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Geoff
Mangum's PuttingZone
The
Four Skills of Putting
40-45%
of the Game of Golf -- combining the best golf lore
in history with modern
neuroscience
for instinctive perceptual and movement processes in
putting.
(Download this page as a pdf)
"Every
golfer needs four skills every putt."
"Golfers
do not putt by stroke alone -- the skills are all integrated
together."
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PERCEIVING
WITH INSTINCT
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Read the putt for target
Find
correct orientation of straight uphill "fallline"
at
hole perceiving highest point on rim (6-12 on
clock) plus level left-right axis of tilt (3-9
line); use
consistent delivery speed to see final 1 meter
of
the curve into the hole given fall-line (see #4);
retrace
final curve back out and follow all the way to
the ball; extend tangent at ball straight back
to the
fall-line for target spot; use fall-line target
spot as
2nd "hole" for straight putt with right touch
(same
delivery speed to imaginary hole as used to read
putt into real hole); commit to imaginary line
and
distance for usual delivery into 2nd "hole."
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2.
Aim straight at target "hole" on fall-line
Stand
behind the ball and use shaft as visual ruler
to "connect the dots" of ball and target; see
spot
along shaft edge in front of ball 5-6"; walk to
ball and aim putter face thru center of ball at
aiming
spot in front; setup to aimed putter face with
good posture; align neck / throat line parallel
to
leading edge of putter face, automatically aligning
shoulder frame parallel (see #3); settle other
joint pairs and stance in comfort and balance
keeping
shoulders aligned; "face" ball and look
where face aims; turn head like an apple on a
stick to "face" & learn where putter face
aims.
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MOVING
WITH INSTINCT
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3.
Putt straight where the putter face aims
Setup
to aimed putter by "walking" naturally hanging
hands and arms out to waiting putter handle
without "reaching out" to handle or changing aim
or flatness of sole on surface; set throat line
from center of chin to top of sternum to parallel
top
edge of putter face; test distance back from ball,
allowing rear hand to swing free, as only "sideways"
swing is neutral whereas hands swing to
thigh or nose is too far back or close; anchor
lead
hip for backstroke; perform last "touch" look
at target (see #4); "join in" on-going internal
sense
of swinging back & thru, shoving putter sole
back
& up with lead shoulder into swing, keeping
"triangle"
form (2-3 muscle tone on scale of 1-10)
with dead hands / arms "riding" swing; stop /
hold neck line still at midline in thru-stroke
once torso
resquares itself; allow putter to define own forward
trajectory with momentum moving lead shoulder
vertically upwards from ball of lead foot.
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4.
Putt with the usual tempo and touch
Internalize
sense of green speed using practice green
"core putt" (2 balls putted same distance with
same backstroke size & downstroke tempo to
allow green to show how your stroke, putter, ball,
& tempo work on today’s surface) to register
&
calibrate usual backstroke-force relations with
your tempo; perceive adjustment to exact speed
on green on course plus uphill / downhill effect(s);
setup with neck / throat (see #2 & 3); rotate
face
& head (like an "apple on a stick" of neck
axis
thru top of head) down target line to second "hole"
as if watching a perfect putt with realtime motion,
achieving correct neck angle from ball
to target, teaching body "here" & "there"
for instinctive
stroke size; rotate face back to ball; allow balance
/ vision to settle; "jump in" ongoing tempo
swinging by starting putter back instinctively;
allow
instincts to "size" top of backstroke; stay
with usual downstroke timing.
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With sense
of green speed, roll face to & back from target,
make an instinctive backstroke & hold
still. Look,
pull the trigger with backstroke timing, do nothing.
Stroke itself goes straight.
Read,
aim, putt straight at target with good touch -- INSTINCTIVELY.
Accurate
perception
of relevant cues for putting targets and body movement
generate good stroke movements,
and established movement patterns shape and define perceptions
-- putting is a unified
action, not separate skills.
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"Once
I start the putter back, it seems the stroke completes
itself."
-- Ben Crenshaw
summarizing his stroke after 35 years of experience.
Geoff Mangum:
puttingzone.com
geoff@puttingzone.com
001 (336) 340-9079
Simon Hilton
golfacademygams.ch
simon.hilton@puttingzone.com
+41 (0)79 238 87 78
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