| I was going through some of my old golf books and | | | | a solid framework that enables you to run the putter |
| I came across David Leadbetter's 100% Golf which I | | | | back and forth on a repeating path. The feel in our |
| picked up a few years back. If you're looking for | | | | hands and arms has to enjoy that sort of back up. I |
| some great putting tips that the pros use, you can't | | | | see so many golfers who take the putter back too |
| do much better hearing what Leadbetter has to say | | | | far outside or inside the line, with little consistency. |
| as he is the coach of coaches and is generally | | | | This exercise will help to correct that, and all you |
| recognized as the "man who invented the golf | | | | need is an empty plastic water bottle. Stick it under |
| instruction industry." | | | | your left arm, and makes sure that as you swing |
| Although he spends most of the book discussing and | | | | back you maintain that pressure on your chest. It |
| dissecting the golf swing, he has a few putting tips | | | | really makes the shoulders, arms and chest work |
| that can help all of us who are looking to improve our | | | | together. And the more you maintain this relationship, |
| play on the greens. The three practice techniques | | | | the more reliable your stroke will be as you swing the |
| listed below discuss your putter's face angle at | | | | putter back and through. Practice on the putting |
| impact, how to synchronize your natural body motion | | | | green, or on the carpet at home. Do it regularly, and |
| for smoother putts, and how to maintain a consistent | | | | in a very short space of time your putting will |
| rhythm regardless of the length of your putt. | | | | noticeably improve as you learn to control the stroke |
| Rather than waste your time trying to explain the | | | | with the bigger, more dependable muscles in the |
| coach's putting tips in my own words, I have copied | | | | upper body" (Leadbetter, 100% Golf, p. 205). |
| the drills exactly as they appear in in the book with | | | | One-handed Roll |
| the appropriate page numbers. | | | | "I advise working on a relatively short, compact |
| 'Trap the Gate' for a Positive Roll | | | | action from close range. But as you get further out, |
| "Having the ball come solidly off the middle of the | | | | so your stroke will get longer and move |
| putter-face is the key to starting the ball on line and | | | | progressively inside the ball-to-target line. That's |
| rolling it consistently on the green. Mishit the ball, | | | | perfectly natural. Just make sure that as the length |
| without that positive acceleration, and you're in | | | | of the putt increases, your rhythm remains |
| trouble. The drill you see here can help you to train | | | | consistent. |
| your stroke and result in you making solid contact | | | | Think in terms of saying to yourself, 'one' as you |
| more often. | | | | flow the putter back and 'two' as you then release it |
| All you have to do is stick two tees into the green | | | | on the way through. A light grip pressure will enable |
| to make a small gate, one that's just wide enough | | | | you to do this instinctively. One thing you must never |
| for the ball to fit through. Place a ball in the gate so | | | | do, particularly on a lengthy putt, is make a short |
| that only half of it is there to be struck, and then | | | | backswing and then stab at the ball in the mistaken |
| make your stroke, rapping the putter against the | | | | belief you can determine the weight of the putt at |
| gate to set the ball running towards the back of the | | | | the moment of impact. The only safe way to control |
| hole. Focus on trapping the ball and the tees | | | | the distance you roll the ball is to 'measure' the length |
| together, so that the putter-face strikes the gate | | | | of your stroke, increasing it as required to create |
| flush every time. Im just a few minutes, this will give | | | | more momentum, and speed off the putter. |
| you a terrific sense of striking your putts with real | | | | Hitting a few putts with the right hand is a great |
| authority - as you should from this range. | | | | way to improve this 'feel' and get a sense of |
| Another benefit of this drill is that it teaches you time | | | | releasing the putter to get the ball rolling across the |
| importance of keeping your head nice and still over | | | | green. What I particularly like about this drill is the |
| the ball. The trick is to keep your eyes focused on | | | | way it highlights this element of 'lag' in the hand as |
| the tees (as opposed to following the ball) as you | | | | the wrist 'gives' in to the weight of the putter. It's |
| make your stroke and hold your finish. Do that and | | | | one of those intangible qualities that can be hard to |
| you will find that you keep your head and your body | | | | understand until you experience it yourself. So swing |
| steady all the way through impact - another | | | | the putter with the right hand only, and get the ball |
| important factor in the search for a consistent | | | | rolling" (Leadbetter, 100% Golf, p. 116). |
| stroke" (Leadbetter, 100% Golf, p. 115). | | | | There are a few more putting tips that Leadbetter |
| Water Bottle | | | | describes in his book but I picked the three that I |
| "The art of synchronizing your body motion with the | | | | thought made the most sense. I'll be honest, I have |
| arms and hands is just as important with a putter in | | | | only ever tried the "tap the gate" technique and not |
| your hands as it is in the full swing. I'm not talking | | | | the other two but you better believe that I'll try |
| about creating a mechanical stroke to the point of it | | | | anything the "coach of coaches" teaches his players! |
| being 'wooden', but you do want to work on creating | | | | |