I recently spent five days in Seoul doing clinics and
interviews to help educate the Korean people
on my putting philosophy. I
was fortunate to meet several wonderful
people and I look forward to returning in the
spring.
A theme that I often referred
to was establishing a neutral setup to the
putter so that it can go where it was
designed to go without thought. This month, I
want to visually reinforce exactly what that
means.
Having a neutral setup means many things. Let's start with the position of your hands in relation to your body. Try this simple test at home.
Stand up and place your hands in a prayer position where they are even with your center. (Pic 1)
Picture 1
I want you to notice the sense of calm you feel, especially with your eyes closed. Now, place your hands to the left of center. (Pic 2)
Picture 2
Notice the tension that you feel, especially in your right side. So when your hands are to your center when you putt, (Pic 3) all of your lines are square and you feel that sense of calm in your chest and arms. Free motion can flow from this position. It simply cannot be completely free if you do not start in this position.
Picture 3
How you walk into the ball can impact your goal of achieving neutral. In this first picture, (Pic 4)
Picture 4
I am standing behind the ball with the
putter in my left hand. All of my energy is
being directed to the left, so I am destined to
be open at setup. Even if I attempt to
square it once over the ball, that energy is
still trying to pull me open and there will be
tension. In the next picture, (Pic 5)
everything is starting much more level and
square. The putter is in my right hand, which
helps me be more neutral. As I carry the
putter in with my right hand and place it in
the middle of my stance, (Pic 6).
Picture 5
Picture 6
My hands then meet in the middle. I am ready to make a proper stroke with no thought. (Pic7)
Picture 7
Neutral also means the position of your
shoulders and pelvis as they relate to posture.
In the first picture, (Pic 8)
Picture 8
My pelvis is tucked underneath me too
much and therefore my shoulders are rounded.
In the next picture, (Pic 9)
Picture 9
I am trying too hard to have good
posture. My pelvis is arched too much,
creating tension in my lower back and hips.
Neither setup is conducive to making a free
stroke. The easiest way to find a neutral
posture is to start tall and relaxed with your
arms out in front of you and your biceps gently
touching your side.(Pic 10)
Picture 10
From there, simply allow the puttered to
fall until it cannot go any further without you
bending at all. (Pic 11)
Picture 11
Finish by gently allowing yourself to bend from the hips and soften the knees. You are now in an athletic, yet relaxed posture. (Pic 12)
Picture 12
I want my students to be able to perform under pressure, whether it be in a friendly match or in The Masters. I also consider it the ultimate compliment when a student does not need to see me all the time to fix them. When they achieve a fundamentally correct setup, they never worry about their strokes. When they get a little bit off, they know how to fix themselves. Remember, golf is not a game of positions, it is a game of motion and flow. FInd your neutral setup and let yourself putt your best!