BUILD A BETTER PICTURE OF YOUR PUTTING STROKE
It’s fair to say we see rather more than our fair share of golf swings, chipping actions and putting strokes every week – either through our one-to-one coaching or via the two million golfers following us on our social media channels. And one thing we’ve come to realise as a result is just how many players are being held back by a poor conception of what they are trying to achieve. In this series we will pick out the most common and damaging misconceptions, explain the problems they cause, and reveal a more effective way to approach the shot. We start with putting, and the widely-held belief that slowing your stroke down will add control. If that’s how you see it, it’s time for a rethink…
WHY SLOW IS A NO-GO
Andy says: We are all conditioned to feel that if we move slower, we will have more control over the situation. There are many times when this makes sense – for example, driving a car through a busy town centre. But when it comes to physical movement, going slower does not always equal more control. Imagine, for example, trying to write your signature in slow motion; your movement becomes less instinctive, less fluent, and less sure of itself. The same can be said for putting.
Going offline
It seems logical that if we take pace out of the putting stroke, we will boost our control. In fact, we are simply giving the putter less back-and-through momentum… which makes it a lot harder to find and hold a sound arc and path. Instead of being assertive and purposeful, the putter’s motion becomes wobbly and uncertain, leading to inconsistent striking.
BETTER PICTURE: BRISK IS GOOD
Piers says: It may take a leap of faith to accept that speeding up your putting stroke could actually lead to more control and better results – especially as the path of your stroke is a hard thing to see with the naked eye. This is why we’d advise you to put it to the test with the use of a stroke training aid like the one shown here. Then...