Breaking the Average Barrier - Part 4

As I continue to compare average performances on the putting greens with an exceptional ones, rarely do I hear comments about the quality of the putting stroke. More often I hear comments about the ability to see or predict the path of the putt, "I could really see the line today." Or a comment like, “ I had a good feel for the greens today.” You can call this aspect of putting a number of things. Read, visualization, decision making, and many more are accurate descriptions of the pre-putt process. Being an old guy, I prefer the term visualization, as that is the phrase that my mentors used to describe the process. So for the sake of this discussion let's use that term.

As I was taught, visualization is a two part process. First part, the ability to “see or picture” the path the ball will travel as I calibrate the texture of the grass and the influence of the slopes. The second part is the ability to “feel” how much effort will be required to match what I see. Think of this combination, as a complete rehearsal of the upcoming event in your head. 

The secret of visualization is the ability to match what you see to how it will feel. 

As every player and every putt form a unique combination, there is no possible “one size fits all” solution to this problem. The following are some thought provokers on how to build your visualization strategy.

As you process the requirements of the putt, how do apply the conclusions to your choice of direction? 

    For example do you see the direction of the putt in a linear manner, or straight line to a point left or right of the hole? Or do you see the putt as a curved path from start to finish. Or do you see it as a combination of both. 

How do you create speed with the putter? 
Do you regulate the effort based on the strike,  or the length of the stroke, or do you change the rhythm of your stroke to increase or decrease the tempo. (BTW the latter is a very successful technique that has been coached out of many strategies)

How do you process the distance the ball must travel?
Do you do it numerically? Where the effort is calibrated to a number. Much like I would with a full swing club.

Do you process it visually? Do I putt to a mental picture. Or do I look at the hole when I putt. 

How do you transfer the process of defining distance to a feel?
Mentally - A subconscious effort?
Physically - Practice strokes?

These are some of many questions I ask in my sessions online or face to face. Each answer produces the next question. It is interesting how these understandings lead to answers of mechanical problems much like a discussion of mechanical issues help visualization skills. The key point is they are not separate. Feel or mechanics have to match visualization or decision process.