Putting Lesson

[Jeanthemachine]

I am considering going to GolfTEC for a putting lesson.

I have read most of the books and watched the videos but, for a guy who is consistently sub 80, I am a terrible putter. I counted 9 legitimate opportunities to make putts today (inside 15 feet) and I made ONE. Shot 78 and could have easily been 75 or better.

I have had a swing evaluation and a full swing follow up at GolfTEC and have recovered all the distance I had lost in the last 5 years. I still have work to do but I have practice keys and continue to work on them.

Has any one taken a putting lesson from GolfTEC and what were your feelings?

 

[Horton]

I haven't had a putting lesson with GolfTEC but I'm interested to know how your experience goes. Good luck!

 

[ripper]

Please keep us updated, I am also very curious

 

[couldbeu]

I'd really like some sort of outdoor short game lesson. I think my biggest problem is reading the greens correctly...

Please keep us updated on any progress!

 

[Jeanthemachine]

I called this AM and have a lesson on Wednesday. I'll let you know how the lesson goes and follow up in a couple of weeks to let you know about progress.

 

[McRock]

Yea, I'd love to know how they analyze your putting stroke and what they teach you to get a 'correct' putting stroke.

 

[Jeanthemachine]

I went for my putting lesson yesterday. I was going to post this last night but the Red Sox and Bruins were on and they had my full attention. The Sox will continue to interfere with other things but the Bruins have finished on a high note and can bask until nex season.

Right away my coach new he had a head case to work with because I arrived with four putters. This was a clue as to my lack of confidence in my putting.

We discussed the straight back, straight through versus swinging gate theories and a little about how the "gate" is more natural since we stand to the side of the ball. I have worked on SBST for a long time since reading Pelz.

We also discussed my putting history to the extent that my short putt misses are pulls and that my confidence is so low that my thought on all but the shortest putts is to get it close enough to have a tap in next; there is rarely a real thought of making a ten footer since I tend to miss so many three footers.

I was hooked up to a shoulder sensor and a sensor was attached to the putter shaft. Cameras were stationed from in front and down the line. Pictures of my set up showed that I was pretty good. Feet, hips, shoulders pretty much in line, hips over heels; hands under shoulders; eyes over ball. All good.

One thing in the set up that he wanted me to do was get my forearms more in line with the shaft. I have a tendency to have my hands a little low creating an angle between my arms and the shaft.

Then we made a couple of putts with the cameras rolling and the sensors "sensing". The result of my SBST stroke was that I was closing/hooding the putter on the back swing and compensating by pushing the 7 foot putt to the right.

Good news is that my tempo is pretty good; no rushing or jabbing at the ball.

My coach, Derek, would like to see me follow more of an arc in my stroke and allow the putter to open and close naturally. Since my putting has been so poor I am eager to make changes. I made some strokes using an "arc board" (not sure that is the correct term) with the heel of the putter against the board to get the feel of making the arc. It felt only a little strange but will take some getting used to; I have been SBST for 10 years.

We then reviewed my putting routine. I get behind the ball and pick a spot near the hole as my target; I then step in beside the ball and make a practice stroke while looking at the hole to get a sense of the stroke I want to make; then step into the ball and make my stroke. This all seemed OK but we were both concerned about the line I was starting my putts on. Assuming I read the putt correctly, I was having a problem aiming the putter face where I wanted the putt to start. To work on this he suggested a drill on the practice green where I put a marker or penny about a foot in front of the ball on my intended line before I step up to the ball; this will help me see the line in practice until I can do it without the marker.

Derek also suggested a modified ladder drill to improve my feel and speed control. He suggests putting from the same spot to different spots ignoring the hole so that I am only concerned with speed and not line. This should help a lot since, because of my lack of confidence, I leave most putts short.

We discussed putter length briefly and he was satisfied that my current putter length
of 35" is OK.

I was happy with the technology used to show me what I ws going wrong and to let me know that some things are actually OK. I am not sure I would have been satisfied with a coach observing and telling me what he saw.

Well, I have some work to do. I also am playing in a member/guest tournament next week so wish me a speedy and complete recovery.

I'll post in about ten days and let you know how the putting (and tournament) went.

 

[Hawk]

Thanks for the thorough write-up, Jean!

 

[yorkem]

Nice write-up Jean. It seems as though the biggest problem you have is actually your confidence, and with some minor alignment tweaks you should be draining them in no time. Good for you.

 

[Jeanthemachine]

I played my first round after having my putting lesson. After having a swing evaluation and lesson I have regained all my yardage from ten years ago so I am hitting the ball longer and straighter than I have for years.

So, today - bad news - missed two putts inside three feet - much like before:
good news - 29 putts - 4 birdies and a score of 76 - best in two years.

I think I tensed up on the two short misses but was much more relaxed and aggressive on most others. Rather than leaving the majority of putts short most were finishing past the hole. I think this may work out.

As I may have said, I am playing away in a member/guest tournament next week. I'll let you know how it goes but expectations are high.

 

[KellyBo]

I've had several putting lessons and I can tell you my putting is getting so much better. It doesn't help right away but it's definitely made a big difference. Sometimes it takes a while for our lessons to sink in. Good luck to you!