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Newsletter - Issue 142 Date 07/12/10
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Equipment - Books - DVD's - Instruction 
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If you are a student of the game, and enjoy different perspectives on aspects
of the golf swing, get the book  "Instinct Putting" by Eric Anfels, Bob Christine PH.D.,
and Cary Heath, PH.D.

The main tip in this issue was derived from this book.

Enjoy,

Tom


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TCT Quick Tips - Wind Effects On The Putting Green
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It is generally only necessary to consider the wind effects when it gets to above 
3 mph on the green’s surface. 

Otherwise, you should not try to correct for the wind. 

A green surface crosswind will affect a downhill putt more than an uphill putt 
because the ball is travelling more slowly on the downhill putt 

Enjoy,

Tom


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Golf Tip: Instinct Putting
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Hey folks, I seriously think this is one of the most important putting 
practice tips ever, try it, you'll like it.

I recently saw or heard "Instinct Putting" referenced somewhere, so I hunted
down a copy of the book at Amazon, got it in the mail July 2nd, and read it in 
one sitting.

In the book the authors make a compelling argument for at least practicing
 - if not playing - by putting while looking at the hole instead of while looking
at the ball in the traditional manner.

They did their due diligence and cited several legitimate studies that indicate
that your lag putting can definitely be improved with the method, as well as short
putts - but not as much for the short putts.

The main reason they say this works is that many golfers lose track of the
line or forget the stroke for the putt at hand when they look at the ball while
executing a stroke .... especially so if they don't stroke the ball quickly after their 
last look at the target.

There is a lot more interesting information in the book buttressing their claims,
but that's the essence of it.

I can attest to the fact that I saw a pro at the US Open putt a lag putt that way
this year and make the putt, but I don't remember who it was - it wasn't a 
marquee name.

I also saw a senior tour player who was in contention at this year's Senior PGA
Championship - Jay Don Blake, finished 8th - putting with this method: he looked 
at the hole, looked at the ball. started the backstroke for his putt, 
THEN looked at the hole just before he started his forward stroke and stroked 
the putt while looking at the hole, not the ball. 

I know that looking at the hole is one of the appealing aspects for me for the
"face on" putting style, but I also like that stroke method.

After I read the book, I changed some of my putting practice as follows:
when I have time before a round, I usually like to take four or five balls and lag them
to the same target, then hole out the short putts. Then I repeat the drill to another hole, 
then another hole, etc. until I'm ready to go to the tee.

I changed that drill as follows: now I take four balls, putt two traditionally, 
then putt two while looking at the hole.

Before I started doing the drill, I was getting most of my lag putts close enough
for a "no sweat" second putt, but I was usually leaving them a little short of the hole.

When I practiced with my new drill, I noticed that the putts I stroked while looking 
at the hole invariably got to the hole or past it more often than with the traditional method
of putting.

In the rounds that I've played since practicing this way, I have been getting the
ball to the hole much better on the long lag putts, and have made several for birdies.

I'm still putting traditionally while playing, but the new practice drill has definitely had
the desired effect of getting the ball to the hole better on lag putts.

Actually, I take that back - once in awhile I will lag putt while looking at 
the hole while I'm playing a round, but I stick with tradition on the shorter putts.

Here's a way to talk yourself through this type of practice. ( When you say "Target"
to yourself you look at the target, when you say "Ball" you look at the ball. )

When you are taking the traditional putt, as you go into your stroke sequence,
you say to yourself: Target...Target...Ball... then stroke the putt traditionally.

When you are taking the putt while looking at the hole, as you go into your stroke sequence,
you say to yourself: Target...Ball...Target... then stroke the putt while looking at the hole.

If you've taken a putting lesson from me, this should be easy to understand.  If you
don't understand it, well ... take a putting lesson :-)

It's that simple, try it - I think you'll be amazed by the results.

Skeptics may say "Hey Tom, if it's so good why aren't more touring pros doing it?"

That's a good question, and I can only offer that certain paradigms in golf are hard to break;
plus touring pros practice putting so much that they are all exceptionally good at recording
the line and the stroke in their brain during their pre shot routine.

For those of you that do not have the time or inclination to practice as much as a touring
pro, this type of practice might be the big secret!

Enjoy,

Tom