Dear sammy,
David Leadbetter's tip is just a repetition of the same tip offered by thousands of golf instructors. I disagree with thousands of golf instructors about what they say for putting, and I specifically disagree with this particular "tip."
The three key terms used by Leadbetter in this "tip" are "control," "accelerate," and "feel." I see nothing to indicate a thoughtful analysis and understanding of these key notions or an effective communication explaining to golfers what is meant by these notions. That means they fall into the too-crowded sack of "jargon" relied upon by golf instructors not skilled at verbal communication. By "jargon," I mean key terms that are only suggestive of definition, with the precise details left to the readers' imagination.
For example, take "control". What is meant by this term? What is suggested is an assumed, normal, affects-everyone lack of control that must be overcome for short putts. The term posits a problem that needs a cure. Is there a "control" problem on short putts? If so, what is its genesis and what sorts of bandaids or cures are there to choose among? (That would be true analysis of the issue.)
What would be the problem for putting a ball straight a short distance? If I set up a test of a chalk line and a 5-foot straight putt, what percentage of sinks would you expect from a normal amateur golfer out of 100 attempts? I would guess well over 75%. From 4 feet, I would guess well over 80%. From 3 feet, I would guess well over 90%.
I think personally that the "problem" of short putts is multiple: partly that the golfer does not look carefully at the surface in a way that generates the right information; partly that the golfer does not really settle on a line; partly that the golfer does not settle on aim down a given line; partly that the golfer does not settle on a pace for the putt; partly that the golfer lacks consistency in setup and stroke; partly that the golfer does not have a clear sense of the body action that rolls a ball straight; partly that the golfer does not astutely appreciate break on short putts; partly that the golfer does not have good thought control, or emotional control about these sorts of putts; and partly because the golfer gives credence to lots of bits of conflicting and not-so-hot "tips" about how to handle short putts. The cure is equally multiple -- good teaching on all these issues.
The notion of "accelerate" is equally vague. There are many ways to "accelerate" thru impact with a putter. What is suggested is a voluntary speeding of the putter faster and faster by the golfer's muscle action that "zips" the putterhead thru the impact zone in some pattern of "acceleration." Well, which pattern? Zero to 60 mph in under 6 seconds? What is most likely is that Leadbetter and all others offering this "tip" mean a "positive" thru-stroke more than they mean a specific pattern of acceleration. A "positive" thru-stroke is one that begins and ends without hesitation or change during its progression.
There is indeed something valuable in a "positive" thru-stroke for short putts, and it also applies to long putts and any putts in between, but it does not really have to do with a specific pattern of voluntary acceleration thru impact. Mostly it has to do with cutting the conscious, effortful mind out of the stroke loop in favor of allowing the instinctive, feed-forward stroke processes of movement control to have their head unimpeded by conscious namby-pamby-ism.
When a golfer knows what makes a ball roll straight and how he promotes and accomplishes that wih his stroke movement, a lot of this namby-pamby-ism dissipates. When he knows how to putt straight, he then places a premium on learning to read and aim correctly so that cause-and-effect works according to anticipated prediction. This leaves only the "feel" ("touch") issue for pace and distance control.
The use of the term "feel" in this "tip" is typically vague to the point of being devoid of communicated content. A "rule" that the stroke needs to be short back and long thru is destructive of instinctive putting with good "touch." The tempo and the backstroke are part of a "package deal" in the instincts when push comes to shove in the making of the stroke. Artificially curtailing the backstroke results in a short-circuiting of the motor plan for distance control and its replacement with a panic-driven substitute that is always ill-conceived due to the exigent circumstances of its birthing. It is especially hurtful to sinking short putts with subtle break.
An instinctive stroke that conforms more closely to gravity, without the voluntary "hitting" thru impact implied by this Leadbetter "tip," is by necessity an "accelerating" stroke. If the real bugaboo is lack of positive, unfaltering action in the stroke, then is this sort of "accelerating" an effective cure in the sense of being a good trade-off? I don't really think so, as it addresses only part of the problems in a crude way and not without serious costs.
The better approach is to get down to brass tacks about what causes namby-pamby-ism. There are a number of teachings that address this directly, but probably the most effective is thoughtful, sound instruction about HOW TO PUTT SHORT PUTTS EFFECTIVELY with respect to a constellation of typical problems in getting this done.
Cheers!
Geoff Mangum
Putting Coach and Theorist
PuttingZone
http://puttingzone.com>
Golf's most advanced putting instruction -- you're either in the PuttingZone, or not.
