Putting Overview

There are five primary elements to the art and skill of putting: alignment, stroke mechanics, speed/distance control, green reading/perception, and mental focus. It may be true that some gifted individuals possess an above average ability to perceive and imagine; the Ben Crenshaw’s of the world. But, the good news is that anyone can learn and improve all five elements of putting.


Alignment

You may be surprised to learn that well over 80% of golfers misalign their putter a certain degree left or right of their target line from just 10’. What may be more shocking; I have found that over 30% of golfers will misalign their putter at least 9” left or right from that same distance. You can learn how to align your putter more accurately.

Why is accurate alignment so important? Alignment of the putter will affect the motion of the putting stroke. The nonconscious part of the brain will create compensations in the stroke in an attempt to roll the ball towards the target. Accurate alignment will result in a more efficient putting stroke. You can learn to improve your alignment!


Stroke Mechanics

With the advanced technology in different varieties of grass, putting greens are cut, on average, at least 50% shorter than just twenty years ago. As a result, the methodology of the putting stroke has evolved to suit the present conditions. No longer are putting strokes equipped to hit or “pop” the golf ball to create momentum. Today’s tour professionals have developed putting strokes for accuracy, and speed control. 

As a putting instructor, it became essential to identify the key attributes of the modern fundamentally sound putting stroke. The key attributes include alignment, proper setup to the putt line, and a synchronized motion of the shoulders, arms, hands, and putter. You can learn these skill!

Training aids can be effective tools in the development of mechanics and motion. The critical element is to practice the correct motion so that it transitions properly to the non-conscious. There are some very good training aids that transmit proper motion. I have developed the Wright Putting T-Bar as a tool to transmit all of the key attributes I want my students to learn. The Putting T-Bar will set your posture, improve your alignment, and synchronize your motion for an efficient putting stroke. 


Speed/Distance Control Skills

Speed and distance control is a simple function of tempo, stroke balance, and stroke length. Tempo is the timing of the motion taking the putter back and through, similar to the swing of a pendulum. Stroke balance is the equal distance of the backstroke to the ball and the forward stroke to the finish, similar to a pendulum. With constant tempo and balance, stroke length becomes the factor of determining the speed the putter head travels and distance the ball rolls. This skill can be learned and honed with amazing accuracy. Three-putts will begin to disappear.


Green Reading/Perception Skills

Green reading is simply the skill of predetermining the path a ball with take to the hole at a perceived speed. The two primary factors that affect the path of the golf ball are: the degree of slope and the speed of the green, commonly measured and defined by a stimpmeter. To a smaller degree, other factors that affect the roll of the golf ball might be wind and grain. Understanding and implementing the basic rules that impact the roll of a ball will improve your ability to predetermine your line and speed. The more data you learn to assess the green, the better you will predetermine your line and speed, and the more putts you will begin to make. You can learn this skill!

Over the past several years I have worked with literally hundreds and hundreds of individuals with the goal of improving their putting skills. I have also spoken with a number of golf instructors and one thing is very clear; few golfers seek instruction to improve their putting skills. Yet, putting comprises over 40% of an individual’s score. We can become an asset to our students by teaching them the four elements of putting: alignment, stroke mechanics, touch or distance control, and green reading.


Mental Focus

Before I explain mental focus, it is important to understand how the brain works.

Research conducted by neuroscientists over the past several decades indicates that only a small portion of our mental activity is conscious; the vast majority of our mental activity is entirely nonconscious. Research results indicate that our mind works like a "multi-tasking computer". Compared to our nonconscious mind, our conscious mind is relatively limited. While we consciously experience a small part of what is available to us in the outside world, our nonconscious mind is busy processing large amounts of information which is hidden, too abundant and/or complex to be identified by our consciousness.

Thus, poor putting can actually lead to more poor putting, if we do not intervene. If we can begin to "right" our nonconscious mind with the knowledge of fundamentals, proper practice, and positive experience, we will begin to improve our performance. Building sound fundamentals is the process of seeping information deep into the nonconscious mind. Once we have built sound fundamentals, the only thing that will disrupt the action is our conscious thoughts.

What is focus? Focus is the ability to turn off our conscious thoughts and allow our nonconscious mind to execute unencumbered. When you hear professionals make a statement like, "if I can just stay out of my way, I will do well today", they are referring to the ability to shut of the disruptive consciousness during a swing or putting stroke. This mental state of nonconsciousness has also been referred to as "the zone". A key element to putting is the ability to achieve a certain level of focus.


The Learning Processs

There are three basic ways we learn as human beings:

1.    Instruction and Listening   

2.    Seeing and demonstration