RSS
Here is some footage of how the pros practice breaking putts from video I took at Augusta. To set up your aim line, follow these steps.
1. Set up a putt no more than 12-15 feet in length.
2. Stick one end of your aim line in the ground just behind your ball (in the same spot as if you were marking your ball).
3. Stretch the other end of the aim line even with the cup on the line you believe is correct.
4. Stretch the original end of the aim line back behind the ball giving enough room to make a stroke.
5. Roll a putt, then based on the result, adjust the aim line for more or less break.
* Most people under read the break, so it is recommended that you put a "blocker" such as another ball or club just on the high side of the aim line. This will stop you from pulling or pushing the ball to a higher line.
* Aim lines can be found at www.pelzgolf.com
Comments
Hide comments
Three Slice Fixes
by Joel Bush. 
Posted in Public. Tagged with full swing, grip, instruction, practice, slicing.
By By Jeff Ritter, Photography by D2 Productions
| There’s only one thing that can cause a slice, and that’s a clubface that’s either open (or opening) at the point of contact. That being said, here are three tips to help you square up the clubface and rid your game of that slice forever! Get A Stronger Grip. The clubface tends to return to the ball “open” when the hands are placed on the club in a weak position—that is, turned too far to the left. A correct grip has the hands rotated more to the right. To strengthen your grip, rotate your left hand so that your thumb is positioned to the right of center (two to three knuckles should be visible). The right hand also should be rotated to the right, matching the angle of the left hand. To experiment, turn your hands to the right until the ball begins to hook, then back off a little for optimal positioning. |  |
Ease Up! Excessive pressure in your hands and arms inhibits the natural rotation of the clubface through the hitting area. Soften the pressure in your hands, wrists, arms and shoulders to encourage a more natural, effortless face rotation. If you imagined a scale running from zero to 10, where 10 was the tightest you could possibly squeeze the club and zero was the club slipping out of your hands, then the ideal pressure for most shots would be a 3.
Flatten Your Plane. Most slicers approach the ball on too vertical a plane, another error that facilitates an open clubface at the point of contact. A flatter swing shape will promote a natural squaring of the clubface and create the preferred right-to-left ballflight. To sense the feeling of swinging on a flatter plane, make some practice swings with the clubhead moving back and through at knee-high level. Swinging the club in this elevated position will help you feel the more rounded swing shape needed to allow the toe of your clubhead to rotate past the heel. After a few of these “baseball” swings, try one off the ground with the same feel. Your ensuing ballflight should be much straighter and, perhaps, curve slightly to the left.
Willie Mac Attack!
By Jeff Ritter, PGA; Photography by Warren Keating
I often long for the days when Slammin’ Sammy Snead and Gene Sarazan played the game, a couple of great sticks with personalities just as bright as their games. Well, fortunately for golf fans, there’s a new kid on the block and he’s brought a unique backstory and stellar game (albeit with a modern flair). His name is Will MacKenzie, or “Willie Mac,” as the 2006 Reno-Tahoe victor is sometimes called.
This extreme sportsman (MacKenzie surfs, climbs rocks and snowboards in his downtime) brings a powerful swing, cutting-edge style and go-for-it attitude to the Tour’s increasingly predictable lineup.
But what interests me the most about Will is his swing, in particular a few key elements he shares with two legends of the game, Ben Hogan and Slammin’ Sammy himself. Take a look at the following “pro positions,” and you’ll see why Willie Mac is separating himself from the field.
 | 1. Posture Perfect. Will’s shaft angle at address is perpendicular to his spine angle. This relationship will be maintained throughout his swing. |
 | 2. Like Snead. Will’s body language is dead-on Snead. His left arm matches his shoulders, forming a One-Plane swing. His open clubface is a product of his weak left hand. |
 | 3. Spine Angle. A little loss in spine angle at the transition, I bet Will would like to be a little more bent over here. |
 | 4. Boom Time! Will’s arms and chest have worked hard to the left. Notice how his right arm matches his shoulder tilt, forming a mirror image of his backswing arm plane. |
 | 5. Wind Up. Notice the logo on the back of his shirt? That indicates a huge turn. He’s maintained a lot of space between his legs to build up positive resistance. |
 | 6. Hogan-esque. Players who swing on flatter planes need to stay more on top of the ball with very little weight or body shift to the right. He’s a dead ringer for Ben Hogan here. |
Controlling Trajectory Part 1 - Keeping it Low
by Joel Bush.
Posted in Public. Tagged with drills, full swing, instruction, practice.
Keep It Low
A key element to becoming a better player is learning to create different ballflight trajectories on command. It’s this aspect of your play that will allow you to effectively tackle a variety of situations ranging from lob pitches to knockdowns to recovery shots. Here are six “factors of flight” to help you learn to keep it low.
 | 1. Ball Back Position the ball anywhere from dead center of your stance to your rear foot. 2. Weight Forward This helps de-loft the clubface and ensures a steep, descending blow. 3. Shoulders Level The shoulders need to be leveled out. Focus your eyes on the ground to get your shoulders to match the horizon. 4. Hands Forward Leaning the hands and shaft toward the target also helps de-loft the face. 5. Swing Slow A softer swing pace will lower the ball’s spin rate and prevent an up-shooting flight. Swing with an even, pendulum-like rhythm to accomplish this goal. 6. Finish Low No full finish here! Try to hold the clubhead below your waistline after impact. |
Control Trajectory Part 2 - Throw It High
by Joel Bush.
Posted in Public. Tagged with drills, full swing, instruction, practice.
Throw It High
A key element to becoming a better player is learning to create different ballflight trajectories on command. It’s this aspect of your play that will allow you to effectively tackle a variety of situations ranging from lob pitches to knockdowns to recovery shots. Here are six “factors of flight” to help you learn to throw it high.
 | 1. Ball Forward Position the ball toward your left heel to facilitate catching the ball on a slightly ascending arc. 2. Weight Back Position your weight to favor your right side at address. 3. Right Shoulder Low Be sure that your right shoulder is tilted lower than your left at address. To get a feel for this, rotate your head to the left. This will drop the right shoulder the proper amount. 4. Hands Neutral Maintain a neutral hand and shaft position as a means to maintain the loft built into the face at impact. Keeping your hands in the center of your stance works well here. 5. Be Aggressive Speed creates lift. Don’t be afraid to give this one a little extra pop! 6. Finish High A high ball needs a high finish. Finish in balance with your hands and arms back over your front shoulder. |
In addition to these setup and swing cues, designed to control the loft of the face at the point of impact, one of the easiest ways to dictate flight is to choose the appropriate club. For low shots, select one more club than needed, choke down on the handle a few inches and execute a smooth, abbreviated swing. For higher shots, take less club and get even more aggressive.
Practice these setup and swing techniques on the range. In no time, you’ll effectively increase your arsenal of shots and be better equipped to tackle whatever the course presents during play.
Sometimes those delicate shots around the green require a deft touch with a wedge. But other times, the job can get done using a hybrid. Let Jeff Ritter teach you the basics of this very easy and effective shot.
(Originally Published in GolfTips Magazine)
PLACEHOLDER FOR VIDEO
