==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 156 Date 12/17/10 ==================================================== “Golf is a game in which you yell "Fore!", shoot six, and write down five” Paul Harvey ==================================================== TCT Quick Tip - Pendulum Stroke ==================================================== In a pendulum stroke, the backstroke gradually slows to a stillness, then the downstroke starts itself and smoothly accelerates from gravity alone. People are preoccupied about "releasing" the putter. To me the "release" of the putter in a pendulum stroke is when it reaches full momentum at or just beyond the bottom of the stroke. I actually call it a "momentum release", no extra hand action. That's my personal take anyway. Enjoy, Tom ==================================================== Golf Tip: Tour Stats To Know ==================================================== Of the numerous statistics that the PGA Tour collects and displays, here's one that shows results that might be particularly shocking. Proximity to the hole after playing shots from 10 Yards or less. This stat shows the average length putt that a player leaves himself when hitting from off the green, but within 10 yards (30 feet) of the hole. The good news: 31 players averaged getting their ball to within 3 feet of the hole. The bad news: 159 of them miss by more than 3 feet on these crucial shots. The importance of the stat is evident when looking at the difference between results for putts of 3 feet or less versus putts between 3 and 5 feet long, the more common result for the 159 above. The tour average for making putts within 3 feet is 99% or better for the top 134 players, and no worse than 97.5% for the bottom. The tour best for putts 3-5 feet is 94.7%, with the average dropping to below 80% for the bottom 9 players. In addition to the effect on scoring, these conversion differences add pressure to every preceding shot, because the player will start to press to hit shots closer. You may remember that this was exactly the shot that Hunter Mahan left himself on the 17th hole at the Ryder Cup. Monday. The incredible stress he was feeling at that moment clearly interfered with his usual play which would have left him with a putt of just under 4 feet. The 88% success rate he usually shows from that distance would have been much preferred to the 20% or so that he averages from where his duffed shot left him. While this scenario is certainly unusual, this is clearly an area where the pros and the rest of us club golfers have much room for improvement, the kind of improvement that could make our scores a lot better. On a similar note - HATE BOGEY MORE THAN YOU LOVE BIRDIES That's going to be my personal mantra for 2011 Enjoy, Tom