Now try to slowly duplicate that signature. Not so easy. The reason is, you're thinking about it and not tapping into your subconscious, the way you did when you signed the first time. Putting is no different. The best putters see their target line and then roll the ball on that line, just like you saw the paper and then signed it. The lesson is, keep it natural, and don't let yourself get bogged down by anything.
With the help of my sons, Ron and Dave Jr., I've developed a philosophy
that focuses on this notion but also incorporates basic tips for
improving your setup and stroke--the same tips I've given major
champions like Phil Mickelson and Yani Tseng. Our method might really
differ from what you do now, but it's the most effective way to roll the
ball into the hole.
1) Lead with your Left - If you shot a free throw with your right hand only, you'd realize you
need your left hand as a guide. The same is true on the greens: The left
hand is the direction hand, and it's just as important as the right.
Practice putting left-hand-only (right), or have someone hold a
club in front of your hands on the target line. Bump the grip with the
back of your hand, not your fingers, like Dave Jr. is doing.
2) Think roll, not hit - The
key to distance control is to roll the ball, not hit it. To do this,
take an open stance, your weight slightly favoring your left side and
your putter shaft leaning toward the target. The open stance makes it
easier to feel the left hand going out and down the target line. The
forward lean offsets the 4 degrees of loft I recommend for a putter and
helps the ball roll smoothly.
When you make the stroke, keep the putterhead low to the ground past impact, like Ron is demonstrating (inset).
The putter will ascend slightly, but don't try to hit up on the ball --
whoever told you to do that was wrong, because it makes the ball hop.
3) Use your fingers - Grip the putter any way you like, as long as it doesn't hinder your left
hand's role in the stroke. But make sure to grip the club in your
fingers. The shaft should run up the lifeline of your left hand for
clubface control, but your fingers must contact the grip. You can drop
the right forefinger down the shaft, but don't steer with it. Forget
about what your palms are doing. Fingers equal feel.
4) Spot the spot - If you stare at the ball
too long at address, it's easy to get brain-locked and hit a bad putt.
To avoid this, I don't even look at the ball. Try looking at a spot just
in front of the ball on your target line and rolling the ball over that
spot. Put a tee in the ground in front of the ball when you practice (right). This gets you thinking about the target line instead of the stroke--the opposite of what most golfers do.
Another trick to free your mind is to picture the ball going in on the
high side of the hole on a breaking putt. Most golfers miss low. For
this left-to-right putt (below), I want the ball to enter the cup well left of center.
Read more; http://www.golfdigest.com/story/putting-dave-stockton
Related article: Lessons learned about Golf and Life
No comments:
Post a Comment