Dave Pelz's Putting Games by Dave Pelz, (04) Games for Touch and Feel, Notes

Post date: Sep 22, 2019 2:56:18 PM

Dave Pelz's Putting Games by Dave Pelz

Chapter 4 - Games for Touch and Feel. These games focus on what goes on inside the head as we prepare for and stroke putts. Improving the mental side, improving both the feel and the touch is as important as knowing how to read greens and grooving a great putting stroke. If we can improve our ability to (1) imagine the speed at which we want to roll 6-to 10-ft breaking putts before we stroke them (short-game touch); (2) control touch and distance on 10 and 30 foot putts (makeable and intermediate touch games); (3) develop lag putting touch to minimize second-putt remainders (Lag-touch Game); (4) learn to use a preview stroke to optimize putting rhythm (rhythm and preview games) and (5) play games of the World Putting Championship we will have gone a long way toward improving the entire mental side of our putting skills. Each game provides feedback as to how well or poorly we are performing mentally at the skill in question. Remember: the mind controls the body, the body controls the putter and the putter controls our putting. These games activate the mind, exercise feel and touch for putt speed and distance and improve ability to coordinate what the body does relative to what the mind expects and tells it to do.

• 1. Short-Touch Game. Develops the ability to match the speed of putts to the line chosen. It is to be played for putts in the 6- to 10-foot range that must start on a line aimed well above (outside of) the top edge of the hole, but that are still makeable. Every golfer faces several 6- to 10-footers in a round that have between 6- & 10-inches of break. These putts must not only be started on line but must also be rolled at a speed that allows them to break the correct amount to hit the hole. The faster putts are rolled, the less they break. The slower putts roll, the more they break. The skill needed to hole putts comes in matching a putt’s speed to its chosen line. Improving that skill is the goal of the Short-Touch Game.

     1. Description - this game consists of twelve putts breaking between 6- and 10-inches, 2 each from three distances in each of two different directions. Begin the set up by finding a hole on a gentle slope where putts break about this amount from eight feet.

        1. After choosing a hole, mark three spots (with sticker-dots or tees) at 6, 8, and 10 feet, such that all three putts will break from right to left as they roll to it. Next walk to the other side of the hole and mark three more spots at the same distances for left-to-right breaking putts. Be careful to stagger the positions of the marks so that no putted balls will have to roll over the footprints you make when you're hitting shorter putts

        2. To play, taket two putts from each of these six positions.

        3. To set up this game at home first choose a spot to putt from. Then establish the line to start putts along and place three small marks at 6- , 8- and 10-feet on that line.

        4. Next set out three targets about 6-inches left and right of those marks, on both sides of the putt starting line (six targets total), these targets simulate both right to left and left to right breaking putts. And finally place a book no more than three feet in front of the putting spot.

     2. Rules and Scoring

• • • 1. Start the Short-Touch Game by looking at the right-to-left breaking putt to the 8-foot target left of the target line. While making the preview stroke, imagine the putt starting on the aim line and then breaking down at perfect speed into the center of the cup. If the mind's eye is comfortable matching the stroke just made with the vision of the roll imagined, then we are ready to putt. Step in, address the putt, take one last look along the line, and roll the ball by executing the exact same stroke as the preview stroke.

         1. Remember, when playing games at home, duplicate what you plan to do on the golf course. By starting putts rolling straight along the aim line, and then imagining them breaking down to the target hole, it will transfer practice improvements onto the course.

         2. All good putting strokes start putts as though they're straight putts-- they start on a straight line and above the hole. Putts then break down toward the hole from that line.

         3. Match the feel of the practice stroke to the image of the putt starting on the aim line and then breaking down at perfect speed into the center of the cup. Repeat until you get it. Make practice strokes (if you're paying attention, it shouldn't take more than three or four) until you feel the preview stroke that will hole your putt at perfect speed. Then step in and use it.

         4. After two 8-foot putts, proceed by rolling two right-to-left breaking putts to each of the 10 ft and 6ft targets, and 6 more left to right putts (two each) to the 8-foot, 10 ft. and 6 ft. targets.

         5. Scoring for the Short-Touch game, when it's played on a green, is based on where the putt stops relative to the incoming putt line and the Optimum Putted Ball Speed Scoring Map.

• • • • 1. Putts rolled in the ‘good’ zone have been rolled at a speed that gives them the best chance to find the hole. Score is the total of the 12 putt scores (easily remembered by keeping track of score relative to par.) The lower the score for twelve putts, the better the performance. Behind every hole is a semicircular-shaped ‘good zone’ (34-inch radius square to the track of incoming putts. This is easily measured at the end of a 35-inch putter with its head in the hole.)

           1. A putt successfully rolled at or near optimum speed will stop in the good zone behind the hole (if it doesn’t go in.) Optimum speed is the speed fast enough to help a putt stay on-line and hit the hole, but not so fast as to cause too many lip-outs or leave an excessively long second putt. A perfectly rolled putt is defined as a putt that rolls on-line into the center of the cup at the optimum speed. Putts with almost perfect speed will stop near the center of the good zone, at a point 17-inches or closer past the hole.

• • • 1. How to Compete

         1. On a putting green: both players alternately putt twice to the same hole from each of the three distances in each direction.

         2. Players win or lose holes based on their putt scores. The competition is match play over 12 holes, whoever wins the most holes wins the game (ties are played off at sudden death).

         3. If both players score the same for a hole, the hole is halved. Play then moves on to the next hole. On most holes, measurement is not necessary, as you can usually quickly see which scoring zone each putt stopped on. Second putts are not putted out. A Short-Touch Game of 12 holes should not take more than fifteen minutes to play.

         4. At home on a carpet: Both players alternately putt to the hole targets at distances as directed. With two players, it is a match play competition over six holes. Holes are won or lost based on each player's score for that putt. The winner is the player who wins the most holes out of 12 (ties are played off at sudden death.)

• 1. Makeable-Touch Game - The intent is to improve the ability to hole putts in the very makeable 10- to 20-foot range. It trains optimum speed (fast enough to stay on-line and hit the hole, but slow enough to minimize lip-outs) to maximize make percentage.

     1. Description - The game consists of two cycles of six putts (twelve putts total), with each cycle composed of two putts from each of three distances. Play this game on a practice green outdoors. There is a semicircular-shaped ‘good’ zone, 34 inches in radius, behind the hole as measured with a 38-inch putter.

        1. First choose a hole and mark off putts of 15, 20 and 10 feet. Walk three large steps straight away from the hole and stick tee in the green about 12 inches past the farterst foot to mark a 10-foot distance from the cup. Take two more big steps in the same direction and place a tee behind the farthest foot for the 15-foot marker, and finally walk another two steps plus one foot for a 20-foot putt to the hole.

        2. Each time the game is played, walk in different directions from the hole chosen, so over time, uphill, downhill and sidehill putts are taken. To play putt two ball from each of the three distances as marked. Then repeat the same cycle a second time.

        3. Scoring

• • • 1. How to Compete - On a putting green, both players alternately putt to the same holes from the lengths of 15 feet, 20 feet, and 10 feet. Players win or lose holes based on putt scores. The competition is match play over twelve holes, the player who wins the most holes out of twelve wins the game (ties are played off at sudden death).

• 1. Intermediate -Touch Game - The intent is to improve the ability to hole an occasional putt in the 20-30 foot range, while at the same time minimizing chances of three putting. This game trains the ability to roll putts at optimum speed.

     1. Description - The game consists of twelve putts, to be putted in two cycles of 2/2/2 putts from each of three intermediate-length distances: 25, 30 and 20 feet. There is always a “good” zone behind the hole into which well-struck putts rol and stop.

        1. First choose a hole and walk off seven large steps straight away from the hole. Place a marker (sticker-dot or tee) on the green behind the farthest foot to mark 20 feet from the hole Then walk another two big steps in the same direction and place a second marker behind the farthest foot (25ft from the cup). Finally, walk another two large steps and mark the spot (30ft).

        2. Each time the game is played, putt two balls from each of the three distances to the chosen hole. Then repeat the cycle.

     2. Scoring

• • 1. How to Compete - On a putting green, both players alternately putt from the lengths of 25 feet, 20 feet, and 30 feet, twice from each distance, then repeat the cycle of six putts each. Players win or lose holes based on putt scores. The competition is match play over twelve holes, with the winner determined by who wins the most holes out of twelve (ties are played off at sudden death).

• 1. Lag-Touch Game - Improves ability to lag long putts of 35 feet or more close to the hole. Three lag distances (40, 50 and 60 feet) are established. Training to develop good touch from these reference points also allows us to translate this touch to slightly longer or shorter putts. The better we can lag, the less three putts we will have on our scorecard.

     1. Description - The game consists of twelve lag putts, to be putted in two cycles of 2 putts from each of three reference distances: 40, 50 and 60 feet. Score is determined by how close putts stop to the “good” zone (34” radius surrounding the hole) into which well-struck putts roll and stop.

        1. Walk thirteen large steps plus one foot length (40 feet) straight away from the hole in the direction mark the spot with a sticker-dot or tee.

        2. Then move a step straight sideways and walk another three steps plus one foot in the same direction and place another maker at 50 feet.

        3. Repeat the process for the 60 foot putt.

        4. Each time the game is played, putt two balls from each of the three distances to the chosen hole. Then repeat the cycle for a complete game.

     2. Scoring

• • 1. How to Compete - On a putting green, both players alternately putt from the lengths of 50 feet, 60 feet, and 40 feet, twice from each distance, then repeat the cycle of six putts for a twelve hole game. Players win or lose holes based on putt scores. The competition is match play over twelve holes, the player who wins the most holes out of twelve wins the game (ties are played off at sudden death).

• 1. Feel-for-Speed Game - Enhances ability to ‘feel’ small differences in speed that strokes impart to putts by engaging in many repetitions of a single ‘speed-critical’ putt, while simultaneously providing feedback to fine-tune the mind and body’s speed control muscles. Feel for speed is developed by dialing-in and focusing on feeling the precision speed control required to maximize chances to hole putts, which remains the ultimate goal on the golf course.

     1. Description - Each game consists of twelve identical putts from 15 ft, 20 ft or 10 ft. Select the distance to putt to each time a game is played.

        1. To play outdoors on a practice green, find seriously breaking putts (12-36 inches) Use a phony hole, the aim is to measure optimum speed and get feedback about speed even on the balls that would have been holed. The more a putt breaks on its way to the hole, the more its line depends on the speed at which it rolls.

        2. Once chosen, place a mark at the distance (15, 20 or 10 ft) and another 17 inches past the hole (where the optimum-speed putt is expected to come to rest)

        3. To play, putt 12 times from the exact same spot.

        4. The goal is for the ball to stop at the 17 inch mark past the hole.

     2. Scoring

• • 1. How to Compete - On a putting green, the competition is match play over twelve consecutive putts by each player (players putt alternately), with the winner of each hole determined by the player whose putt rolls over the phony hole and stops closest to the perfect ‘mark’ (17 inches past the hole. The player who wins the most holes out of twelve (ties are played off at sudden death).

• 1. Rhythm Game - Enhances the ability to consistently make smooth, rhythmic, and accelerating putting strokes. The more smooth and rhythmic the putting stroke becomes, the easier it is to repeat it’s motion. An accelerating putter is far more stable through the impact zone of a putting stroke than a decelerating putter. A fundamental of the Rhythm Game is to learn the feel of rhythmically and repeatedly accelerating through the impact zone of the putting stroke. An accelerating putter always produces more consistent and superior putting results.

     1. Description - Each game consists of trying to make twelve perfect practice strokes to three different putt lengths.

        1. The perfect practice stroke:

           1. The putter smoothly speeds up and then slows to a stop in the backswing.

           2. During the forward swing, the putt smoothly accelerates until it is past the expected impact with the ball, then smoothly slow to a stop again.

        2. If a player uses the same smooth stroke as the perfect practice stroke, more putts will be made. In a perfect practice stroke , a putter should smoothly speed up and then slow to a stop in the backswing. During the forward swing t, the putter should again smoothly accelerate until it is past the expected impact with the ball, then smoothly slow to a stop again. In the forward motion, the strike length after ball impact should be slightly greater than the stroke length prior to impact.

        3. The benefits of having a rhythmic and stable (accelerating) stroke through impact are evident in the roll consistency of putts for all putt lengths. Initially, however, the most improvement in putting results can be achieved by playing rhythm games in the short and makeable (6- to 20- foot) putt ranges.

     2. Resources

• • • 1. Brad Faxon on rhythm, David Leadbetter

      2. Metronome Putting

• 2. Preview-Stroke Game - The purpose of this game is to develop the skill of using the exact same stroke to putt the ball that you’ve just seen and felt in your final practice (preview) stroke. The preview stroke is the stroke that your mind’s eye judged to be perfect for the putt you’re facing. To be a great putter, develop the focus and discipline to create a great preview stroke and use it immediately thereafter as your real putting stroke.

• • 1. Description - Develop not only the ability to ‘feel’ the stroke you want to make before putting, but also the mental focus to be able to use the exact same feel and stroke to actually roll putts under pressure. The intent of the game is to repeat the preview stroke with the exact same feel and rhythm when you make your real putting stroke, making it easier to putt under pressure.

       1. Make four pairs of strokes (one preview followed by one real stroke makes a pair) at three different puttt lengths: four each at 12 feet, four more at 20 feet, and four at 6 feet.

• 3. Games of the World Putting Championship

• • 1. Drawback (putts longer than 30ft) - In good putting, long lag putts should stop hole-high and as close to the hole as possible. Short but close is good in lag putting because the primary goal in lag putting is a two-putt. Drawback tests ability to hole both 4- to 12-foot putts and lag long ones close.

       1. Rules: When a first putt stops in or touching the ‘safe’ zone, it is exempt from drawback and is to be putted out from where it stopped. If it stops outside the ‘safe’ zone, it must be drawn back (have 34 inches added to it) before it is putted again. All missed second or later putts are drawn back 34 inches from the hole before being putted again.

    2. Safety Drawback - played for putts from 10 to 30 feet, all second and subsequent putts are drawn back radially away from the hole by 34 inches before they are putted, except for first putts that go into thehole or stop in the safe zone.

    3. Double Safety Drawback - same as safety drawback, except that it is played for initial putts between 7 and 15 feet and it’s twice as penal (drawback distance is two putter lengths, or 68 inches instead of 34 inches.