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Patient: Male Age: 34 Current handicap: 10 Lowest handicap: 9 Plays: Four or five times a month Practices: Two or three times a month Ailment: I used to be a cautious putter and always tried to die putts into the hole. I was steady, but didn’t make a ton of putts. After watching Tiger Woods for the past several years, I’ve noticed that he runs his putts aggressively into the hole. I’m trying that but have increased my number of three-putts as a result. Can you suggest a happy medium? Prescription: Visualization, grip pressure, breathing and a routine you can take to the course are crucial elements of putting. The best putters combine the visual focus of a line into the hole with an image of their ball rolling on that line at the desired speed. Remember: Speed dictates the line you choose. Here’s a drill that will help: Set four toothpicks on a line on the green 2 feet apart. Set up about 3 feet from the first toothpick and diagonal to the line of toothpicks. Stand behind the ball and see a line to the last toothpick. Visualize your ball stopping at the toothpick. Set up to your ball and stare at the last toothpick, not your ball. Stroke your putt as you look at the toothpick, and repeat that routine as you set up to the next toothpick in the line. Notice that the more you focus on the toothpick, the better you are at speed control. Continue until you putt to each toothpick once. Now add breathing and grip pressure to the drill. Set up to your ball, stare at a toothpick, take a deep breath, relax your shoulders and stroke your putt as you approach completion of your exhalation. Your grip pressure should be lighter. Use the same technique for putting to the other toothpicks. You’re now ready to bring your eyes back to the ball. Take a deep breath as you look back and forth at the toothpick. Take a mental picture of the toothpick and bring that image back to the ball as you exhale and relax your shoulders. Repeat until you continue to see the toothpick and the ball is a blur as you stare through it and see the toothpick. Notice that the image fades rather quickly. Relaxing your shoulders will prime you for a solid stroke and the picture will give you precise speed control. Repeat the drill to the toothpicks and choose whatever speed you want, but I wouldn’t vary speed control unless the green dictates it. |
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