36 hole Sr Section championship...

[dss]

To all- Just completed our 'old farts' section championship today. 36 holes of golf. Monday I hit 15 greens, made one bad swing all day and shot 74 w/3 3-putts, 36 total putts. Today, I hit 12 greens, made 4 bad swings, shot 80 w/17 2-putts and 1 3-putt (for par on a par 5). And, oh yes, ELEVEN lip-outs today. My 5 bad swings in two days resulted in me being 12 over par on those holes, simply because I cannot get the ball in the hole. My wife is keeping any and all sharp objects away from me. Needless to say, I am extremely discouraged at the present. I think it's time to go back to the bullseye...at least it feels good coming off that head while it's missing! Ain't this friggin' game supposed to be fun??

[dss]

Played a non-competitive round today (with the bullseye), and shot 72. From #12 in, I began trying something different- I zeroed out the knee flex and took every stroke to the both arms straight position. made 3 birdies, and solid, acceptable 2 putts on the other greens. I can now get close to sharp objects again...hope this helps someone out there...Dave

[vj]

DSS

Review your practice on the greens. On a piece of paper write down the things you do in practice and then post them here. I am very interested in your practice routine.

After that post the components of your stroke that you feel are vital. Tell me what you "feel" like you do when you putt well.

[dss]

VJ- Thanks for your interest. I'll do my best to answer your questions...My practice sessions on the greens usually don't last very long because of low back pain...anyway, Ill practice 2-5 footers mostly, because I miss so many of these during rounds. For longer putts, I will putt to a side of the fringe, just trying to gauge a feel for distance. 15-20 minutes is about all my back can take.
Your second question referenced what I felt were my components when I putted well. I can't answer your question because I can't remember the last time I putted well! I have had "good days" on the greens (28 or fewer putts) MAYBE 3 times in the last 10 years, I'm not sure. Mostly, it's 34-40 per round. Those times when I have putted well, I could "see" a line to the hole. This is EXTREMELY RARE for me...I usually see nothing. On real bad days, I know I'm gonna miss from as close as 18"- I just don't know whether it'll be on the low side or high side. I can "see" shots in the air before I hit them- then I just hit the shot I saw in my mind's eye. But once the ball is on the ground, I see nothing, except for those very rare times mentioned above. Hope this answers your questions.

[dss]

Very interesting article in the latest GOLFWEEK re: Michael Campbell and his eye exercises... hope you get to read the article and try the exercises( I did). Now I'm wondering what it means when you never see 1 tee, and always see 2???

[vj]

DSS,

First thing, seperate your mechanics and your play. In other words DO NOT work on anything mechanical on the putting green for a while. Do the following: Find some type of training aid which guides you to the stroke path and hinge you like, Pelz in straight back and through, The Putting Arc, The True Plane, etc.... It is you choice but get one asap.--Don't use it anywhere but at home. Try and make 30 repetitions each day on it and go SLOW. Look at the face-experiment-look at the path, while the entire time you have something down there helping you (the training aid)

Second take a 33 cent cd and put it on the ground upside down. This is a cheap mirror. Your job here is to get your eyes over the sweet spot of the putt and go back and through, back and through, back and through!! Do this 30 times each night also. LET THE ABOVE BE YOUR MECHANICAL PRACTICE- IT IS A STEADY HEAD, PLANE CONTROL, AND HINGE CONTROL!!!

On the greens I want you to go out and tap some putts in from 18 inches. Just tap, tap, tap. After about ten now place a ball 18 inches from the cup but to the side (either right or left) and I want you to tap it straight away (it will not go in the cup and that is the point) you ball will roll 4 to 6 feet. A 4 to 6 footer is a "tap in" the speed you use there is the same as from 18 inches. NOW THAT SHOULD TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF!

Secondly on the greens start working on speed. Go out and begin to count how long it takes the ball to roll 5,10,15,20,25 feet. Begin to create a time measurement on the greens, this is the reason you never see the line. I gaurantee you have a time period when "seeing" your full shots and you don't even know it. So on the putting green it is speed, time, speed, time-----and at home it is mechanics.

Give it two weeks and let me know. Sorry it took so long to get in touch, Old Katrina was a real B---H!

[dss]

...Vj; for the next two weeks I am your humble servant. I have an event on the 3rd of October that has some meaning ( and cash) for me, so I have extra incentive to give this a try. BTW, this past Monday I played in a pro-am and hit 14 greens and shot a smooth 78 w/39 putts...15 2's and 3 3's. I've got nowhere to go but up, right?

[vj]

DSS

That is right. You have no where to go but up!!!!