Looking at the Hole

Should you putt looking at the hole? The young star, Jordan Spieth, has drawn some attention to himself by his putting. Not only is he often uncannily good from fifteen to twenty five feet; but he often looks at the hole instead of the ball when putting the short ones. Then again, sometimes he doesn't.

As someone who putts virtually everything looking at the hole--I've been doing this for a couple of years now--I'd like to give my view, for what it's worth about whether this might help your game. When you play snooker, a good player doesn't look at the cue ball when he strokes it, he looks at the ball he is attempting to hit with the cue ball. When we roll a ball towards an object, we look at the object, not the ball. Looking at the hole while putting is, in my opinion, much the same thing. It's a natural thing to do.

The possible downside of looking at the hole while you are putting is that you might, and probably will, have the odd mishit. And great putters from Bobby Jones to Dave Stockton will tell you how important a good strike is to putting. In fact, like in the rest of the game, the strike is the most important thing. That's possibly why you don't see Spieth looking at the hole on the longer putts. On longer putts, speed control is vital and you can't have good speed control without a consistent strike. As for me, I always look at the hole, except for in situations where striking the putt is particularly difficult; such as the ball being close to the collar of the green.

The other issue to consider when putting is choosing a line on which to start your putt. If you are hitting a putt that breaks ten inches, and you stroke the putt looking at the hole, will you not start it on the wrong line? Actually, the answer is a definite "No," for me at least. When I used to putt in the traditional way, looking at the ball and picking a target outside the hole--like two balls outside left--I would more often than not hit a putt that reached the hole two balls outside left of the hole. Picking a line just doesn't seem to work for me. I suspect there must be others out there who've experienced the same thing.

While I'm putting looking at the hole I am definitely not always hitting the ball directly at the hole. I am obviously sub-consciously adjusting for the break in the green. It's perhaps a bit like voodoo putting--just kidding--but I honestly often hit putts with no earthly idea of how much break I'm playing. I'm just looking at where I want to roll the ball to, not the line I want to roll it on. As far as I'm concerned, the ball can take whatever line it likes. And, believe me, my putting has improved significantly since I started putting this way; especially my short-putting.

Putting looking at the hole, in my view, could really help golfers with the yips. If you are swinging the putter looking at the hole, it's much harder to flinch, or yip, at impact which seems to be one of the things that yippers do. In fact, when you're stroking the putt looking at the hole, the ball is actually just being swept along by the stroke, something Bobby Jones favoured in a putting method.  You don't even think about the strike. For the yippers, flinchers, and stabbers, looking at the hole could make a world of difference.

Yesterday, my partner had about a four foot breaking putt to give us a half in a two ball match on eighteen. It was a devilish little putt. Levi stood up, looked at the hole and, still looking at the hole, banged the putt right in the middle of the cup. Levi generally putts looking at the ball. But, for that nervy one, he looked at the hole and let it go. 

There are so many ways to putt. And, ultimately the best way for you to putt is the way you putt best. But there may just be some method to Jordan Spieth's madness when it comes to putting--especially those short ones--looking at the hole. If you haven't tried it, and you struggle over those four to six footers, why not hit a few this way on the practice green. I know it's been a terrific help to me.

One of my biggest putting faults was the tendency to watch the putter head go back. My eyes moved and the putts kept missing. Looking at the hole is a definite cure for this problem. So, I guess the answer as to whether you should putt looking at the hole depends upon how well you are already putting. It obviously isn't the best way for everyone to putt, or all the best players would be doing it. But it may be a big help for you if you are a nervy putter, a yipper, a flincher, or a stabber of putts. For me, at least, putting looking at the hole feels like the most natural thing in the world. I even catch myself doing it on chips sometimes.

Two Ball Match

Levi and I had a terrific alternate shot, or two ball, match with Peter and Paul today. Playing the alternate shot format is interesting because you play with the added pressure of not wanting to let your partner down. 

After halving the first hole with pars, Levi hit a beauty to about eight feet on two and I made the putt to put us one up. We had to give Peter and Paul a stroke on three and they won the hole to square things up. They then went one up with a par on four.

Before we knew it, though, we were three down, Peter and Paul going out in even par 36 to our 38. We halved the tough tenth with bogeys. I hit a stinker for a second shot, hitting about two inches behind the ball and leaving Levi with a tough pitch of about forty yards. Peter missed his approach shot, but actually skipped it across the pond. 

On eleven we won the hole when Paul yanked their second shot into the fescue and lost the ball. We then won the thirteenth and fifteenth to square the match. On seventeen, I made an eight footer for par to keep things all square after Peter had holed another ten-footer like it was nothing. Peter has one of the best short games I've ever seen for an amateur. From a hundred yards and in he is absolutely deadly.

As has been the case so often this year, we came down to the par three eighteenth all square. Levi had us on the green about thirty five feet away. Peter's tee shot had run through the green, but sat nicely on the apron about firty five feet away. Paul putted it to about five feet, and I then putted it to about four feet. Both of us neglected to give it enough to climb the slope to the pin.

Naturally, Peter banged the five-footer home, leaving Levi with a knee-knocker for the half. Levi stood over the putt and, looking at the hole, stroked it firmly in the center of the cup. No blood. After eighteen holes we were where we started, all square. After some discussion we decided we'd play another eighteen tomorrow to determine the winner, rather than going sudden death. So, come 1230 hours tomorrow, we'll be back at it, hammers and tongs.

If you haven't tried the two ball, or alternate shot, format, you really should. But you need to establish one rule with your partner. And that is, no saying, "Sorry." You play your hardest and let the chips fall where they may.

Never Concede the Putt That Beats You

John David Lipson is 73 years old now. He first won the club championship at Picton when he was 18 years old. Those were the days when the club championship was match play and the final was a 36 hole affair. John David went on to win five of them in quick succession. He was a terrific player.

He now suffers from the yips and sports a 20 handicap. It's strange how it's generally the really good players who seem to get the yips. I've tried to get John David to try putting looking at the hole, but he's having none of it. He's afraid he'll miss the ball if he does. So, we'll see if he can find another way to deal with his atrocious putting. His ball striking is still good.

John David and I had a match against Ken and Robert yesterday. John David and Robert also played an individual match against eachother. Both matches came down to the last hole. Ken and Robert beat us thanks to a great up-and-down for par by Ken.

In Robert's match with John David they were all square going into the last hole. John David had fought his way back from three down. John David had a putt of about two and a half feet to halve the eighteenth. He yipped it and Robert won.

When we were having drinks afterwards, Robert announced that his match with John David was his very first experience at match play. He asked us whether he had comported himself properly, expressing some concern about not giving John David that last putt on eighteen.

John David was quick to respond that Robert had been a fine opponent and was perfectly correct in making John David putt that two-footer. I added that Sam Snead had once said that you should never concede the putt that beats you. Granted, John David's putt was for a half, but I felt certain Sam's advice would certainly apply there as well. I also suggested to Robert that he had been lucky to play his first match against a gentleman like John David. He'll likely never play a finer, more gentlemanly, opponent. 

Congratulations to Ken and Robert on their fine play. As for John David, I still wish he'd try putting looking at the hole. It might help. And, even if it doesn't, it couldn't hurt. It's a shame to see such a fine player suffering on the greens like that.

The Eighteenth

In golf, just like in life, it ain't over 'til it's over. You can be having a great round, but you have to finish it off. And we've got a terrific little par three to finish the round at Picton that has provided for some great--and not-so-great--finishes over the years.

At 155 yards from the whites and about 175 from the blues, eighteen at Picton is certainly not that imposing from the standpoint of length. It's a great finishing hole to have because it has a steep bank at the back of the green that serves as a natural vantage point for fans, as does the clubhouse deck which overlooks the green and the travails below.

With out of bounds and the lake close on the right, and nothing but misery on the left, eighteen is one of those holes. It gives up holes in one and birdies often enough; but it also forces some very ugly sixes and sevens to occur with regularity. While you can hit the green with a good shot, there aren't any real good places to miss it. It's that kind of a hole.

Perhaps my fondest memory of eighteen was in one of my first Quinte Cups. I was tied in my match and, fearing the out of bounds because of a healthy wind blowing towards the lake, I yanked my tee shot left of the cartpath and halfway up the hill under a tree. You could hear the crowd murmering as I surveyed my next shot from under the tree. You could sense that everyone thought I was dead. I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence myself.

I decided that my only real option was chipping a six iron through the bunker and onto the green, playing away from the back pin. The play worked and the ball skipped up the face of the bunker and onto the green about thirty feet from the pin. I then made the putt and won my match. It was no big deal, in the grand scheme of things, but that par had called for imagination and determination; something often sadly lacking in my usual game. So, I remember it fondly.

This year, eighteen has been the scene of some great play by other players to beat me. Steve made a birdie on top of my birdie a week or so ago to beat me. Randy Coates chipped in for a birdie to beat me in a match a couple of days later. And Ken Murray made a great up and down for a par, net birdie, to close out John David Lipson and I in a match with he and Robert yesterday. Ken used his hybrid to chip it from a very dodgy lie in the thick collar behind the green. John David and I both failed to get ours up and down from a similar spot using our wedges. 

Ken will likely remember that up and down fondly as well. Eighteen is a terrific hole. It giveth, and it taketh away. But it tends to provide some drama, one way or the other. I love it. The patrons of our restaurant seem to like it too.

She's Back, Baby!

As a Canadian, I was obviously pulling for our exciting new player from Smiths Falls, Brooke Henderson at tne KPMG Women's PGA. But how about that performance by Danielle Kang? I mean, how good was that? That back nine performance was something to behold. 

She might have seriously under-achieved as a pro after her back-to-back U.S. Amateur wins. But she's back, baby. Facing a determined challenge from Henderson, Kang just did eactly what Wayne Gretzky told her to do. She just went out and won it. Is there a Gretzky factor here? Maybe; maybe not. But it can't hurt to have the greatest player ever in his sport give you permission to go out there and be the best in yours.

I can't help but think that this is just the beginning for this young lady. We ain't lookin' at no one-hit-wonder here. 

KPMG Women's PGA

It's not exactly a star-studded field at Tiger's Quicken Loans. In fact, there isn't even a Tiger on site. But the KPMG Women's PGA is setting up to be a fascinating day. At a course that has already given up some low numbers, including a 63, we have some potentially compelling stories.

Can my little Canadian gal, Brooke Henderson, repeat this year? At three back, she's poised and ready to give it a whirl, and I like her chances. She's showing every indication of fast becoming a big star on the LPGA tour. As a Canadian, I'm obviously biased in my support of Brooke. But, I mean, even if you're not a Canadian, what's not to like about this young lady?

How about Michelle Wie? She's playing well and sits five back to start the day. It would be nice to think she could mount a Sunday charge. But, as seems to generally be the case with Wie, the putter has been suspect at best. I also noticed that she seems to be having some neck and shoulder stiffness warming up--not a particularly good sign. 

Then we have another ball-hitting Jessie, in the form of Lexi Thompson, lurking a handful of shots back of the two leaders. It's an emotional time for her, with her mother's illness, and I wouldn't be surprised if the golfing gods were to decide to make something great happen for her after her disappointment earlier this season with the USGA four-shot penalty fiasco. 

Then you have Inbee Park also in the hunt. She knows a thing or three about winning PGA championships. And Inbee is one who can really fill-it-up on the greens.

The potential story lines abound. We have Chella Choi and Danielle Kang at the top. For both of them, pulling off a win would be life-changing. That's what will add to its difficulty. The first one, they tell me, is generally the hardest. 

I just hope we have some real excitement today; that the women play well, and the referees lose their whistles--if you get my drift.

Loosen Up That Girdle!

Michelle Wie seems like a nice gal. But nobody did her any favours coming up. She was a prodigious talent, with the physical skills to possibly dominate the women's game. But she wasn't allowed to develop those physical skills, and learn the much more important mental skills, required to be a consistent winner. She never learned to win.

She was done no favours by being allowed to try to beat the men before she'd learned to beat the women. She was done no favours by Nike, who gave her all that cash before she'd really done anything in the game. It worked for Tiger, but he was different. He'd been a proven and consistent winner at every level before turning pro. He was ready.

I see she has been playing pretty well lately. But she isn't seemingly ever going to be a dominant player. That train has likely already left the station. I was happy to see her win a Major. I'm happy any time she manages to win. But, for Michelle, winning is hard. Yesterday, at the KPMG event, she said in a post-round interview that she had played well but didn't make any putts. Funny that: you hear the same thing every day in countless clubhouses over a pint of beer.

You hear players talking about how they coulda, shoulda, or woulda played well if only they'd made more putts. This, as though putting was not as important a reflection upon your ability as a golfer as hitting great drives, or towering four irons. But the fact is that putting is, like it or not, one of the biggest parts of the game. If you can't putt, you're not really a good golfer. If you can't putt, according to Bobby Jones, you had better learn. 

I watched Michelle hitting balls earlier today. She looks so stiff, so rigid, and so tight. There's no flow to her swing. I remarked on Twitter that she looked like a cat in a hot tin roof. She's so obviously trying to force the ball to obey, rather than letting it go. I wish she could just relax a little and trust her swing and the club to do a bit more of the work. She's an obvious talent, if she'd only get out if her own way a bit.

To watch her on the greens is often painful. Michelle looks so uncomfortable. She looks so mechanical. She always looks to me like she's not trying to make putts; she's trying not to miss them. You can't putt well with that approach. You can't play golf trying not to do anything.

I bet you Bobby Jones would offer Michelle some excellent advice. On the putting green, he'd tell her to pick her line and speed, then just make a committed stroke; and let the damned ball go hang if it wants to. In the long game, I'm sure he'd tell her to relax. Tight muscles just don't perform well in golf. 

It's obvious that Michelle Wie is no quitter. She's a hard worker. And she probably still loves the game; because Nike saw to it that she could retire any time she wanted to. I think she's also a nice person. The other players seem to genuinely like her.

If I could advise her--and I know full well there's no reason she should listen to the likes of me--I'd tell her to relax and have fun. She's won her Major. She's probably never going to be the best player out there. But she's pretty darned good. And she's not going to win more often by trying harder. That's pretty obvious. I think she might actually win more often by trying a bit less. 

She needs to get the advice Stewart Maiden once sent Bobby Jones in a telegram: "Hit 'em hard. They'll land somewhere." That applies on the putting green as much as on the tee. As the Babe might have told her, she should just "loosen up that girdle and give it a rip"!