Winter is for building technique into our golf games. Some of golf’s most effective drills require no ball at all. Furthermore, swing fundamentals do not include ball-flight feedback. Developing a proper grip, setting our club on plane, releasing our putter properly, making good contact, and keeping our balance need no ball flight information, whatsoever.
Winter golf also gives our mind an evaluative hiatus. Suddenly, instead of beating ourselves up for missing our ball or hitting an offline shot, our brainpower focuses on causes rather than effects (Contact rather than speed, grip rather than rip, etc). Beginning golfers who find their golf ball hard to control might otherwise resign themselves to video games or fishing, where they feel less intimidated. We don’t want to discourage golfers, do we?
Ultimately, mirrors, video, expert teaching, and reps. are all golfers really need to move forward developmentally, throughout Winter. Absent flight feedback, we default to evaluating our contact, balance, finish, and speed elements of our process. Well used, time spent working on our open stance set-up and our aforementioned tools creates every bit as much improvement as mindlessly whacking range balls.
For example, consider the following picture of my two-dollar, putter-release drill. I’ve placed one, folded dollar on either side of my golf ball. Our golf ball’s forward bulge is set at our point connecting the tip of each buck. Then, our goal is to roll our golf ball as far as possible without touching our dollars with our putter.
I gave a demo recently, and a couple bystanders said their buddy’s motion looks “Jabby”. And, although I explained our physiological changes needed, I was dismissed with another “Jab” comment. You see how we stunt our learning process when we use our eyes to judge rather than our mind to understand? Consequently, after three tries, three of four golfers walked out without edification.
I find it kind of funny to get caught up in how buddies look over three putts. Golfers should, instead, understand the science behind putting-technique development and wide professional employment. For example, every pro on tour can execute this drill to the tune of a 25 footer.
Unfortunately, not every putter wants to release their feeling of “Control” to control their feeling of release. Hence, their advantage is now yours! Do as the best do. Use your Winter wisely. Practice full-swing fundamentals, and release your putting potential with my Two Dollar Bill Drill.
Open your stance, and play golf.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/short-game-technique/
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/putting-wins/
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/open-stance-creates-great-ball-strikers/