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Tom's Featured Tip: Spin Axis Tilt and Putting, plus Tiger's Putting
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
I'm going to talk about Tiger's putting in last weeks Valspar PGA Tournament first, then I'll give you an unusual but awesome putting tip second.
Tiger
I loved Tiger's performance last weekend at the Valspar, he's back for sure. I mean a 129 mph swing speed on the 14th hole on Saturday, are you kidding me!
I also expected what I saw from his putting on Sunday's round, because even the best ever has to re-learn the pressure of being in contention on a Sunday. He was tending to squeeze the stick a little and not getting the proper pace on a few makeable putts. That's to be expected. He has his full swing and short game under control, pressure putting is a part of the process that can only be re-visited under tournament pressure, and that piece of the puzzle will be solved in short order.
I did take issue with a comment that I heard from a commentator on the Golf Channel as he watched Tiger practicing right hand only putts on the putting green before his round on Sunday.
He said that Tiger was practicing feeling the putter head release during his stroke with that drill. That may or may not be the case, I thought that Tiger was just getting a feel for his short putts stroke.
I'll give him a pass on that one but not on what he said next: that both Tiger and Brant Snedecker were "hitters" rather than "strokers" of putts.
A "hit" putting stroke is long back, short through stroke at the ball. A "stroke" putting stroke, is more of a same distance back and through pendulum type swing through the ball.
Snedeker is definitely a "pop" putter, a "hitter" rather than a stroker, but there's no way that Tiger's stroke resembles that in any way, shape, or form. Tiger has a little inside to down the line arcing stroke, but it's pure "stroke", not a "hit".
Surprising Putting Tip
If you are consistently missing those left edge and right edge putts, the reason might be something that you've never thought of.
After you understand the simplicity of this tip, I hope you feel that it's as significant as I do. Unlike most tips which normally benefit high handicap players more than low handicap players, this tip applies to all players equally.
I've addressed spin axis tilt in previous issues and how it's responsible for ball flight curvature. This is how it also applies to putting, and it's almost totally overlooked by most amateurs as well as a lot of pro's.
Full swing ball flight curvature.
If the spin axis of the ball is not tilting at all, it doesn't curve at all. If the ball spin axis tilts right, the ball curves from left to right. If it tilts left, the ball curves from right to left.
On full swings, intentional curvature can be obtained by controlling the strike to produce a differential between your clubface angle and swing path direction to produce the desired curvature.
Here's how spin axis tilt can also have a profound effect on your putting - especially those short, delicate breaking putts.
Here are a few facts about putters and putting that I want to review with you based on many years of my own research as well as expert research from Dave Pelz and Geoff Mangum :
- Most putters have around three degrees of loft built into their face.
- The two most common stroke paths utilized by the pros are arcing to down the line, and essentially
straight back - straight through.
- Straight back - straight through can mean exactly that, like Bryson DeChambeau's stroke, or a stroke that arcs very minimally
but
keeps the face square to the arc like Phil Mickleson's stroke.
- When a ball is putted correctly, there is a distance of skidding before the ball starts into true roll.
- "Putted correctly" means catching the ball on the upward part of your putting stroke stroke arc vs. at the low point of the arc, or the downstroke part of the arc.
Here's the meat of the tip: if you launch a putt with spin axis tilt, even a tiny amount of if, it will kick very slightly in one direction or another when it hits the ground. The harder you hit the putt, the more it will kick off line.
Here are the three rules you need to know:
- right spin axis tilt - ball kicks slightly left
- left spin axis tilt - ball kicks slightly right
- more spin (harder, more oblique stroke) produces a more severe kick
If you have a putt that breaks left to right and you aim for the left edge, and if you strike the putt in a way that generates right spin axis tilt, you'll miss the putt on the high side (left side) and will wonder how it could have happened. It happened because the ball kicked left when it initially struck the ground, just enough to make you miss a putt that requires a precise match of speed and break.
The same would be true if everything was the opposite.
If you have a straight putt, get the right line, then impart spin axis tilt on the putt, you could throw it off enough to miss that type of putt too.
So if you've been baffled by a miss where you are positive that you had the correct line, or if you are in a scramble and watch putts struck on the same line miss in different directions, spin axis tilt is the likely culprit.
Here's how to avoid putting spin axis tilt on your putts:
- Develop a putting stroke that impacts the ball slightly on the upward part of your putting stroke swing arc.
- Have the path of your putter match up squarely with the line of your putt at impact.
right spin axis tilt - ball kicks slightly left
So I figured out that when I line up a left to right breaking putt, my margin for error needs to account for a very tiny amount of left kick on my line. Since I've been doing that, it's made the difference between been holing those types of putts rather than lipping out.
Read this a few times and wrap your brain around it. Then build a consistent putting stroke, and your putting will improve guaranteed.
Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
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If you would like a free, no obligation quote for getting a beautiful practice area or putting green installed on your property - indoors or outdoors - give me (Tom Tucker) a call at (716) 474-3005, or email at at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
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Comments: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
Golf Lessons
I conduct lessons at The Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
there's a link for Plum Creek info here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/
Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact
me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or email me at ttucker@rochester.rr.com
for more information.
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All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection!"
~ Ben Hogan