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**Uzezqelj** · 06-11-2009, 06:23 PM

Fred Shoemaker has a great book on understanding the mental or "feel" dynamic of putting called "Extraordinary Putting." Can't stress how good his books are. I went from being a frustrated 12.5 Handicap to a joyous 10 this summer and it has nothing to do with my handicap. My improvement while small was in between my ears and had little to do with my stroke change. Honestly, with all of the things we get caught thinking about, hitting the ball square and online becomes almost secondary. Try taking a few different putters and line up 10 balls spaced one foot from each other. Hit one, go to the next, with only enough time to get your balance and make your stroke. Try this with the putters you think you might be interested in owning more than once. The one you feel at the end that you feel less fear and more faith in is the one for you... another person called this "being an extension of your flesh and blood" I think.
Putting is at a basic level a slow, deliberate, instinctive reaction to a stationary object, and your thoughts and your worries stop you from making a committed stroke. JP made a point that he never worried about all of the technical stuff on the way down to a 2. It then stands to reason that this stuff is all subjective to feel! Do what feels comfortable and then do it over and over until it becomes what you do and who you are.
I had a friend blindfold me and place different putters in my hand and then set the ball up in my stance, after that we did the same thing without the blindfold, then I took the two remaining: a Yes! blade and a 2-Ball and this time looked at the target and hit a bunch of balls until I landed on the Odyssey. I know this sounds crazy, but I have been putting way better the last two weeks and its because I have faith in what I am holding in my hand and I am not distracted by junk in my head. Hope this helps, read the book, it is changing my whole game and how much I enjoy it incrementally!

Great post!

I especially liked the "blindfolded" part because I'm a big believer in "eyes closed" practice from time to time. I practice that way whenever I need to clear my head and focus. I usually set up with a generally flat and straight putt and I'll roll one or two balls until I get a feel for the stroke and distance. Then I'll set up and just close my eyes and stroke the ball and I won't open them until I either hear the ball drop into the cup or feel that the ball has had enough time to roll to the hole.

I think a lot of people would be amazed at how steady and focused they would become if they couldn't see what they were doing and just had to feel it. I've even done this with full-swing wedge shots. Once I get a good cadence going, I'll set up at address, close my eyes and swing. Once I'm in a groove, I can hit shot after shot - all of them nearly identical - without seeing anything. It's amazing how much more aware one becomes when the visual cues are removed and instinct takes over.

-JP

06-11-2009, 06:23 PM	#11
Uzezqelj Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 585 Senior Member	Fred Shoemaker has a great book on understanding the mental or "feel" dynamic of putting called "Extraordinary Putting." Can't stress how good his books are. I went from being a frustrated 12.5 Handicap to a joyous 10 this summer and it has nothing to do with my handicap. My improvement while small was in between my ears and had little to do with my stroke change. Honestly, with all of the things we get caught thinking about, hitting the ball square and online becomes almost secondary. Try taking a few different putters and line up 10 balls spaced one foot from each other. Hit one, go to the next, with only enough time to get your balance and make your stroke. Try this with the putters you think you might be interested in owning more than once. The one you feel at the end that you feel less fear and more faith in is the one for you... another person called this "being an extension of your flesh and blood" I think. Putting is at a basic level a slow, deliberate, instinctive reaction to a stationary object, and your thoughts and your worries stop you from making a committed stroke. JP made a point that he never worried about all of the technical stuff on the way down to a 2. It then stands to reason that this stuff is all subjective to feel! Do what feels comfortable and then do it over and over until it becomes what you do and who you are. I had a friend blindfold me and place different putters in my hand and then set the ball up in my stance, after that we did the same thing without the blindfold, then I took the two remaining: a Yes! blade and a 2-Ball and this time looked at the target and hit a bunch of balls until I landed on the Odyssey. I know this sounds crazy, but I have been putting way better the last two weeks and its because I have faith in what I am holding in my hand and I am not distracted by junk in my head. Hope this helps, read the book, it is changing my whole game and how much I enjoy it incrementally! Great post! I especially liked the "blindfolded" part because I'm a big believer in "eyes closed" practice from time to time. I practice that way whenever I need to clear my head and focus. I usually set up with a generally flat and straight putt and I'll roll one or two balls until I get a feel for the stroke and distance. Then I'll set up and just close my eyes and stroke the ball and I won't open them until I either hear the ball drop into the cup or feel that the ball has had enough time to roll to the hole. I think a lot of people would be amazed at how steady and focused they would become if they couldn't see what they were doing and just had to feel it. I've even done this with full-swing wedge shots. Once I get a good cadence going, I'll set up at address, close my eyes and swing. Once I'm in a groove, I can hit shot after shot - all of them nearly identical - without seeing anything. It's amazing how much more aware one becomes when the visual cues are removed and instinct takes over. -JP
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