Open invitation
 

Please feel free to ask questions. I'll do my best to answer them.

I'm game . . .

How far do most pros actually hit the ball? I see Tiger hit seven iron from freakin' 210 and then the next hole he hits it 160 . . . how does that work?

Do you advise the weekend player to learn exactly how far he hits his clubs or does it matter?

How do you advise a player to play when he don't have is A game? Do you just keep trying stuff . . . in other words . . . If I don't have it maybe I just try to cut it around the golf course?

Which tournament has the hottest chicks? Is it really Houston?

Could you take us through how you and your guy prepare for a major with regards to strategy?

Baseball Lid, Bucket Hat or Visor?

Sorry but I'm full of 'em!

Rock out!

Bucket

Wow thats mighty generous of you...
Could you share with us how you teach students how to use the driver?

Bucket comes through. Thread number two.

Conditions play a huge part in how far the ball goes. As far as Tiger and Bubba, who knows how far they can hit it. Most tour players hit the seven iron around 170. Some of the numbers you hear on TV seem off the charts, but it can be because of the conditions. Let's take a 200 yard shot on a par 4. Tour yardage might be 175 front and 25 pin--200 hole. Normally a five iron. It's a little downhill (say four yards), touch of help (five yards), now it's a six. But the greens are firm, so we only want to pitch it 190 to allow for release. Now it's a seven, but it's still a 170 seven iron. Add in a little grass behind the ball or a damp fairway or a really hot day, and you have rocket launch conditions.

Length varies through the bag (relative to the field). The guys who deloft the club at impact can hit short irons miles, but they will not carry the longer clubs as far. Some guys hit the driver hard but don't carry it. They can be long under the right conditions. The really long guys are flying the driver 280 plus. It opens up alot of options.

Every golfer should know how far they hit it. How would you think your way around the course otherwise? You can chart it on the range for a baseline, but you really need to pay attention on the course. When you arrive at the green after a reasonable shot, notice where the ball pitched (in yards), how much it released, and judge your selection. It it an easy thing to do. You will start to create a database. As the file gets larger, you will notice patterns. You will be able to adjust to the conditions (balls carrying today). It also reduces the stress of club selection. You will have data to quiet your mind. You should play for a good shot. Not your best possible shot, but base your club selection on a quality shot.

No "A" game. Difficult answer. Some guys would be more conservative off the tee. Others would say, "If I'm gonna be in the rough, I want to have as short as club as I can." When a tour player is off, it means his misses are wider and more often. When there is big trouble you give it more berth. On a normal hole, you still try to make birdie and trust your short game.

Once in a while a player will say, "You did a great job clubbing today." What the caddie thinks (not said usually) is "I did the same job I always do, but you hit it more consistantly than normal, so it was easier to pull clubs." I had a player who was struggling with his iron game, and I started trying to caddie accounting for keeping the bad shots out of trouble. It just did not work. Good shots need to be good. Get some help if you can't hit good shots. Tour players have the ability (mostly shortgame) to get it around with a decent score without hitting a shot.

Standard answer would be Dallas and Phoenix.

Strategy for a major. I would have a look on Monday morning. It's really the same as any other tournament, but there will be more X's in my book. X's mark where you just can't go. Pin postions will dictate so much about places to miss. I've posted about hitting the driver often. On a hole where you don't, I'll look for the best place to hit it. There's often a spot that the designer thinks you should play from. I'll find that spot and laser back to the tee. Say it's 240, you use that number with the current conditions to choose the club.

I'll come up with suggestions for tee shots on every hole. He'll try those and some others. Sometimes a hole will feel right, and the player will be more aggressive. Sometimes the other way. I will point out some bad spots as well, so I don't have to during the tourney. So much of it is getting in the mindset and used to the conditions. I'll also ask questions or make suggestions to make sure we are on the same page. None of this is rocket science--it's a skill set. Walk the course, get the info you need, and soak it up so you can come up with the answers when they are needed.

Majors are the ultimate test of your total game. Better bring the total game. And don't worry about the score. Process.

Dude! You never disappoint! You must be the fastest freakin' asdf jkl; typer on Tour too.

My dream 4some used to be Homer Kelley, Lee Buck, Milton Friedman and Pam Anderson. You just put Pam on the bench. You HAVE TO write a book.

Ok . . . so how do I chart the yardages exactly? My range is straight down hill so that won't work right? So how does it work on the course . . . used the sprankler head and pace it from the ball mark? Should I keep a record too?

Process? I hear all these pysch cats talking about "process"? Is that just basically make your strategy, preshot routine and mechanics?

Do the pros actually put hook or cut spin on their wedges to have 'em bounce in a certain direction? Or were you talking about high/low/spinny?

Is there a general rule for how much percentage of practice time to alot to different components of the game? 50% putting, 20% driving etc? Or does it just depend?

Who's the best caddie on tour? You gotta be top 3 easy I'd think?

Driver
 

Comdpa,

This advice would be tailored to low handicap golfer. To adjust, I would choose the longest club that can be hit consistently.

Already in another post--Don't go for extra on long fours and short fives. You will be able to reach them from the fairway but not the rough. It's OK to let out the shaft on long fives and short fours.

On a straight hole with constant width of fairway and no water, OB, or pot bunkers, hit the driver. If there is a dogleg, but it is created by traps rather than trees and the carry is manageable, go ahead.

On a tree-lined dogleg, if a good tee shot that flies too straight will go through the fairway hit a three wood. Don't try to sling it around the dogleg (as a rule).

If the fairway pinches, and there is a hazard or deep rough, lay back.

On lay up holes, pick a good spot, measure the yardage so you can adjust to conditions. People often just do the math. Hole is 340. They like 80 yards. Hit it 260. That might not be the best spot based on width of fairway, slope, view of the green. It might be better to lay back to 110. Watch getting too close to the green with a front pin over a trap, esp. if greens are firm. Go ahead and get close with a back pin, esp. if the greens are soft.

Birdies are made with iron shots. While you want to be aggressive, you don't want to give away a hole by taking needless risks from the tee.

It's OK to back off your plan if you don't feel it. Hit three wood instead of driver. Seldom should you change your plan to be more aggressive.

Be aware of changing conditions. If the wind is opposite or it has rained the club will likely change.

Bucket,

Here's how I chart. First, we use front numbers off the sprinkler head and add the pin for total. Say 150 front plus 10 =160. Eight iron. When I get to the green I mark in my book: 157 (carry) + 3 (release) "check." That means all went well. I would suggest writing these numbers down for several rounds until you get a strong sense. Only chart good shots. You end up with: eight iron--150, 153, 156, 153, etc. You could build a little data base. Once you get used to it you could stop taking notes. So it's just a temporary effort. For my own game, I use a laser (I don't trust sprinklers) and notice how the conditions are affecting my ball. Somedays you hit it longer or shorter.

Process. Distinct from results. You guys say "Let the motion make the shot."

It's like that. Let your mind have a break between shots. When you get to the ball. Get your yardage. Factor the conditions. Pick your target. Pull your club (one club only PLEASE. Don't be fiddling with two clubs. Decide. (Yes, you can bring three from the cart)). Aim the face. Wiggle around. Let it go. Repeat. All the other junk about score, trouble, position in tourney has nothing to do with the shot. I often won't know what my player is shooting unless we are close to the lead or the cut. In those cases, it does become a factor in the correct strategy, but it still does not change the shot.

I love Couples routine. He stands there and discusses the shot. When he's ready, he pulls the club and goes. If something bugs him, the club goes back in the bag and he resets. No excuses about being bothered by something if you reset.

Spin. I read one time that Kite could draw trap shots to counteract slopes at Augusta. Probably, Stan the Man can too. I was talking out backspin and trajectory. That's enough control.

Percentage is very personal. Ideally, you develop a swing that requires very little maintainance, so you can practice your short game. Most tour players hit alot of feel type wedges everyday. It's good practice for everything and not hard on your body. If you don't fiddle with technique, the short game practice is focused on adjusting to course conditions, ie, type of grass, length of rough, texture of sand. You have to keep your stong points strong and improve your weak ones. After the round, think about what went right and what went wrong. Do a little work.

My favorite is Dave R.--works for Westwood--used to work for VJ. Tells it like it is. Not afraid to speak his mind. He's won a bunch. Hard to debate Stevie's record. Mitch Knox--Duvall's old caddie and now Harrison Frazar's. There plenty of great ones. This is just a sample.

Henny,

Sorry, did not see that this was under Caddy Shack, so my question was irrelevant,

Sorry folks.

Just when you thought LBG could get no better . . . IT got

10000

Times better.

HB = half man half amazing.

Driver
 

Amen Corner,

Certainly there are more qualified people on this board to field swing questions. I do have recommendations about driver set up. While we all like to max out distance, confidence in the club outweighs other considerations. You need to know that your regular swing at your regular force and a little more (for those days you swing esp. well) will put the ball in play.

The tour reps have backed off some of the extreme launch conditions they were spouting a few years ago. I don't know the numbers. Point is: you want a driver that is relatively easy to hit, produces enough distance, and does not require much adjustment from iron swing. I want a driver with enough loft that I feel like I can tee it low, hit it with some downward motion, and lean the tee over.

Although I have access to the new stuff, I'm still playing a 510 (is that ok to say?). I trust it to go where I swing.

One more for Compda: I think that you should stick with a basic ball flight for most tee shots. It's nice to have the abilitiy to work it, but avoid fancy play.

This is great stuff guys. Keep it coming!
Alex

Amazing
 

Thanks for the treat, Hennybogan. Very interesting stuff. :super:

Accuracy
 

Regarding the database you talked about: Carry, release.

Let's say a tournament would be staged including all players on tour. Each player gets to hit full iron shots from the same spot on the fairway while attempting to do nothing but carry all his balls to the same spot. There is no wind.

What results would you expect to see regarding length & direction?

If they used PW's?
If they used 8-irons?
If they used 6-irons?
If they used 4-irons?

Example of the type of answers I am looking for:
- The winner would hit 90% of the PW's within 3 feet in length and 6 feet wide
- The average player would hit 70% of his 8 irons within a 20 feet diameter circle

etc

Or you may have some other way you can indicate how accurate the tour players are.

Ball flight
 

You've said quite a bit on ball flight already. What I'd like to know is:

1. As a good player, and as someone whose been around the tour, are there particular ballflights that work better in certain situations (besides the low wedges you mentioned earlier), and on tour setups in general?

2. Also, you always hear that the fade is "the preferred shot" for tour players and better players. Is that really the case? Is there much difference between a tour fade and a tour draw (ones that don't move a great deal), in yardage, spin and trajectory?

Tour accuracy
 

Metallion,

That's a really tough question. My job is to collect data on a particular player in order to make informed decisions for the shot at hand. I have tried to keep short term results of distance from the hole to help organize practice sessions. ie-- what's working and what's not.

As for as the contest, how many balls per player? The more shots, the greater the dispersion. I don't really need you to reply about the number of balls because I would just be guessing.

I will tell you that you might be surprised how poorly pros would do in this contest. The way it works on the course is that they make alot of putts inside 10 feet. They make mostly pars from everywhere else. So while it may cause more stress, shots outside 10 feet don't hurt them much. In order to shot good scores they really only need 6-8 legit chances including par fives.

Due to the nature of their swings, I would think most players would have oblong shaped dispersion patterns. Some swings produce staighter misses with more distance variance and vice versa.

I'm trying to think of a way to answer your by-club comparison. I keep getting images of great shots and awful ones. It looks like a big grid to me. There's not many TGMer's out there.

Sorry, I'm not happy with this post, but I've got to run. I'll think about it and revisit.

Hen

Good stuff, but your giving away all our secrets. By the way people, don't ask this guy about fishing or you will really be in trouble

:salut:

Shaping shots
 

Bigwill,

2. Not much difference between the two. Most guys don,t curve it very much anyway. I'd say the tour mixture would be about even.

1. Absolutely. When the tour gets the course just how it wants it. When the greens go to a color I call purple (it's beyond brown), and the greens are so firm the first hop goes as high as a flagstick, The ability to hit the ball high with alot of spin rules the day. The guys that have that ability also tend to hit it really far.

When it is soft, the high launch--high spin guys can struggle to manage backspin. It is very difficult to get at back pins.

Then, you have the wind. You might think they all knock it down, or only the low hitters do well. Really it is the mixture of solid striking and great short game. They do tend to knock down the short irons, which are the hardest to control in a breeze.

So the ideal player is long with medium to high flight, with a great short game, and can't miss putting. You knew that already. The rest of the guys have to play that much better as a percentage of their abilities (get the most out of their games).

How do you get good at reading lies and reading greens? Does that plum bobbing stuff work?

Do pros line up perfect every time? Or do you have to watch their alignment?

What tourney treats the caddies best?

Do you think Duval will every get it back?

Do you ever get tired of goofballs asking you questions?

Bucket,

You get good at reading lies by paying attention and taking notes. When you have the eight iron shot I talked about before (160) except it's in a light, dry, bermuda rough -- you tend to notice when the crowd behind the green raises their heads as the ball sails over then into the grandstand. That ball must have jumped. To prevent this occurance, you hit balls from all kinds of lies during the practice rounds and note how they react.

I worked for a young player I didn't know at Pinehurst 05. During the practice rounds I'd get him to pull a club from the rough, hit it, notice, and then try one or two other clubs just to see what they would do. It probably wore him out, but I needed to know. I usually think less club goes farther from rough, but I can hit jumpers with the best of them

Some guys don't hit jumpers, some do. Smaller heads with smaller grooves go through the rough better, but can be unpredictable. Really bit aggressive grooves grab the grass and make the ball go short. Some can't hit more than a six iron from any kind of rough. I worked for one of the best from the rough. Like the saying goes, "Not my first rodeo." The guys good from trouble are the guys who hit it into trouble alot.

When my man hits a shot, I have an expectation about where it will land. If it does something else, I'll think about it until I figure it out. I might have to ask how he hit it. Was there a gust? Has the wind shifted? Sometimes you just screw it up. I want to be clear so I know how to file it in the data bank. It might confuse you later if don't resolve the issue. Some players want to be involved in that conversation. Others, who are into "staying in the present," just want to let it go. Either way, I need to know.

Reading greens. I've always been good. I guess I have a good sense of what level looks like. I try to imagine where the water would go. That's a good trick--look at your greens when it's pouring down rain.

No--plumbbobbing does not work. Just don't tell all those great putters that do it. Makes no sense to me.

Pros do not line up well all the time. They do pretty well when they walk into the shot, but can get off hitting from the same spot on the range. Some struggle more than others. I would never line up a player in a tournament round. I don't think it should be allowed. I don't ever see them change the player anyway. I could say, "That looks good" just as well from the side of the tee where I'm supposed to stand. You do have to look in a practice round, but that's often the swing as a whole.

Best i've ever been treated was in Mexico this year. Steaks, grilled grouper, etc. all week long.

I hope Duval makes it back. He's my favorite that I have not worked for. I think that he will win again but not rise to the highest level.

Remains to be seen.

Bucket

Hen and I have worked together for the last ten years and he has been kind enough to tell me to chime in if I felt like it

By the way, you do ask a lot of questions

My guy does not hit "jumpers" so I do not have to worry about them, but I do have to watch his allignment - he tends to get "shut"

I believe the big bank from your area (Wa) treats us the best

I chart greens -grid them 5X5 and then use a level to find the fall line in each square. Then I roll balls to check my notes. That's one of the reasons I'm called 'Overkill' However, I believe putting is really all about speed and feel.

:salut:

charts
 

I tried that charting business but could never figure out what my notes meant when I was looking at a real putt.

Wow! That's wild! How long does it take to do that?

Sorry for all the questions but this stuff is great!

Grilled grouper can't be beat . . . make you slap your mama . . . only better eatin' fish is catfish.

I hear the bank tourney is great. You like the golf course too? According to the press the pros love it. Some big ole cribs on that course . . . where does all the money come from?

Caddie Central
 

Keep chiming in, Overkill. Tell us how you do it! :)

Bank tourney
 

Bucket,

Overkill spends endless hours on the course and has never given a bad yardage or club.

Quail Hollow is one of the best. Nice blend of risk/reward and just plain hard holes. Firm sloping greens and lots of trees. A real classic.

Classic course management advice. That is really really neat stuff.
Now do you ever consider hitting a draw into a fairway that slopes from right to left to gain extra roll when the ball caroms off the face of the fairway?

Agreed...I like to think that a straight shot is an accident. I play a soft draw most of the time. Aim right and bend it back.

Wow!
 

I chart greens -grid them 5X5 and then use a level to find the fall line in each square. Then I roll balls to check my notes. That's one of the reasons I'm called 'Overkill' However, I believe putting is really all about speed and feel.

WOW! Talk about an info database! You guys are good!

Hen,when pacing off yardages,do you check your stride length?
I caddied in an Open qualifier a few years ago and decided to check my stride measurements as there were very few yardage markers on the course, you could end up having to pace off 20 -30 yards.I found my "measuring stride" was pretty good.
What do you do?
Great stuff by the way:salut:

Pacing
 

I worked a first stage open qualifier this year and had to do some of that long pacing. In the practice round, I had lasered the 150 markers (no time to shoot every head) so I used those. I was trusting my long pacing rather than sprinkler heads that I had not checked. I'd say I'm plus or minus a yard at thirty yards (not great)--I started working in the laser era. Some old school guys can pace tee to green with accuracy. Football field would be the place to check your stride if you are that into it. One thing that you really have to pay attention to is when the sprinkler is off-line of your shot. The best way to learn about that is with the laser.

Comdpa,

I would consider any shot that gives an advantage. I like aggression, but you have to weigh the risks.

What, if anything, is given to all caddies each week in terms of charting/course info? Just pin sheets?

With all the computer images and charting that the TV commentators have access to, do caddies or players ever get access to the computerized course layouts?

Thanks, HB.

ED

I'll try this again, I think I got my cookies mixed up earlier, or something.

Two companies produce yd bks on a regular basis for each Tour event. They are a good starting point, however, you have to watch for errors and of course you need to make notes to match your pro's game. Some pros carry bks some do not, Either way you must be ready.

I used to spend a lot of time checking every number and making changes if one was even out a yd. But, over the years, I have learned that scoring takes place on the greens so that is where I spend most of my time now.

When I first go to a new course I try to get a look at the original blue prints for the greens (grn supt) and how the course was layed out. I also ask the supt about greens than are a little firmer or softer and any that have been doctored up in the last year. Then I spend about on hr on each hole doing my charts etc.

On a course, like Congressional next week, where I have both played and caddied, I just check for changes which takes about 4 hrs.

Caddies are given pin sheets for each day starting on Thursday. Once again, if the course is new to me, I like to go out in front of the first group, if I have time, and laser all the pins against the pin sheet. Both Hen and I have found pins to be off as much as 5 or 6 yds (also on the wrong side of the green), either because of mistakes or because they were not measued from the direction of play


:salut:

Hb & Ok

A caddie still working on Tour grew up in the same neighborhood as me...I haven't seen him in a while but it was very exciting seeing him "on the job" when at PGA Tour events here in SoCal. Maybe you can say hi to him for me..his name is Andy Martinez...he has had an incredible career himself..been privileged to carry some bigtime bags over the years.

Thanks
HG

H

I see Andy quite often, we have had some good chats, will pass on your hello

:salut:

Killah . . . How do you do the greens? You section them off and use a level? Do you putt to or roll balls? How does the process work? Are you guys using this info on approach shots as well? Like if your dude puts hook putts better do you consider that from the fairway?

Thanks!

Beeeeee

Approach shots
 

Bucket,

I'll leave the first part for OK. We do use the info for the approach shots. But not in the way you asked. We don't look for right to left, but on severe greens we are going for uphill. We always have the slopes marked to have a better idea what the ball will do when it lands. Stop. Spin. Skip. We also give the kind of numbers we talked about in reference to a trap carry for tiers in the green

Westchester pins are my favorite. They have these tiny little tiers so you give numbers like: 78 front and 24--102 hole. It's 99 and 3. 106 backedge. Even with a sandwedge, the pro does not want to fly it up there and risk skipping it over and down the dropoff into the rough. So now he wants the number where it's flat just short of the ridge so he can try to skip it up with a low wedge. Say that number is 94. That's his target. Sometimes it skips perfect, other times it will catch the ridge and leave a 30 footer over the tier. Not the worst outcome.

We would do the same for a false front or a green that slopes toward you for part and then away. Very important to be on the right side of those slopes. All the info is used to define the target number to hit the shot. Some guys then feel that number while some would think "94."

I am now one of those number guys. I don't take it back this far or whatever. I just think 75 and swing. It's how I practice, too. Check with laser and dial it in. It does make it tough for me to play without a book or a laser as I sometimes have to do.

Thanks dude! Are you and the guys thinking "number" with every club or just shorter irons? How do you practice to get good a hitting it a specific yardage? And how tight are the tolerances?

Word.

B

Iron shots
 

Bucket,

I am always thinking number. I consider every factor and come up with a number that I think the shot will play. I want to be as definite as I can. I would say "it's five yards downhill for 157" rather than "it's 165 and down half a club." I want to define the shot as much as possible. "We want to land it 167." I will do this with every shot except greenside, including tee shots.

While my player is putting, I'm looking at the wind and considering the next tee shot. The player needs to let his mind wander or engage on non-golf subjects in between shots to keep fresh. I do that too, but I want to be a step ahead of his thinking. I don't have to stay in the present.

Although I want to come up with my info and decision as quickly as possible, I usually wait for the player to ask what we have--esp. if we have to wait for the group in front. Some guys want the number as soon as possible--to have longer to consider shot--others want to keep the same rhythm of number, target, club, routine, go.

What the player does with my information is totally up to him. He is going to have a stock number for each club and a way to add or subtract yardage to hit the shots in between. How he translates the number to his swing is up to him. I know TGM would have definite ideas about how to vary yardage

Even though I am a total numbers guy, I am going to trust my intuition. On every shot, I get a gut reaction to the shot--more likely than not--that will be the club I'll go with. I want to define the target number as much as possible in real terms and react to that number.

Many players stop using numbers when they get close enough to walk up and have a look. They just trust their eyes and feel. I think Reigger has posted about that.

People often ask me how it works and how much discussion there is. On every shot, I want to decide what I think the club is before I talk to the player about it. Say I think it's an eight and he says "eight?" -- I say "Yep." That's how it goes on most shots. It's what we do, and most shots are not that tough to figure out.

What if he says "seven?" First, I try to figure out how he came up with the club. I run it again in my head. I might ask about the type of shot he wants to hit or if he wants to take something out of play. Maybe he wants to hit it down or curve it with or against the wind. Pros have enough shots that they could hit at least three different clubs from each spot. I want them to choose the most straight forward shot unless there is a compelling reason to do something different. I think regular shots are more consistent.

When we initially think two different clubs, we have to find a way to get on the same page. I may back off and let him hit what he thinks. The more positive he behaves about the selection, the more likely I am to let him go. It's like walking up to a putt and seeing the whole track it will take to the hole. You know it will go in. When a player feels a shot like this, you just get out of the way. Often the best rounds work this way. They have confidence in every facet of their games, so they think well. When you work for the same guy for a while you get a real sense for this. Some days they just have a really good feel.

It changes day to day, and you have to read how sharp they are thinking. This forum started with John Wood helping Mahan define his shot on the last hole. It's not always the pressure packed situations. Often, a player feels out of sorts. There are a variety of causes. Lack of sleep, tough schedule, rain delays, etc. Maybe he's just butchered a hole and his head is off. The more in tune you are to your player, the better your sense of when to take a stand.

Once in a while, I feel so strongly about a club that I'll say "NO, It's this club." I might have to make my case by referencing the shots we have hit this week or this day. It usually comes down to reading the lie or the wind. There might be a factor that one of two has overlooked that has the other leaning towards another club. In order to get the most out of his caddie, the player must be able to handle these conversations, decide, and commit to the shot. The player must own the decision. Otherwise, the caddie would be concerned that by expressing his opinion, he will put the player off. Then he can't help his player.

Practicing. Easy way. We use the laser on the range to determine the distance of each flag. You will often see a caddie walk down the side of the range and drop targets (towels or buckets) at specific wedge distances like 30, 40, 50, etc. Guys do that more with new wedges, or if they are stuggling with a particular shot. The best practice areas will have greens allowing the players to hit wedges to flags from every distance.

Tolerances. The goal in practice is to make tight little piles of ball. They will often hit away from the flags to a clear spot where they can keep track of their patterns. When a player is really dialed in, he may have trouble understanding the outcome of shots with a particular club. Many times, we have had our lofts checked (and found them off) based on shots on the course. Forged clubs often change and need to be checked frequently.

Bucket

How was that for a finish///// Congrats to BB he's a great guy

The Tour places most of the pins 3 or 4 paces from the edges; so that is where I spend a lot of time. I start at the front and every 5 paces (4 fr edge) I take a reading with my level / left and right, down the middle and accross the back. The level, by the way is round disk about 8" in diam; (looks like a fris). I then do the ridges and finally roll balls. We are not allowed to use a putter/ I found that out the first Tourn. I worked on the old Nike Tour/ I was out on a green putting away and an official came along and told me that he did not think I could use a putter. I asked if he could check and by the time he got back to me I was finished //////

I also roll balls between the sprinkler heads that surround the green; this gives me another view of how longer putts might react

By the way the level I use came from England and was never put on the market that I am aware of.

A little story to go with this;

Pres Cup 2000

I went to the course a week before the matchs and spend the time doing my own book and charting the greens. Last match on Sunday the guys are tied; seventeenth green, other player has made par and my man has 6 or 7' for birdie and the lead. I'm standing over at he side of the green; both teams are there because it is the last match//(the Cup has been won but if my man wins his match it will be the most points ever) My man asked me to look at the put, I don't move I just tell him the put is straight; everyone laughs; someone says you din't even look; I say I don't have to, its straight;;; My pro says well can I put it left centre, I like left centre. I said sure, left centre, right centre, whichever fits your eye///the puts straight.

He makes the put left centre and wins 1 up

:salut: