I spent 2 hours plus with Geoff on 4/15. His website, www.puttingzone.com , has been a frequently visited one for me, and we finally hooked up for some work this past week. Besides being one of the nicest people in golf, and I think most people in the industry are great, Geoff might know more about putting than anyone who walks the planet. He knows the science cold and can explain it - that is pretty solid.
Geoff and I worked on lag putting first, and he gave me two interesting items to use. The first is to make three practice swings. The first will get you 50% of the way there, the second 75% and the third should be 100%. The backswing in each case goes up by the same amount, say 2" to go 75%, and another 2" to get to 100%. With no practice, Geoff walked up and hit his first demo to just over a foot from about 70'. It took a little bit, but I was able to dial into this and start getting much closer. Geoff said he often just does the first two practice swings in play, and knows the third will be right. The man can roll the rock from long distances. In the whole time we were together, he missed just one putt by more than 5', often up to 80' first putts, and we were on some grainy greens.
The second distance putting tip he gave me was to pick something way off in the distance on your intended line, say a tree, downspout, whatever, and line up to that. For me, it freed up thoughts on line, and I concentrated on speed using the first drill. I didn't make any, but I didn't three-putt either from 50' or more.
I am consolidating our session, somewhat, and am sure I have missed some things, but he gave me a great green reading tip, as well. Play the putt's roll backwards, from the ball's approach to the hole to your putter, to accurately gauge break and speed. You essentially have a 5" channel to make most putts, and if you can picture how the ball will go into the hole, you will make a solid first putt. He emphasized this with me by rubbing the grass towards me, so that I could see the path by the hole on long putts, 30'. After a few rolls, I was making a bunch from this distance.
One final thing Geoff mentioned was that the better the putter the more likely they will strike the putt halfway up the face or lower. Putters who hit it high on the face either launch it, or drill it into the ground, more likely the latter in my case.
We discussed expectations, and the best putter last year, Bob Heintz, averaged 30.28 putts per round. Breaking 30 was my goal this year, but I think I am going to be a little more realistic. My hope is to build on what we discussed and ratchet down my 31.5 putting average.