Hi Geoff
I want to examine further an extract from your recent interview in which you stated "I can close my eyes, look down at the golf ball, turn my head to what I think corresponds to a distance 23 feet away and then turn back and I will have the touch I need".

It all gets back to the need or otherwise for a practice or rehearsal putt. For the past 4 days I have watched closely on TV the putting routine of golfers at the Ford Championship and at the Dubai Classic. The majority of the pros take two practice putts alongside the ball, some take one, others take three. I have also noticed that when taking their practice putts they look down at their feet and not at the hole as I had previously assumed. The sequence seems to be stare momentarily at the hole, then look down and take the required number of practice putts, then edge closer to the ball, take one or two looks (in the case of Olazabal 7 looks)and then putt. I could not tell if their eyes were open or shut when taking their practice putts.

I understand clearly your view that the proper neck turn can program the brain for distance. However, it seems that every pro somehow needs to feel the coming stroke motion. In other words actual feel the distance kinethetically. They do this by taking practice putts alongside the ball. I didn't see any taking practice putts from behind the ball, and few instances of pros who didn't take any practice putts.

I know it is possible to gauge distance other than through sight as a result of working with blind golfers. My concern is how do your program the kinethetic feel of a stroke without actually making the stroke? I have read Dave Stockton book in which he advocates against practice strokes, even referring to pool players who don't rehearse a shot. But with all those pro golfers out there going through the motions, what is the story?
Kind regards
Neville
Oz

Dear Neville,

The story is 1. the pros are not getting distance from their practice strokes, 2. the pros usually have the correct touch anyway, 3. using the current crop of pros as the "expert model" for optimal putting is attractive but ultimately misleading, and 4. the real reason pros make a practice stroke is that they are afraid not to because lots of other people make them.

Pros could be a lot better than they are, as a group. There is a lot of bogus technique in pro putting, and pros generally follow the herd. Stuff like this comes and goes over the years.

Tiger has changed his routine recently. he now does not slide the putter out the same way he used to. Formerly, he made two practice strokes and slid the putter head out behind the ball without moving his feet. I criticized that as changing his hands too far out from his body. he now slides the putter and moves his feet closer. Also, after he slides his putter out, he checks the aim with a gaze and a head turn that looks a lot better than before. His gaze is closer to straight out of his face now than in the past few years.

John Huston ranked first in putting without a practice stroke a year or so ago. The pros who use a practice stroke are just doing something about being nervous, and making this a part of the permanent routine strikjes me as making nervousness on the green welcome into your game. No thanks!

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
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