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"The difference between getting in a sand trap and getting in water is like the difference between an auto wreck and airplane wreck. You can recover from one of them." |
-Bobby Jones |
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 Patient: Male Age: 37 Current Handicap: 22 Lowest handicap: 18 Plays: Twice a week Practices: Sometimes Ailment: Every time I have the chance to hit a green in regulation, I panic. I start thinking about wanting to get the ball close so I can have a shot at a birdie or at least a par. I get nervous, make a bad swing and typically miss the green and make a bogey or worse. What do you think about when you are trying to hit the green? Prescription: Think of the center of the green as a giant bullseye on a dart board. Visualize how huge the green is in comparison to your golf ball and forget about the flagstick. Then, visualize your ball flight, and don't try to be a hero by attempting a shot you have little chance of executing. I try to make my real swing an extension of my practice swings. This clears my mind of excessive swing thoughts and helps me focus on my rhythm. By focusing on rhythm rather than results, you might be surprised with how much success you have. Patient: Male Age: 44 Current Handicap: 11 Lowest handicap: 2 Plays: Once or twice a month Practices: Once or twice a month Ailment: I don't have much confidence with my putter. I miss a lot of short putts, don't make many birdies and turn a lot of rounds of 75 into 80. I've noticed a lot of players, such as Sergio Garcia, using a belly putter. What are the benefits of the belly putter, and can it help me? Prescription: I switched to the long putter about six years ago when I realized my nerves were a problem on the greens. Both styles (belly and long) provide a fixed axis for stability and balance, which promotes a pendulum stroke that starts from the shoulders and arms instead of the hands. Both also have more head weight, which promotes a longer, slower stroke. I still have bad putting days, but I've had many more good days since I switched. I recommend either style for those struggling on the greens. SG |
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