Putting Fundamentals

I find when putting there are two things you need for a successful putting stroke: solid mechanics and a deft feel.  From the following tips I will help you not only improve the mechanics of your putt but also help you gain the correct tempo so that you not only become a competent putter but just as importantly by putting more accurately and consistantly you will be able to see your score improve.


1. The Correct Angle.

The position of the ball is extremely important and something which many players seem to neglect when putting. The angle of attack that your putter hits the ball with will determine the strength and the roll of the putt.

Set the ball slightly forward in your stance (between the middle and inside your left foot as in the picture on the left) this will create the correct amount of topspin when you strike the ball for correct roll on the putt, while the putter will be square to the target through impact.

If the ball is too far forward (picture on the left) you will strike the ball at the bottom of the putter resulting in a poor roll.

or alternatively with the ball too far back (picture on the left) the putter will hit the ball into the ground resulting in the ball to pop up off the ground with a poor direction and roll.





2.  The Grip.

                                                               

(picture 1 & 2)
                                                                        

I have recently noticed that some of my new students have been using the same grip for their putting and long game ( picture 2) . It is very important that you grip the putter correctly when putting. You should try changing your grip if this is the case, point both your thumbs down the middle of the grip resting on the flat front (picture 1) and perhaps try placing your index finger on your left hand on top of your fingers on your right hand. This will help you become a more accomplished putter and your hands will work more as a unit.

3. Feeling for the Putter Head

To threaten the hole more often the putter head must move with more freedom and fluidity. When you are practicing on the putting green or on the course try some one-handed swings (as in the picture) to your pre-shot routine, you will start to feel the putter head creating its own momentum. Practice this a couple of times making sure when placing the other hand back on the putter that you don't grip the putter too tightly as this will hamper the freedom of your stroke.



That's it until next time and if you want to contact me for a lesson or have any queries please contact the pro shop on 968943771 or on my email at dara@santodaserragolf.com. I hope you find these tips useful and happy golfing.

TO A GREAT AND CHARISMATIC MAN

On hearing the news of Seve Ballesteros’s death I wanted to write something that just wasn’t a rehash of all that’s been said before.   So, I contacted Peter Mitchell and asked him to recall some of his memories.  I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

This is what he said.......... 

'Yes, I was one of the lucky people who, while on the PGA European Tour played with Seve Ballesteros during many tournaments and practise rounds and enjoyed his sense of fun and his genuine desire to help others.  He actually helped me on several occasions and here are just a couple of short stories that show or at least to me show just how charismatic and generous he really was.'

Words of Wisdom

It was 1992 and I had led a few tournaments over the 1990 era and just couldn't finish off and win!!!!!.  I was playing with Seve in The German Masters for the first two rounds and was doing ok, but Seve asked me why I hadn't won any tournaments?  My reply was ‘it's because I haven’t played well enough throughout the tournament.’

Well he said to me, ‘I have only won one event out of the 25 or so - The Masters where I played great golf for just two rounds and hung on for dear life for the other two rounds.  So, if you have a very good round you just hang on as much and for as long as you can until the end of the tournament and hopefully you would have won!!!!!!!!’  Well a few weeks later I did win and as Seve said in a roundabout way ‘It's not and never easy but stay in there and give it your all’ and it worked, so thanks Seve!!!!.

And on another occasion

I was paired with Seve in the Lancôme Trophy for the first two rounds.  I didn't have a great opening round (70) I think, but I'd missed putts all the way round the course.  After we had finished Seve marched me straight to the putting green with Billy Foster his caddy, placed a towel on the floor then preceded to spend 1.5 hours virtually on all fours pulling and pushing the putter and me into all sorts of positions to help me putt much better.  I have to admit it was funny looking at the faces on all the other tournament pro's on the putting green watching Seve, the Number 1, in the world at that time giving me a very strong putting lesson.

Again it shows the passion of Seve to help all of us when he could and as much as he could.

Seve, thank you for giving me a chance to have known you and to have spent time in your company. You will be sadly missed by me and everyone in the golfing world.

Peter Mitchell May 2011

I have a brief story that my father told me about when he met Seve. He had won a local competition with Callaway to meet Seve along with 15 other people from around europe. Seve gave them his upmost attention from 9 a.m to 6 p.m for 3 days, he showed them every shot in the game from trick shots to the conventional along with playing holes also. My father will always remember Seve telling him " If you have an out of bounds on the left you line up and face the enemy on the left and vice versa". On the last night with Seve one of the Callaway representatives called him and told him to get ready for dinner at 7p.m , Seve said  he was not finished speaking and he would have dinner at 8p.m. Seve had breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday with the clients. My father said he had never been treated so well, Seve's generousity and commitment was far and above of what Callaway expected of him. I never met Seve but watched him play in the Irish Open in Ireland and he would always have the biggest crowds watching him.

Dara Ford

CJ

Calamity Jane Hits the Fairways

CALAMITY JANE HITS THE FAIRWAYS

I MAY NOT HAVE MANAGED AN EAGLE BUT I SURE AM GONNA GET THAT SEAGULL

Now I freely acknowledge that I will never be the world’s greatest golf player, well not for a while as such aspirations are a little unwise after just six lessons and as someone delicately mentioned, middle age! I hasten to add that they have been taken off my friends listing. Yet despite my growing enthusiasm for the sport as well as my lack of technical ability I was sniggered at.  Having already been told that I ‘squidge’ my face up when under pressure or in most cases when it comes to hitting the ball and having watched Dara’s action reply of my erratic wrist movement which makes my golf more akin to Mr Bean than Tiger Woods I have come to realise that all those little things were nothing compared to the attitude of a two legged, beady eyed, grey and white golf critic, aka a seagull.

So there I was having a lesson in chipping while Dara stood in what could only be described as a ‘man suffering’ pose while I lined up my first shot.  This and later ones didn’t go too badly.  OK, they more rolled along the ground at speed rather than elegantly rising and rolling across the putting green but boy did they move and I nearly got a hole in one.  After punching the air wildly and exclaiming loudly about take a look at that!  Dara kindly pointed out that whilst my shots had gone past a hole and yes I had nearly got a hole in one I was in fact supposed to be aiming for the hole with the yellow and white flag and not the black and red one half a mile away.  So it was back to hitting the grass again to work on a somewhat more delicate and controlled swing when a sharp cackle caught my attention.  Sitting behind me was the resident golf critic, the expression on its face one of amused contempt.  Even more upsetting was when I scowled he opened his beak as if yawning from boredom.  Of course being a beginner gives you so much leeway to make mistakes, I mean it would have been a great shame if I had misinterpreted an instruction and hit the ball the wrong way therefore relieving said seagull of its smug expression but I was prevented from doing so by the steely look that came into its eye.  It reminded me of my grandmother when she was cross and I was sure that any such transgression would result in me having to stand in a corner until forgiven (eventually!).

So, in an attempt to perfect my game and to actually get my shoulders to move rather than just my wrists Dara came up with a cunning plan; I had to hit the golf ball so that it would move a coin placed in front of it.  And it worked!  Much to my surprise and instead of landing half a mile away I actually got within a couple of feet of the intended target. 

So until next time it will be practice, practice, practice…………………………..and of course it’s always helpful if you have something to aim at!

C.J