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September 18th 2007 21:13
Is Johnny Miller wrong about putting?
By Mark Grove
I read an article by Johnny Miller on Golf Digest.com last night.Johnny pointed out the fact that in order to win major tournaments you need to be a strong putter, not just a strong driver. He also Iterated that Putting seems to be taking over driving as the main focal point of the game in order to win. But Johnny also said the increased length of courses such as Augusta National, would put putting and driving on a more level playing field. Also as part of Johnny's take on driving vs. putting, he stated that putting should never become more important than driving as a part of the game of golf. I was para-phrasing there.
Mark Grove:
By combining the two riving and putting, your game will become stronger. Even mediocore drivers can do well if their putting is the stronger aspect of their game. Lengthing courses will only do so much to keep the cream of the crop winning by being better drivers. Eventually the PGA will have to bring the round score needed to make the cut down as well. Down to what number,who knows?
There are many variables in this, driving vs.putting importance in the game. I would like to go further into this subject, and I think an interview with some top pros should enlighten and give the masses who love golf something to work on their game with, and keep both their putting and driving strong. One will always dominate the other regardless.
Mark Grove
www.a1puttingtips.com
www.golfdigest.com
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How to Approach and stroke your breaking putts
With Brian Gallant CPGA Associate Professional
By Mark Grove
Breaking putts are one of the toughest shots to keep on the right path
without ending up in a sand trap or water hazard. It is easier than you
you think to know where your putt will break, but another thing to keep
it aligned after the break point. Canadian Golf Pro Brian Gallant from
The Fire Rock Club in London, Ontario tells all the duffers out there
how to set up and keep your putts following the right path even after
the break.
The top putters in the game have issues with breaking putts as well, so lets
get a little knowledge on how to get a handle on putts that have a nasty
break or round-off, as I like to call it.
MG: How do you figure out where the break in a putt is?
BG: The break in a putt depends on the slope of the green, the green speed,
the length of the putt, the speed the ball is rolled and a few other things.
Most important is the slope of the green as gravity affects the roll of the
ball. At any given speed, the greater the slope of the green, the more the
putt will break down hill. Most often, golfers identify the break of the
putt by identifying the 'break point' - a point approximately halfway
between the ball and the hole in which the ball will roll and break to the
hole. Golfers often do not read the area from the ball and the break point
leading to missing the ball on the low side of the hole. To read the break
more accurately, golfers need to identify the break for the area from the
ball to the break point. With this break, you will identify the initial
starting line, called the Aimline.
MG: When you're setting up for a breaking putt, should you be aiming for the
hole or the break point?
BG: When setting up for a breaking putt it is important to aim your putter
so that the ball will start rolling over the initial starting line and not
the break point. This allows the ball to take the entire break of the putt
and have the best chance to enter the hole. As noted above, every putt has
an optimum speed and break that must match in order to increase the chances
of holing the putt.
MG: Should you focus as well on where the ball will break left or right, and
adjust your putting stroke for that?
BG: Your focus should be on the ball rolling over the starting point initially,
which is the aim line. This will allow you to make your normal putting stroke
without compensating and overdoing it and veering off the aimline.
Amateur golfers often aim for the break point and compensate during the stroke
to get the ball to start on the proper path which again, is the aimline. Remember
to aim the putter along the aim line, thereby allowing you to make a consistent
stroke without stroke compensation.
Mark Grove—Golfing Basics
Brian Gallant---Associate Professional Golfer—CPGA (Fire Rock Golf Club London, Ontario Canada)
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Thinking differently near the green
By Mark Grove
Most Golfers, including Pros seem to think that always using a wedge near the green is the only way to get your shot either in the cup, or close as possible. Does it makes sense to use a wedge or pitch when the green slopes down. My thinking is, the way a wedge club head is designed, that when you are near a green you better back off or your shot will land well beyond the cup.
The Alternative to the Wedge—near the green
This is where thinking differently takes over. You may think I’m way out there on this one, but most sports writers on Uwritesports.com think so anyway. Using your putter near the green can keep you from hitting the ball too far down in the green, and end up in a bunker or into the next fairway.
This can be a strategy to keep you from going over par for a particular hole. Now due to the flat and relatively straight surface of a putter Club head and it’s Heavy Density, It can enable you to control the flow of your shot, not just the distance. Try practicing shots near the green with a putter and see if you don’t find it works well -along with your regular putts on the green it’s self. You won’t want to use the Putter near the green in every case, but it is a way to give your Short game the edge and variety it needs to improve.
Mark Grove--www.a1golftips.com
links: www.usgtf.com
www.aspiringgolfer.com
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It seems that every time you start putting well another bad putting stroke is around the corner. One of the most infuriating aspects of a golfers short game is slicing the putt, whether it's a long, short, or tap-in stroke.
It's not necessarily how you're making contact with the ball in your putting stroke that has you doing fits after you miss easy tap-ins. It's how you're using your body, hands and arms in one flowing motion and applying that to how you putt, and the results you ultimately achieve through consistent practice.
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When you putt are you confident or have the pre-shot yips thinking I'll never make this in a million years. One thing for certain, no matter how long you've played you should always think you can make it even if you miss.
How do you gain confidence. No confidence is not natural and if some guy tells you he
never practices and is a great putter and overall golfer,chances are he's lying or just
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Putting, Putting, Putting that's all I seem to talk about. I concentrate my articles and interviews with Mark Harman on Putting, because I feel Putting is the most important part of your game and if you don't, your round scores will sky-rocket.
Speed is the primary issue of putting that amatuers and pros have a
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Learning some basic Putting techniques and practicing them regularly,will get you further than the most complicated putting stroke Mechanics.It's not that hard to figure out. Practice is the key to Puting. Learning how to position and hit the ball is more important than a perfect putting stroke.Having better ball positioning will help you keep it more square to the hole and if it needs to break and round off, you can compensate for that more easily.
When you have putts that are just tap-ins, if you use a longer stroke your puts will veer off centre of the hole usually.The ball should be placed halfway between both feet in your putting stance for tap-ins.This will keep the contact force and speed of your putt in moderation.
Tap-ins should be done even more than long putts. The simplest putts
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Putting Basics on a green's downslope are easier to navigate than you think. But downslope
putts have to be practiced more often than the majority of all Putts. More and more Golf Cour-
se designers for both pro and amatuers are making greens tougher to sink in regulation
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