hi geoff,
thanks for the quick response on uphill putts,im working on it and in time ill let you know my results.
ive recently noticed similarities im stuart appleby`s technique and routine to what you recommend.his putter is very short allowing his upper arms to hang under the shoulder sockets,his head turn seems to keep his eyes turning on line or at least very close to the line,his elbows are tucked in slightly with the hands raised a hair and the stroke is made with the shoulders and no hand movements.in his routine he stands behind the ball to make his practice putts,but unlike baddely and darren clarke he is practicing with his eyes on the line as if making the same putt but from a couple of feet further away.
has he changed to this with help from you or another coach or has he always putted this way and i am just noticing now?
what is your opinion on his putting?
thanks again,
david mccallum.
PGA professional.

Dear David,

Stuart is one of the very very few golfers on the PGA Tour who uses his eyes and gaze in a pretty good way. I discussed his straight, dead-gaze look from ball to hole a few years ago when he played Greensboro. He had recently dropped the aspect of his technique when his Australian swing coach told him simply to "react" to the target instead of moving his head and eyes down the line.

I find this "react to the target" advice vague and pretty meaningless from the point of view of neuroscience. The brain always "reacts" to the target -- if you are conscious at all, the world's sensorium causes reactions in the brain. This is just empty "pop psychology" that leads golfers away from sound technique back down Streaky Lane.

So I was gladdened to see Stuart resume using his dead-eye gaze and look from ball to hole.



I also spoke with Zen Oracle's Bob Hanington this January at the PGA Merchandise Show. Bob said that he had hooked up with England's putter physics genius Norman Lindsay, and both were now working with Appleby and his swing coach to "stabilize" Stuart's stroke mechanics. i think this means that Stuart is working on the balance / equilibrium stability of his lower body during the stroke motion.

I certainly don't claim any influence with Stuart Appleby! But I like what he does on the greens and hope his example will help convince other PGA Tour players that what I teach is sound and effective. Maybe one day soon ...



Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone
http://puttingzone.com
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