When I saw the position of Phil's par-putt attempt, it looked to be a slight downhill putt and I made the remark to my wife that this putt worries me. Other than being downhill, the other reason was that he has incorporated a new set-up and technique for his practice putt, which is off to the side. I didn't like it at all, but that's just me...anyone know where he picked that up? I was also wishing at the time that he and his caddie were mike'd so we could hear their plan. This was my thinking on the putt...had I been his caddy, I would have given him this advice before his par-putt attempt, "Phil, look, this is a downhill putt...(and after 16 previous greens, we kind of know what to expect) ...if you're too firm and miss, you may be looking at a considerable putt coming back, so why not lag your putt to the hole...I mean just get the ball rolling...heck it may go in, but if you do miss it, you'll have a tap-in for a bogey. I mean we don't have to be firm right here...we're leading by one stroke, if we happen to get a bogey here and most likely par 18 and agree that Retief will par 16, 17, and 18, we'll still end in a tie and have a chance in a sudden-death playoff with Retief! Whaddaya think Phil?
Whaddaya think Geoff?
Regards,
Larry
theputtingedge.com

Dear Larry,

What I saw on television was bad aim, but good touch for the putt. It appears that Phil simply misaimed his putter too far out to the outside (his left). Phil has said the putt was downhill and also downwind; that he hit the putt very softly because he knew the green was slick; but that the wind just got hold of the ball and kept moving it downhill. Even so, he says he doesn't think the ball should have rolled seven feet by the hole. I take that as a very mild rebuke to the USGA course setup making the greens unfair. He really offers no excuse for missing the next putt, even though it was uphill and fairly short and he had just watched the ball roll on the return / comeback path.

The routine he uses on these putts is interesting, as it is a way to "walk into" the breaking path and thus setup correctly. However, this routine in my judgment is naturally suited only to putts that break towards your feet, which are right-to-left for right-handers and left-to-right for left-handers. I believe Phil's first putt was breaking right-to-left away from his feet, and his practice stroke was to the right of the ball. This means he was using the technique and walking into a breaking putt clockwise (with the hole to his right side). That would be fine if the putt broke left-to-right towards his feet, but not okay if the putt breaks away from the feet. If I am correct about the putt, then I don't think this technique works the same way clockwise and counter-clockwise from practice putt to real putt. When the left-handed golfer applies it successfully in a clockwise manner to left-to-right putts, he should not also apply it in a clockwise manner to right-to-left putts.

When I saw Phil using this routine this way and then setup to the putt, I immediately thought -- uh oh, he's mis-aimed and the putt will miss to the left.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor

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Dear Larry,

Two additional comments.

First, as I thought more, there is a clearer, less confusing, and more simple way to describe how to make sure the circling of the hole keeps all putts headed in to the feet, and putts breaking away from the feet are avoided with this routine. View the hole from downhill and looking into the fall line thru the hole like the 6-12 line on a clock -- a left-hander has putts breaking into his feet between 6 up to 12 clockwise, and putts breaking away from his feet from 12 down to 6 clockwise; for a right-hander, putts breaks towards the feet from 6 up to 12 counterclockwise and break away from the feet from 12 down to 6 counterclockwise. Based on this, it appears Phil's "misuse" of this targeting routine is that he applied it to a putt on the wrong half of the clock, somewhere around 1 or 2.

Second, as to the source of this circling routine, I have seen very sketchy news items that suggest that Dave Pelz taught this to Phil. This may or may not be true, but in any case it is not to clear exactly what Phil is doing or trying to do. If Phil is trying to use the fall line to see an aim target on the high side of the fall line, then he should be making practice strokes only on the axis of tilt. This really doesn't seem to be what he is doing, and instead seems to make a practice stroke about 15 degrees around the circle from the ball. The television commentators have suggested that Phil is looking for a flat putt, whatever that is, so I don't think they know what they are saying or trying to say. Perhaps they are trying to say he is looking for the axis of tilt, where there is no elevation change from circle to hole, but I doubt they are aware of this since I am the only person in golf to describe breaking putts with reference to the axis of tilt. Pelz has actually presented a tip on the Golf Channle about using what he calls the "spider" to make sure that the golfer leaves a breaking putt below the hole if he misses. Obviously, this tip is not designed to help the golfer get the ball in the hole, but simply to improve chances for the comeback (which I don't think it really does). The interesting thing, I guess, is Pelz's use of the term "spider." So far as I am aware, my tip on "Seeing the Spider" is unique in golf for identifying an aim spot for breaking putts that is along the fall line above the hole. This use of my term "spider" by Pelz suggests that he is basing his tips on my articles. If so, he needs to do a better job of understanding my work and how to golfers like Phil can benefit from them, and also how they should not be applied. In any event, Phil's circling routine does not look nearly as effective as his ritualistic use and misuse of it makes it appear.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor

Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.

Over 700,000 visits and growing strong ...

518 Woodlawn Ave
Greensboro NC 27401
336.230.0612 home
336.402.1602 cell

Geoff...good stuff! It'll be interesting to see what putter Phil brings out next...he says he went back to the blade for the greens at the Masters...and I believe he used the blade again at Shinnecock Hills...just fell a little short. Goosen's putting was uncanny!
Thanks, Larry