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Crossing Lines at Impact  Email this Article to a Friend
Last month I told you we would look at foot flare in this month's tip. In the interim, our pilot studies began at Centinela Hospital and foot flare is part of that study. I will be writing about our test results on "flare" in a future newsletter. Dr. Mellman was our first test subject. He is shown in the following pictures with the light markers attached to his body as we prepared to test the protocol. After we test the protocol with three or four players like Dr. Mellman, we will be testing "tour quality" putting strokes and swings in the lab. This month we are going to look at a an address position that impacts upon your performance on the putting green: Your putter face address position. I see this or similar address position on the putting green in almost every player in my golf school and in some very good players during individual lessons. Notice the distance between the ball and the putter face. Last month you saw photos of Kevin Stadler and Bob E Smith set up on the putting green with their hips and shoulders parallel to each other and the putter face aimed at the target. In the following photo, my hips and shoulders are parallel to each other. This is the same set up where there is space between my putter face and ball. From this parallel hips and shoulders position, I move the putter face to the ball, my impact position. Notice how my shoulders "cross" my hip lines when I get to my impact from this address position. Not only do my shoulders cross my hip line at impact, contrary to what you would think, my putter face is open at impact. When your hips and shoulders are parallel to each other, you are in balance and you will perceive your lines accurately if your putter is aimed at your target. Good players "see lines" on the putting green. We teach students to "see lines" in our golf school. They wear hip and shoulder bars so we can keep observe their set up as they go through putting drills. We can easily "read" their set up by watching the orientation of their hip and shoulder lines. We also show our students the importance of addressing the ball with the putter face as close to impact position as possible. Bob E. Smith taught me a very simple strategy to get the putter closer to the ball. You can master it in a very short practice session. Please review the online tip from the "Golf Tips" section "Build Your Set Up From The Ground Up" (April, 2004) This tip talks about "building your stance line" 90 degrees to your target line by aiming your right foot perpendicular to your target line. Read your putt and decide on the line on which you want to start your ball. Aim your right foot 90 degrees to that line and ground your putter with the sole of your putter outside the target line as shown in the following photos. Slowly slide the putterhead toward you as you gently pull on the grip as shown in the following photo sequence. With very little practice, you will assume an address position with a small fraction of an inch between your ball and your putterhead. If you were "seeing lines" from your prior address position, you will need to move your ball position back in your stance. Next, bring your left foot up beside your right, look to your left and draw a line from your clubface to your target as you spread your feet into your set up. Keep adjusting your stance and ball position until you "see the line." If you attended the golf school, you are familiar with this routine. When you see the line, your hips and shoulders will be parallel to each other. Do not try to set your hips and shoulders parallel to each other. You should be setting up visually by drawing lines behind the ball, aiming your right foot 90 degrees to the target line, sliding the putter face within a small fraction of an inch from the ball, aiming the putter face at your target and then adjusting your set up until you "see the line." When you "see the line," you will be in balance. When you are in balance, your hips and shoulders will be parallel to each other. Set up visually, don't think. Draw lines and hold an image of the end of the line as you stroke the putt.
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