Really FUN Putting Drill

All have us have openly wondered why it is so easy to backhand a 3-footer when going through our entire routine scares the daylights out of us. Am I right? Well I think most of us realize that we cause our own problems; our mind can really get the best of us if we let it.

So here is a great putting drill that will re-connect you with your natural abilities. You simply cannot be very mechanical when you try this:

Take two balls. You can do this on the putting green or even on a decent carpet. Put the two balls fairly close together, but far enough away to comfortably swing at the first one. Putt the first one about 15 or 20 feet towards no specific target. AS THE FIRST BALL IS ROLLING, step up to the other and swing it towards the rolling first ball. Anticipate where the first ball will stop and try to hit it with the second one. You will be amazed how many times you can actually hit it.

Every once in a while, take a couple normal putting attempts. If you are on a green aim at a hole. If you are in your living room, aim at the couch corner or whatever else you can. But yet again try something else: while you are swinging the putter, LOOK AT THE TARGET. This is the only way to do it in the above drill, so see how it works when you hit a normal putt to a standing target. Once again, you will surprise yourself how well you can do this.

One disclaimer here - this drill was concocted this afternoon in my basement while watching the golf on TV (Yes, Wisconsin winters can be very long!). I have no idea how well it works, but I can't wait to see. As you have heard me say before, don't be afraid to experiment. There is no doubt in my mind that this drill can be very effective. To help you improve your feel and increase your natural abilities is NEVER a bad thing, so try it & tell me what you think. I love doing this blog but I would love it even more if you would reply with your experiences, so comment below or send me an email!

Highs & Lows

I commented a couple days ago about the chances at the TPC to have either great moments or moments you would rather forget about. I also commented about Davis Love III, but didn't expect the two to culminate together like they did Thursday & Friday. After opening with a tournament leading 65, DLIII shot 83 today, ending the round with a three-putt quad on his final hole. I guess some days that just happens - even to the best players in the world.

There has been a lot of talk that DLIII is both as physically and mentally fit as he has ever been. So what I am curious to see is how he bounces back from this. I know he more than most would love to be a green jacket owner, especially given his near-miss back in '95 when Crenshaw won one of the greatest golf tournaments I have ever seen. The ability to bounce back is a testament to a golfer's will and determination. Even as recent as Greg Owen - he's five-under halfway through the Player's after last week's meltdown at Bay Hill. But one thing I have notices about guys who are able to bounce back like this is that they are very honest with the situation - to both themselves and others. Since it is so fresh on our minds, let's talk about Owen. He played flawlessly until 17, only to mess up suddenly on the green. He realized right away that he simply screwed up - MADE A LITTLE MISTAKE. And that's all. He admitted it to us and himself, but he also realized how well he played. So Owen accepted the error, learned from it, and focused on the positive once the disappointment wore off.

But I am not sure about Love III. Does he openly admit mistakes? I don't know. He certainly has had a lot of 2nd place finishes, which means he keeps putting himself into position, even after the many defeats. So I guess he knows how to bounce back. And I hope he does. I have never been a huge DLIII fan, but I would kind of like to see him win Augusta. Certainly more so than some others, so I am anxious to see what happens.

So no doubt the TPC has delivered again - we have seen some fantastic shots, and we have seen some awful ones. And I bet the weekend continues to provide the excitement. Certainly the course can be scripted for great drama, and at the end of the day it is all we can ask for. Enjoy the weekend - enjoy the game!

T-P-C...T-P-C...T-P-C...

I would rank the Players Championship third among my most anticipated golf tournaments, behind only the Masters and what I believe to be the greatest event in golf, the Ryder Cup. The golf course is incredible - trouble lurks everywhere yet great birdies and even eagles can be made down the stretch. But more than that I think the players themselves love the event so much that their energy and enthusiasm shines. Unless someone like DLIII catches fire and wins by 7 or 8 strokes like he did back in 2003, recent history predicts another down-to-the-wire finish. And THAT always makes for good TV!

So your not going to find me writing with any great tips or words of wisdom tonight. I simply am documenting my excitement for the upcoming event and hope you all get a chance to watch some spectacular golf being played at Sawgrass. Spring is RIGHT around the corner!

Learning as You Go

An important part of reading greens is observing your putts and the putts of those you are playng with. There is a lot you can learn AFTER you putt, so pay attention to what is going on.

Some grasses allow more break than others, so there will be times that you will play where the break is more or less than you are used to. I have played courses where the ball just will not slide. I would see a putt that I expect movement and it just goes straight as can be. You may also be stroking it differently from day to day, and sometimes the ball rolls better than the next. Strokes that roll the ball very true will break less because the ball is hugging the grass and staying very steady. Putts that jump and bump will be more affected by the break because they tend to hop around and are not consistent. So pay attention to the day’s round and learn from it. It’s the putts on the last few holes that seem to rise in level of importance, so feel like your are improving throughout the day.

Argh!

OK, so can you imagine being a friend of Greg Owen? I mean, what do you tell a guy who three-putts from three-feet on #17 and then loses the event by ONE SHOT? I don't think even Rod Pampling was happy with the outcome.

If Owen makes the putt he WINS. He'll be remembering that for a long time.