Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Friday, 1 January 2010
Putting Mechanics: Do You Have a Problem Under Your Hood?
There is an old saying in golf, “A good putter is a match for anyone, but a poor putter is a match for no one.” I am not certain who said it, but truer words in golf have never been spoken. Fifty percent of all strokes allocated against par are putts. There are many facets to the game of golf, but if you boil it down, golf is simply about getting a small white ball in a four and a half-inch round hole. In this offering, I will share with you four basic keys to develop good putting mechanics. Having taught golf as a professional instructor for many years, I have discovered a few short drills that you can practice in your spare time to improve what I believe is one of the most important aspects of golf.
The first key is the stance. Excellent putting begins with a well-balanced, athletic stance. It is built from the ground up, beginning with your feet, up through your body and out of the top of your head. Your feet need to be spread approximately shoulder width apart with an even distribution of weight. This creates the stable base required to make a balanced stroke. Along with your feet, your knees, hips and shoulders should be parallel to the intended line of the putt (where you want the ball to go). Now, from the hip, tilt your chest forward and push out your backside slightly until you arms hang freely and perpendicular to the ground.
The second key is good posture. To develop a repeatable stroke, you will need good posture, which consists of a slight flex in the knees, body weight evenly distributed between the left and right sides, and a relatively flat back (spine angle). This posture will allow adequate room for your arms and putter to swing like a pendulum. If you can develop and maintain good posture throughout your stroke, you will see more consistent results.
The third key is proper ball position, which is critical to accurate putting. Of the four putting keys we will discuss, I believe that improper ball position is the number one cause of poor putting. The two aspects with regards to proper ball position are distance away from the ball and the placement of the ball in relation to the width of your feet. First, the ball needs to be placed directly under your eyes. Although this sounds simple, this is a very important but common mistake. For a simple drill to practice this, take your putting stance and hold a golf ball between your eyes. From a proper stance and posture, drop the ball. Now, place a coin where the ball lands. This is where your ball should be positioned in relation to your eyes.
Second, the putting stroke should be an arc. As your arms swing, the putter moves away and up before and after the ball; thus creating an arc. Locating the bottom of the ark is the key. Combine the bottom of the arc with the eye position established earlier, and you have the perfect ball position. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished player, incorporating these simple tips will lead to better mechanics and more consistent putting.
How many times have you made wonderfully flowing practice strokes only to strike the ball with something that does not even remotely resemble what you just practiced? This question leads us to the final key to great putting: pressure control. Nervousness while putting will tighten the muscles in both your arms and hands. This increased pressure will cause you to modify your normal stroke. In order to become an accomplished putter, you must find your own way of dealing with pressure. To reduce pressure before you make a putt, squeeze the putter as tightly as you can and then release. The release of pressure will take most of the tension out of your stroke and allow a freer motion through the ball.
For me personally, practice reduces pressure. The more I practice, the more confident I become. After quality practice, I become my biggest fan by using positive self-talk and imagery. Possessing the ability to tell yourself, “I have made this putt hundreds of times,” and visualizing it, can really impact your performance. The next time you practice putting, place about a dozen balls around the hole in a six-foot circle. Practice until you can make all twelve consecutively without a miss. This might take a while, so start small and set some goals. Perhaps for your skill level, three in a row might be a big improvement. Just be sure that it is difficult enough to be a challenge. Each time you practice, add a few more balls until making putts becomes a consistent and confident part of your game.
In closing, some might argue that putting is perhaps the most important facet of the game of golf; after all, a one-foot putt counts the same as a three hundred yard-drive. Take a look at the statistical leaders of the PGA Tour at http://www.pgatour.com and you will find that many times the statistical putting leaders are also the leading money winners. This, however, cannot be said for the longest drivers on tour. If you want to improve your score, spend more time on the putting green fine-tuning the mechanics of your stroke. Who knows? A little quality practice with good mechanics could lead to huge rewards the next time you head to the course.
Anthony Mullins is the President and Coach for The Elite Coaching Alliance. He specializes in leadership development, strategic planning, 1-on-1 coaching, facilitation and inspirational speaking. Anthony is also a member of the PGA of America and has extensively written and spoken about the game of golf and its mechanics. He is the author of the upcoming book "Leadership Links," a creative assembly of the parallels between powerful leadership and golf. Anthony can be reached by e-mail through his website http://www.elitecoachingalliance.com or by phone at 770.344.7975.
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