4 Steps to Successful Putting
By: Tim Mahoney
If you were to watch the good putters on any of the tours, they all have the same type of routine, a routine for success. As you approach putting, your mind must be on your hands, assisting you with controlling distance. Consistent players utilize fact not fiction. Develop this routine, and you will become a great putter.
Step 1- Walk into the golf ball with your right hand only on the club. During this motion you have three goals: establish an angle in the back of your right wrist (this angle must be maintained during the entire motion.) Aim your clubface at your target. Align your right forearm on the same plane as the shaft.
Step 2- Position your body (all shots in golf, you must align club than body.) Position your eyes over the target line, weight even, golf ball forward in your stance with boxed feet.
Step 3- Position your left hand onto the club. As you slide your hand onto the club, position both thumbs on the flat part of the club with your palms facing each other. Flatten your left wrist and maintain the bend in your right wrist.
Step 4- Swing the putter with the arms. Quiet torso motion as you maintain the hand position. Hold the follow thru until the ball comes to a rest. Your mind must be on controlling distance. Perfect distance is the effect of maintaining the hand position.
All good putters develop a routine. I believe great putters develop an angle in the back of their right wrist at address and they maintain this angle throughout the stroke. As a result, pre-set this angle at address and maintain this angle during the entire motion. Consistent performers utilize fact not fiction.
How to Aim
By Tim Mahoney
A perfectly struck shot with an imperfect aim results in an imperfect result. An imperfect shot with a perfect aim could result in a perfect shot. The art of aiming I believe is the single most difficult aspect in the game, due to the fact that the golfer is inside and above the ball line. I have been in the instruction arena for over 30 years and have tried every aiming tip with my students, and have come up with the conclusion that all good aimers have 2 common traits: a consistent ball flight and they always aim the clubface first and body second.
Consistent Ball Flight
Golf swing and pre swing compatibility will develop a consistent ball flight. For an example: strong grip, centered ball position, body supports golf club and a reverse K posture these alignments will produce a controlled draw. Conversely, a weaker grip, forward ball position, X posture and an arm control will produce a controlled fade. Uncontrolled ball flights make a consistent aim impossible. Hooks followed by a slice develop an atmosphere where it is impossible to aim. Develop a consistent ball flight and then develop your game plan for aiming.
Clubface Followed by Torso
The only contact with the ball is the clubface. Consistent aimers align the club first followed by the torso. Step 1 of a consistent aimer is positioning the clubface behind the ball with the completed grip. During this alignment the golfer must align the leading edge at right angle to the target line. After successfully aligning the clubface the golfer must position the body parallel to the intended starting line. The golf ball and club head would be on the outside rail of a railroad track with the body on the inside rail. The body will be parallel left. A line across the eyes, shoulders, forearms, hips, knees and feet must be aligned parallel left. Inconsistent aimers consistently check there feet, when the feet are only 1 piece of the aiming puzzle. Aiming is guaranteed if you aim the leading edge at your intended target line and then aim your body parts parallel left. Your golf club will approach the impact area on a line across your shoulders; as a result it is an imperative that the golfers position their trunk parallel left.
Develop a consistent ball fight with a compatible set of pre-swing and in swing fundamentals and as you aim, position the club with your body aligned parallel left. Consistent aiming is the effect of a consistent ball-flight not the cause.
Low short game shots
The average professional golfer on any of the world tours hits an average of 11-13 greens a round. As a result, 5-7 opportunities are presented for an up-in or an actual chip in. After 35 years of teaching golf around the world, mastering the chip shot is the fastest way to lower your handicap, provide more enjoyment and assist all levels of golfers an opportunity to exceed their personal objectives.
At the Mahoney and Troon Golf Academy we have eliminated shots titles: chipping and pitching and have replaced the situation with a low shot or a high shot. In all short game situations the player’s goal is to land the golf ball safely onto the putting surface and allow the golf ball to release to the hole. Successful short game results are the effect of a correct set-up, swing motion, and club choice.
Club choice is the effect of the lie of the ball, the amount of green you have to work with and the distance you are away from your desired landing area. Worse the lies choose a higher lofted club. More green you have to work with, take a lower lofted club to allow for more run out. The further you are away from the landing area, choose a higher lofted club in-order to land the golf ball safely onto the green. When in doubt, choose the higher lofted club and produce a lower ball flight.
Preparation in the short game is 90% of the success of the end result. For a lower lofted shot, position the ball towards your back foot, lean your body weight towards the target with the shaft leaned forward. Keep in mind that the golf club will bottom out directly below your nose, Position your head in front of the ball and the club will find its low spot in front of the ball.
During your swinging motion, minimize the amount of hand action and pivot on the back swing and allow your upper body to turn back with arm motion. The club head should remain under your hands. On the forward swing allow your resisted core hips to initiate the motion with limited hand and wrist motion. The club head should remain under your hands. Hold your finish until the ball comes to rest.
Eliminate the shot titles during your golf rounds and attempt to the control your short game shots with elevation. Set-up, club choice and motion will give you controlled results and lower scores.