Set-Up For Solid
Success - Five Keys
The
key to successful putting lies in rolling the ball the correct distance
and direction. The only way to ensure proper distance and direction
is by making solid contact. Solid contact is easily achieved if you
have a fundamentally sound set-up. The following five set-up keys will
allow you to make solid contact every time.
1. Putter
face perpendicular to target line. In order for your putts
to roll straight to your intended target, the putter face must be aimed
correctly. If your putter face is not aimed correctly, you will try
and steer it back in the correct direction. This type of compensation
causes inconsistencies in your stroke. The following two drills can
help you aim your face perpendicular to the target line.
Drill 1:
Place a golf club on the ground, clubface end aiming to the hole (find
a straight 1-2foot putt) and set your putter directly behind the butt
end of the club. When the butt end and the putterface are perpendicular,
you then know what a square putter face looks like.
Drill 2:
The second drill involves masking tape and your putter. Stretch a 3-foot
piece of tape from the hole straight back along a straight putt. Place
your putter perpendicular to the far end of the tape and that will ensure
a square clubface. You can also place a short piece of tape perpendicular
to the 3-foot piece of tape (making a T-square) to give you another
point of reference for the putterface orientation.
With each drill
step into the tape or club just like you would a normal putt and do
several repetitions stepping into each putt. This will make your practice
more like real-course conditions.
2.
Shoulders square (parallel left of target line). In order
for the putter face and path to be square at impact the shoulders must
be square to ensure a proper impact condition. If the shoulders are
square at address, it is easier for the shoulders to work on the proper
plane throughout the stroke and especially at impact. Open shoulders
can lead to pulled putts; closed shoulders can lead to pushed putts.
Drill 3:
A drill to help ensure square shoulders involves a friend or partner.
After setting up at address, have a friend put a club across your shoulders.
When the club is pointing parallel left of your target line, you then
have square shoulders.
3. Eyes
vertically over ball with a flat face.
With your eyes vertically over the ball, you help yourself target the
hole correctly. Eyes pointing inside or outside the ball will make it
more difficult to aim and target the hole correctly. With a flat face
you can rotate your head and correctly see the starting point over which
you want your ball to roll. The next two drills will help you with proper
eye and head alignment.
Drill 4:
For vertical eyes over the ball, again you will need a friend and a
driver. Place the butt end of the driver under your left eye. If your
eyes are correct, the driver will be pointing on the middle back of
the ball.Keep taking your set-up until you can achieve the correct position.
Drill 5:
Take your normal putting posture. When over the putt, take your right
hand off while still keeping your posture. Now cover your face, your
hand should be parallel to the ground. Keep working on your set up until
you can consistently get it right.
4. Hands
hang vertically under shoulders.
When your hands hang vertically under your shoulders, you can ensure
that your putter will return square to the ball with a square face,
path and sweetspot contact. When your hands are too far inside or outside
your shoulders, you bring compensations into your stroke and the more
compensations you make the more misses you will have.
Drill 6:
Again using your friend, have them suspend a club beside your shoulder
to ensure your hands hang vertically under the club.
5.
Ball two inches in front of bottom of arc (two inches in front of center
of body). With the ball placed in this position, you are
ensured of making solid contact because the sweetspot of the putter
will make contact with the equator of the ball. This will ensure a proper
roll of the golf ball. A ball placed too far back in the stance can
produce too much of a downward blow, which causes the ball to hop and
jump too much. A ball too far forward can result in the bottom edge
of the putterface striking the top quadrant of the golf ball, again
producing inconsistent roll.
Drill 7:
Take your putting posture without a putter (rest your putter against
your thigh). Now hold both arms out to your side about shoulder height.
Remember to still stay in your posture. Let your arms fall and clap
into one another. Place your putter in your hands where your hands meet
each other. The ball will go exactly two inches forward of the putter.
This is the optimum ball position.
Following these
five set-up fundamentals will ensure you to make solid contact every
time. And when you make solid contact, you can control distance and
direction.
*****
Tim Sheredy is a graduate
of Ferris State's Professional Golf Management program and is a Class
A PGA Teaching Professional who has been a leader at the David Leadbetter
Golf Academy in Bradenton for over five years now. He can be reached
by email at the DLGA.
