process based, inevitably they connect a hole to the gate. That is where they fall into my trap. Often, I get feedback that says, “I can roll the ball through the gate, but I miss the putt. What is wrong with my stroke?” Nothing! The gate is in the wrong location. They forgot the more important conscious aspects of putting, speed decision, read decision based on speed, the appropriate set up for the putt and went straight to subconscious. They confuse the process of placing the putting gate in the correct location with the result. If you make the goal, ball through the gate, you know immediately if your stroke works or not, which is the goal of the drill. In other words, they let the gate substitute for the conscious aspect of the task. 

Before I get the negative feedback, yes, I do eventually connect the gate to the hole. In fact, all my practice regime is done with no aids other than 4 tees. But each layer of practice is done within a different context and with a specific goal.  

Last bit of advice for today. Do not make your practice regime easy. Do not substitute success at the drill with success on the golf course. Focus on the hard parts and everything gets easier. 

Vision and Putting Interview

 https://gameimprovementgolf.com/182-visual-discipline-in-putting-bruce-rearick-interview/

Recent interview with Tony Wright as we discuss how we discuss some things to think about as we use our vision in putting. 

Breaking The "Average" Barrier.

I started focusing on putting instruction around 15 years ago. I was working for a company that was an early distributor for Science and Motion Puttlab in the US. This was about the same time that Trackman was introduced, so it was the early age of technology for teaching and fitting. While the skeptics outnumbered the believers at the time, I was convinced the technology was the code breaker for putting. Now 15 years later, we have a million times better understanding of the geometry and mechanics involved in the putting stroke. However, over the last 10 years we have not seen any statistical improvement. On Tour we still make about 50% of our putts from 8 feet, which I believe is a benchmark stat, and it has been that way for 10 years. The stats guys will start firing corrections at me at this point, but regardless how we position the numbers, the stats do not tell us why we aren't any better. What they do tell us, clearly, is that ON AVERAGE we have not gotten better!  

When it comes to golf Average is a lousy standard. At least that was something Mr. Palmer always stressed to me. I am getting away from my point, but I know his acceptable standards are what won him his majors, as much as his talent. Performing at an average level might make you better than you are now, but certainly from a competitive point of view, average is not good enough. It becomes a wall or barrier. So, you must ask yourself, has 50% from 8 feet become a barrier and why are we not getting better? The following, idea is not going to be popular but is absolutely a reason to consider. 

Putter Design. 

The idea of more forgiving golf equipment might be helpful from a full swing perspective, but when it comes to the exact nature of putting it is a big step toward average. It is fair to say that those at the highest skill level control impact better than those who are average performers. There have been several studies pertaining to impact that all show the same result. The smaller the dispersion of impact points on the putter the better the performance. Finding the center of the putter is a feel-based task. You make a stroke that provides solid impact, you will copy the feel of that stroke. The problem with many modern designs is that they mask the feedback. An off-center strike “feels” the same as a solid one. The problem is, even with all the technology to help, with a strike on the toe or heel comes different ball performance. What you feel will not match your expectations of read. In effect, you never learn.  

This concept is so important that has become my priority as an instructor. Find the set-up, motion sequence, and putter design where you “flush” every putt. Once you achieve that, you will be well on your way to finding the other information you need. Over the next series of posts, I will expand on some of the other reasons I believe hurt us pertaining to putting. But it all starts with impact.  

Finding Continuity In your Golf Game.

OK, I will be glad to admit this might be my version of a golf Hot Take. But, over the past few months I have seen some real success in looking at full swing tendencies to help putting strokes. So today I put this idea out there for discussion. I admit this is not an original idea. Over the years I have heard several instructors talk about “releasing the club” with a similar feel through the bag. Sean Foley with Tiger Woods is the one that comes to mind first. 

The key component is a match of the trail hand grip. With the help of the ULTIMATE GOLF LESSON screens, I have a new clarity on how a player should grip the putter. Without going into 20 pages of detail, what I am saying is if you play weak in your full swing you should play weak with the putter. Or strong, or neutral or anywhere in between, as long as they match. 

 

As the trail arm extends it seeks a certain orientation, so if the trail hand is out of position, as the forearm rotates the face rotates with it. Shut becomes open, Open becomes shut. In practice, we have asked all players who use what I would call an alternative grip to check using the screen. We rarely see a match. In a sense it is like the hand has a mind of its own. If you argue with it, it fights back. 

Understanding this concept, I now have a more specific answer to the fitting question, “what is the best grip?” The problem is that putter grips are not always designed to match your hands or the orientation of your hands. Also certain grips tend to benefit certain putter designs. The best example is the PingMan grip with a Anser or Newport style putter. Mr. Solheim designed all components of the original Anser to work in harmony. 

 

To anyone who wishes to dig deeper in this and other topics pertaining to putting, I encourage you to participate in my online course this winter, please contact me to sign up. 

BURNT EDGES - Back to Work

Occasionally, over the course of my instruction career, I have taken a break from publishing anything about my research or instruction. I take the time to evaluate every section of my system. What works, what does not, but most important what do not I understand. This time it took much longer to work through. 

This past year has been one of those times. Late last year I was introduced to bio-mechanical concepts put forward by Mike Adams and Terry Rowles. The concepts, called the Ultimate Golf Lesson Screens, identify physical characteristics in a combination unique to every player. I am in no way qualified to explain in detail how they work. I will only say pertaining to putting their application has been a game changer!  

ULTIMATE GOLF LESSON

ZANDERGOLF

FREEBIRD GOLF

On a side note, if you are an instructor or player who wants to understand the swing better, you must investigate these concepts. Regardless of any theory or method you believe, you are going to understand it better with this information. 

Luckily for me it was a perfect mesh with the 9 Profiles. Perfect. Biomechanics dictate set up. Set up dictates stroke path. Match movement patterns to setup, pick a putter that is balanced to the defined stroke. Also lucky for me I have had the opportunity to work with some top instructors to test the system. I want to thank all my clients, who continue to work with me applying and testing the system  

I have always used this blog as a form of peer review. Take the concepts I am working through and put them out to the public. I will continue to do so. So, I hope that those who have visited this blog over the year will continue to do so.  

To my past and current clients there will be an update to the Reference Guide coming very soon, that will be emailed to you upon completion. There are 3 Guides now. How to define your Best Stroke. Putter Fitting to the Definition. Putting Strategies. I will be using Zoom or FaceTime to provide an open forum for my clients to discuss, argue and defend the concepts presented. I am also going to be offering putters built to match the system. The first 10 prototypes are finished. If you interested in participating by getting one and working with me on getting the correct fit, please reach out. 

If you are interested in becoming a client either as a player or instructor, feel free to reach out as well. I have some openings and would enjoy working with you. 

Finally, a word of gratitude to Mike Adams, Terry Rowles, Josh Zander, and Brett Freeman for allowing me to collaborate with you and sharing your students with me. It has been a blast and I hope we can continue working toward breaking the putting code. We are close.