Geoff,

What is the best advice you can give to help with putting? I feel my putting always lets me down. If I hit a green in regulation I never seem to be able to one putt. I would say I three putt at least once a round. I use an off the shelve Scott Cameron putter, also have a Wilson 8802, and the Jennings long putter.

I currently live in Peru and play once a week so, I can’t come for a private lesson. However would like to come for a lesson the next time I am in the states. How much do you charge for a lesson? What books do you recommend that your students read?

Thank you for your time and I look forward to improving my putting.



Mike Staley

Dear Mike,

The pros don't do a lot of one-putting until they stick the approach inside 10 to 15 feet. A typical round of 30 putts is 12 two-putts on greens reached in regulation and 6 one-putts on greens missed close followed by a chip to within 6 feet. A "good" putting round of 27 putts is just three one-putts on the 12 greens hit in regulation, and those are the three where the pro stuck the approach to within 10 to 15 feet. The usual first-putt length for pros on greens reached in regulation is about 20 to 25 feet, and for amateurs it is 30 to 35 feet. So, if you are not getting one-putts out of your 20-foot first putts, don't get frustrated. Hardly anyone every really does.

What separates the pros from amateurs is first and foremost an ability to avoid bogey. What separates top pros from the field is an ability to generate birdies while keeping free of bogeys. Phil Mickelson is a real birdie machine, but he is also a bogey maker. Tiger Woods is not quite that hot at making birdies, but he is whistle clean of bogeys.

The lesson is: if you want one putts, stick your approaches closer until the putts start dropping. You can expand your first-putt "makeable" range outward over time with some good instructional guidance and practice and steady play, but the quicker and more permanently elevating route is to improve the consistency and accuracy of your approaching iron play.

Aside from that, let me tackle the issue directly, assuming your iron approach play stays the same. To make more first putts begins with paying attention to what length and sort of first putts you normally face in a round. I'm guessing your usual first putt is somewhere in the 20 to 35 foot range, and only rarely do you have a first putt inside 15 feet unless you are chipping on. (It would help if you can tell me some details about the level of your game in terms of handicap, number of greens hit in regulation, short-game skills from near the green, and total putts per round and typical first-putt length.) If you consider the 15 footers as putts you get frustrated over not one-putting, let's start there.

To sink a 15 footer on the course requires (1) a very stable control of distance, (2) a general plan for reading the putt in terms both of the actual curvature of the path of a successful putt (especially the last 2-3 feet into the cup) and in terms of establishing a starting line for the putt, and (3) an ability to aim and setup square to the startline and execute a stroke that rolls the ball straight away out of your setup down that line with good touch.

1. Touch starts and stops with a consistent, repeating, stable tempo where all putts take exactly the same time regardless of length of stroke from top of backstroke to top of follow-thru. My tempo is about one full second or "one mississippi" from top to top. With this tempo, then you need accurate targeting and a sense of green speed. I get green speed from experience and knowledge but also from the "core putt" described in my tips. I get accurate targeting for distance and touch mostly from the dead-eye gaze and neck turn from beside the ball at address -- an accurate physical procedure for turning the head from the ball along the line of the putt to a target at the appropriate distance that teaches my body how big of a stroke to make. (This also helps orient the shoulders to the forthcoming stroke in the plane of the putt.) I then leave touch to my instincts or subconscious and have only the general goal and intention of rolling the ball all the way across this green into that hole. The golfers I see are quite capable of excellent touch but spoil it somewhat by always striking the ball too firmly and quickly. So for touch, my general top advice would be to slow down in your putting and learn to relax with a consistent tempo in your stroke.

2. Golfers in general have a half-baked procedure for establishing the startline of the putt. Some look for a spot in front of the ball along what they guess is a good startline, but the deciding on the startline initially is not very consistent or based on a practice procedure. Some golfer guestimate where the "apex" of the curve is and aim the putt there. Others guestimate the size of the break in terms of so many "balls" left or right of the cup and then aim there. Still others pick a spot along the way on the ground above which the ball will have to stay in order to have a chance. And other ways. On this score, I would say: read the break backwards out of the hole in reverse "real-time" by imagining a movie of the successful putt running in reverse, use this to get a clear idea of the speed and curving of the ball over the critical last 2-3 feet into the cup, use this last segment to reconstruct the path back thru the apex area, and then from the apex back to the ball reconstruct the curve of the path until the curve merges with a straight line into the front of the ball. That straight line is your startline, and it is always at least a little higher up than a line pointing at the apex. Your job is to start the putt off on this line with good touch, so the ball will curve off this line and turn parallel at the apex to a baseline that connects the ball and the hole dirtectly and then enters the final 2-3 feet with appropriate end-of-putt speed to roll into the cup.

3. The third problem area, aim-setup-stroke straight, is mostly about aiming the putter face square thru the center of the ball straight down the startline, and then setting up to the putter and the line of the putt defined by the putterface-ball arrangement or orientation. That is, place the putter behind the ball accurately first, and then adopt your grip and stance, and not stance and grip first and then putterface aiming. The setup ought to be square to the putterface line, with the possible exception of a cross-dominant golfer -- right-handed but left-eye dominant or vice versa. These golfers might benefit from setting up slightly open with the front foot and possibly with the shoulders as well (just a little open). Then, the trick is to make sure you integrate the face alignment, setup, and stroke so that everything is on the same page for every putt. The way I do that is to define a point directly off my left big toe that meets the startline of the putt a few inches in front of the ball. This visual image is of a capital "L" or a carpeter's square with a corner point right off my big toe straight in front of the ball on the startline. That way, the work I've done in aiming the face is transferred accurately into my setup and bodty for purposes of the stroke. Then the stroke is always the same, no compensations, just a straight repeating stroke that sends the ball straight out of my setup the same way every putt. Once ready to make the straight putt aimed straight out of a square setup, the golfer needs to return to his sense of touch and forget about aim (and even hole location) altogether -- just putt straight with good touch.

So, making putts starts with an accurate sense of distance control or the rolling of the ball in real time, and ends with a sense of this touch right before pulling the trigger to send a ball rolling straight the way you've aimed the face. Putt straight and expect the green to help you with making the ball break correctly so the green takes the ball into the cup for you.

Read accurately, aim straight, putt straight, with good touch.

With respect to books, I would recommend Todd Sones' Lights Out Putting, and otherwise refer you to the short summaries of putting books on my website at http://puttingzone.com/books.html.

Let me know how else I can help. Whenever you're around, we can work together all you want. I currently teach amateurs for $75 for an initial 2-hour lesson, or for $350 for a full day. Call or email me anytime.

--
Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor

The PuttingZone.com
http://puttingzone.com
The Future of Putting Now -
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.
Over 40,000 page visits each month and growing strong...

518 Woodlawn Ave
Greensboro NC USA 27401
336.230.0612 home
336.402.1602 cell

geoff@puttingzone.com

Join the PZ for the free Newsletter, Tips, and Updates: just send me an email with "yes" or "ok" or "subscribe" or "sure" etc. in the subject or body and I'll add you. Or, go here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PuttingZone/join

Geoff,

Thank you for your letter the other day about putting. Thank you so much for taking the time to write. Most golf professionals that I have taken lessons from and then wrote usually respond with a one line answer and you have to try and figure out what it means for yourself.

Here is a little more information on my golf game. I went and played nine holes today, here is what I found out. I shot a one over par 37. The Course is a par 36 3495 yards.

I hit 5 fairways. Ave. driving distance 290

I hit 6 Greens in Regulation, which is very good for me. I played with forged clubs (bought of the shelf) today instead of my Pings (which were fitted to 4 degree upright). I felt like I had better distance control with the forged clubs. My pings will go over the green some times and then short. Don’t know if there is any difference, probably just a mental thing.

I had 16 putts. I had two birdies of putts of 11 feet and 18 feet. The three greens that I missed I chipped or pitched to 9, 60 and 18 feet. I made the 9 footer and two putted the other two. My other first putts of the GIR were of the distance of 30, 24, 50 and 24 feet. I three putted the one from 50 feet as I left my first putt short by 10 feet.

In my putting today, I tried to have the back of my head flat to the ground like the pictures you have on the web page. I putted with the left hand low and I looked at the hole for 4 seconds and then looked at the ball and putted the ball. Besides the birdies and one other first putt all my putts came up short of the hole. I would say by 3-5 feet.

I learned that even though I hit the GIR that I am so far away that I can’t expect to one putt them according to the data that you sent me. I also learned that my short game is not very good; it is by far the weakest link in my game. I have others who have verified that also. Do you recommend the Dave Pelz method and book for the short game?

Here are my stats from the last 10 rounds.

Handicap currently 3

GIR 45%

Birdies 13%

Pars 49%

Bogeys 32%

D. Bogey 6%

Other 1%

Fairways 61%

Ave. Putt 1.68

Ave. Putt GIR 1.88

Putts per Round 30.21

%one putt 38%

% two putt 57%

% three putt 6%

Hope this will help you with understanding my game a little bit better. After reviewing your letter maybe my putting is not hurting my score. I just feel like when I get the ball within 20 feet, I never measure the distance of my first putt until today, that I should make more of them. I have always known that the pros only make a little over 50% of their 10 footers. Maybe I was expecting to much from my putting.

If you don’t recommend the Pelz’s short game technique and book could you please recommend another one to me.

Thank you for your time. I am going to look you up when I get back to the states.

Thanks,

Mike Staley

Dear Mike,

Here's what I understand:

GIR 11 ft - one putt (11) birdie
GIR 18 ft - one putt (18) birdie
NonGIR 9 ft - one putt (9) par save
NonGIR 60 ft - two putt (60, 4) par+
NonGIR 18 ft - two putt (18, 2) par+
GIR 30 ft - two putt (30, 3.5) par
GIR 24 ft - two putt (24, 3.5) par
GIR 50 ft - three putt (40, 10, 1) bogey+
GIR 24 ft - two putt (24, 3.5) par

Average first putt on GIR = 157 / 6 = 26.1 feet.
Average first putt on NonGIR = 87 / 3 = 29 feet.
Total of putting footage = 261.5 feet.
Average footage per hole = 261.5 / 9 = 28 feet.
Average footage per putt = 261.5 / 16 = 16.3 feet.
Number 1-putts = 3.
Total footage on 1-putts = 37 feet; average = 12.2 feet.
Number 2-putts = 5.
Total footage on 2-putts = 172.5 feet; 1st putt average = 156 / 5 = 31.2 feet
Number 3-putts = 1.
Total footage on 3-putts = 51 feet; 1st putt average = 50 feet.

Number birdies = 2 (-2).
Number bogeys = 1 (+1).
Number double bogeys = 1 (+2).
Number pars = 5 (0).
Score = +1.

For a 3-handicap golfer, the average number of putts for 18 holes is between 31 and 32. Your current putting fits that profile pretty well. In order for you to shave strokes and lower your handicap to scratch, there are three immediate areas to work on; (1) sticking greens closer to the pin; (2) better chipping and pitching on missed greens; and (3) avoiding any three putts.

(1). I don't see any putts inside 15 feet that you missed except the one where you left the 50 footer 10 feet short. That, combined with your average first putt distance on GIRs (26.1 feet), tells me the best and quickest way for you to go lower is to lower that first-putt distance on GIRs (i.e., stick your approaches closer). If you are inside 100 yards in the fairway, your goal ought to be to stick the ball to within 10 feet (1 foot per yard). If you are 150 yards out, your goal ought to be to stick the shot within 15 feet. In a typical 18-hole layout, with 4 par-3s, 4 par-5s, and 10 par-4s, the 10 par-4s are the key to sticking approaches. With your driving average, if you can keep the drives in the fairway on the par-4s, you will face a lot of approaches from inside 150 yards (probably 6-7 of 10). Of those 6-7, you will need to have an approach shot that leaves you inside 15 feet 3-4 times at least. Then if you can make 3 of those, you will have shaved one stroke off your handicap (you already make 2 of those).

(2). Your NonGIR first putts of 9, 60, and 18 feet are way too long. Pros save par with putts inside 10 feet for sure, and often within 6 feet. If we ignore the 60-foot hole as too unusual to worry about in thinking about your average game, your first putts on NonGIRs of 9 and 18 feet (average 13.5 feet) are about twice as long as they should be. On NonGIRs, pros save par with a one-putt about 3 out of every four times. That 4th time is a bogey, so chipping and sand play on NonGIRs is essentially anti-Bogey play. You have to get a one-putt. Really, your goal from beside the green or in the sand has to be to hole out! or at least not create more work for yourself. So bearing down on this aspect of your short game for those nonGIR holes is all about avoiding bogey. If you have bogeys in your game, this is the main way you will have to get them out.

(3). The two principal sources of bogey are short-game not sharp enough to save par and three putting. Short game is probably more valuable at your level, but three-putting is a constant source of irritation so it has to be salted away. Avoiding three putts is mostly about not leaving putt way short. This is the fear that also causes golfers to blow some long putts way by the hole. The trick is to get tuned in to a reasonable lag distance WITH CONFIDENCE of obtaining your lag goal. If you aren't really confident you have a good plan for the lag but not especially fearful, you well may end up too short. If you don't have a confident plan and are fearful of ending up way short, you will probably go way past the hole. So what's the plan that gives you lag confidence? From 30 to 40 feet, you might try imagining the putt is only half as long and make a practice stroke to this halfway point. Then visualize the real putt covering the last half to the hole, and make a stroke that is clearly larger than the practice stroke. From 40 feet and out, divide the putt first into one half and make a practice stroke to there, then divide the second half of the putt into two quarters and make a practice stroke to the 3/4ths point. Then make a final practice stroke to cover the section from 3/4ths the rest of the way to the hole. This sets the size of your stroke for the whole lag by building up and outward from easy to harder. Each increment of the practice strokes grows by the same size. If the halfwqay stroke is taken as 100%, then the 3/4 stroke is 100 + 50. The third practice stroke for the final 1/4 section is the 3/4 stroke plus another 50. Try this a few times on really long putts and see if it doesn't help. Another approach is used when trying to learn a course in a practice round. On each green, identify the long axis and the short axis and putt from fringe to fringe along each axis in each direction over the green two balls each way (8 putts). This "covering the green" in its maximum length and its width converts all shorter putts inside this area to putts that are much more manageable and builds your sense of confidence so you can dominate any lag situation.

Two other suggestions:

First, the head does not actually have to be flat so long as the gaze is straight out of the face. It may be preferable to have the face and head flat, but you can still do a lot of damage with a forehead slightly elevated above the chin's level, so long as the gaze is straight out of the face. So if the head position makes you uncomfortable, ease up a bit.

Second, leaving putts short is a flaw in your touch and targeting system. If you use "core" putts to assess green speed for your stroke and tempo, then on the course, your targeting should be singly able to get the distance fully covered. I suspect that staring into the hole for 4 full seconds is a bit unusual for you and has a fairly dramatic effect on your brain speed and sense of timing of physical action. There is a rhythm to the turning of the neck to and from the target that also works for touch, as the neck action in effect teaches the shoulders how to generate the stroke in terms of timing / tempo and size of stroke. There needs to be a sense of fluidity of turning from the ball to the target, resting while looking at the target, and then turning back from target to ball -- a sense of smoothness and continuity. If the staring at the hole for 4 seconds tends to break this smoothness and continuity, then ease off that. Instead, try this: while looking down at the ball, breathe out; as you start turning to the target, match your breathing in to the pace of your turning so you end up on the target with a full breath; let your breath escape while you turn back to the ball so you finish when you get back to looking straight down; pause into stillness and don't breathe and then putt. This is also a touch technique. Also, inside your house if you have a carpet, place a tee peg on the floor upside down and from various distances outside 10 feet putt at it so the ball rolls gently up to the peg, touches it, and doesn't knock it over. This will train the relationship between targeting and touch with a steady tempo.

Recommended reading: For the chipping and pitching, that is out of my league but many people enjoy the Pelz Short Game Bible. For putting, I don't recommend the Pelz Putting Bible, and instead recommend the book by Todd Sones, Lights out Putting, or the book by Rik DeGunther, Master the Art and Science of Putting. Sources and further descriptions of these books are on my website's Book page, http://puttingzone.com/books.html.

Let me know how things are going.

--
Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor

The PuttingZone.com
http://puttingzone.com
The Future of Putting Now -
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.
Over 40,000 page visits each month and growing strong...

518 Woodlawn Ave
Greensboro NC USA 27401
336.230.0612 home
336.402.1602 cell

geoff@puttingzone.com

Join the PZ for the free Newsletter, Tips, and Updates: just send me an email with "yes" or "ok" or "subscribe" or "sure" etc. in the subject or body and I'll add you. Or, go here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PuttingZone/join