WrightBalance.com - Golf Tips

Golf Tips and Articles

Golf Tips & Articles Archive

Blending the Science and Art of Golf

Email this Article to a Friend

Part two of two

In the last article I summarized the science of the set up to the golf ball and the anatomical factors that dictate your best set up position. I use these techniques in my Golf Schools. Recall that some of you have body lines (hips and shoulders) that are open, a few of you are closed and even fewer of you have body lines that are square to your stance line.

Also recall that we teach how to "read" your heel to toe balance and hand position by hinging your wrists from the address position and checking the squareness of your clubface. More about that later.

I ended part one of this series by asking you to do the following on a putting green:

"Set up on the putting green two to three feet from a hole. Find a blade of grass in the back of the hole on your line. Stare at that blade of grass as you stroke your putt. Notice that the more narrow your focus on the blade of grass, the better your performance gets. The hole should be a blur as you stroke the putt. Forget about the Science and stay focused on the blade of grass. You will begin making every putt you stroke. Gradually increase your distance from the hole and continue to stare at a blade of grass. Notice how good your speed is regardless of your distance."

Continue with this drill and try the following:

Next close your right eye and begin stroking putts with the same focus on the blade of grass with your left eye. You might miss the first putt or two then you will begin to roll every putt in the hole.

Now reverse the position of your hands on the putter. Use a cross-handed grip if you putt with a conventional grip and use a conventional grip if you normally putt cross-handed. Again, notice how you begin to roll every putt in the hole after the first two or three putts. Next, cross your feet, close your right eye and reverse the position of your hands on the club and continue to look at the blade of grass as you stroke putts. Yes, you will continue to make the majority of your putts as long as you are able to maintain a narrow focus on your target, the blade of grass.

Golf is one of the few sports where we set up to a target and stare at a ball. How many free-throws do you think a basketball player would make if they stared at the ball instead of the target. "A base runner is rounding third. The center fielder looks at the ball as he throws to the cut off man..." The basketball player would probably hit the back board but I doubt that the center fielder could keep the ball in play. This is how important a precise target is, from putter through driver.

When you play with pictures of what you want to do and hold images of targets or ball flight as you swing the club, you are playing with ART. When you stare at the ball and think of the positions of the club or watch follow putter blade in your backstroke, you are playing with SCIENCE.

Please return to your normal set up on the putting green and begin stroking putts again as you stare at a blade of grass. If you have a breaking putt, move your blade of grass to accommodate the break. The blade of grass is always on your target line.

Now back up two or three feet and continue stroking putts as you look at the hole. Once you are making the majority of your putts from this position, back up another foot or two. You should be stroking putts from six to seven feet as you look at a precise target, a blade of grass. Everything but that blade of grass should be a blur. Notice that your performance is directly related to how good your focus is on the target. The more narrow your focus, the better your performance gets.

Next, move your blade of grass to a spot that is two feet in front of the hole on your target line. Stroke putts as you focus only on that precise target short of the hole. Notice how your speed is affected. Notice how you are putting at a much slower speed. Move your target two feet behind the hole on your target line. Notice the increase in the speed of your putts.

What do you routinely say to yourself as you stand over a putt where the greens are slow and you seem to be leaving every putt short? You don’t have to say anything, just move your spot behind the hole and your speed will improve. Similarly, if you are playing fast greens or downhill putts, bring your target back to you. Your target will dictate your speed.

As I said in the last article: "I tell my Golf School students that Science has no role on the course. Science is practiced sequentially through drills in front of a mirror. These drills are blended on the range as you hit balls."

It is imperative that you do drills with the correct set up. Practice makes permanent. If you are doing drills, be certain you are in the correct set up before you do the drill. Know that you are balanced with neutral hands. Also know your shoulder and stance lines are set to your "natural anatomy" when you practice your set up or do golf motion drills.

Email this Article to a Friend