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ttingZone Webinar: Four PuttingSkills – 1. Tou
PuttingZone Webinar: Four PuttingSkills – 1. Touch
Geoff Mangum’s PuttingZone™
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Welcome to Geoff Mangum’s
PuttingZoneGolf’s most advanced putting instruction –
combining the best techniques from golf history with modern sciences of physics, anatomy, biomechanics, motor learning, and especially neuroscience for brain-body perception and movement for reading greens and putts, aiming the putter and body, stroking the ball where aimed, and controlling distance and pace of the ball for capture at the hole.Brain science for instinctive putting at the highest level.
Welcome to Geoff Mangum’s
PuttingZone™PRESENTATION OUTLINEA. Overview of PuttingB. 4 Skills
1. Touch 2. Stroke 3. Read 4. Aim
C. PuttingZone Drills for Skills
Brain science for instinctive putting at the highest level.
Welcome to Geoff Mangum’s
PuttingZone™PRESENTATION OUTLINEA. Overview of PuttingB. 4 Skills
1. Touch 2. Stroke 3. Read 4. Aim
C. PuttingZone Drills for Skills
Brain science for instinctive putting at the highest level.
Today’s Webinar – 1 hour✔
B. 4 Skills ✔• Touch• Stroke• Reading• Aiming
Instinctive TouchControlling the distance
B. 4 Skills -- touch ✔• World – Brain – Body• Distance, surface speed & elevation, ho
le• Touch physics and standards• Long, medium and short putts• Uphill, downhill and tiers• Intending space• Movement timing and size
Controlling the distance-- Instinctive Touch
• The brain predicts the future outcome of movement by paying attention to the world’s requirements so that the body’s movement is without injury and succeeds by matching the requirements of the world.
• The brain’s first priority is to avoid going too far past the target, as this risks failure PLUS injury and pain.
• The brain for movement first rules out going long, and then either goes all the way (success) or slightly short (failure without pain or injury).
• Instinctive distance control a) pays attention to the limits of space for action and b) then uses rhythm to go all the way.
Controlling the distance-- brain, facts, and “science”
• Brains for instinctive movement record facts of the world that constantly repeat, and respond to such facts -- not “measurement” or “science”.
• Brains for instinctive movement perceive facts of the world and this in itself links the body response to the world as recorded – simply appreciating the world as it is in terms of what the golfer plans to do BY ITSELF activates and authorizes the body movement.
• “Science” attempts to quantify and measure “facts” but the moving brain skips this step as a tedious dead-end – the NON-conscious instincts are 3-4 steps ahead of the conscious “mind” for action.
Controlling the distance– The brain KNOWS the distance. • The brain mediates between the indifferent and
unchanging world and the familiar and unchanging body.
• The brain helps the body move successfully without injury by recording what is constant for movement timing in the world in order to time the movements of the body.
• Once the world’s requirements are appreciated, the connection to the correct force already exists and is activated, and there is no computing or calculating or thinking required or appropriate.
• The brain uses RHYTHM to generate the backstroke and then to deliver this same force in the thru-stroke.
• SPACE – set the limits, intend the limits.• TIME – predictable tempo and equal swinging
rhythm.• MOVEMENT – never too far, rhythmically all
the way.
Controlling the distance -- space, time, movement
Controlling the distance -- Relevant Factors for focus
World’s requirements:• Distance – the “Neck Dial” from ball to target.• Green speed – the “Core Putt” for level speed.• Elevation – Uphill as “Slow”/“Far”, Downhill as
“Fast”/“Short”.• Capture Speed – Ball speed at hole defines size of hole.
Body’s response:• Tempo, Rhythm, Usual smoothness.• Ball, Putter, Body – Familiarity, usualness.
Controlling the distance -- ball-hole capture physics
• Physics determines whether the ball speed and path across the hole results in ball capture – it’s not a personal choice, just smart or dumb.
• The brain and instincts “know” the maximum speed that can use the longest centercut path across the hole and still result in capture.
• The brain defines successful delivery speed as that which arrives all the way to the front lip and allows a wide hole and any miss remains within 1-3 rolls past the hole, not 4-5.
Controlling the distance -- range of capture speedS
The RANGE of ball delivery speeds is 0+ rps to 9.6 rps for all players.
Controlling the distance -- speed range vs optimum
The OPTIMAL combination of the ball’s PATH plus CROSSING SPEED balances getting all the way with width of hole and length of possible comeback, so that the putt:1) Never stops short (and so >0 revs./sec. at the front
lip), 2) Allows a very wide hole for capture (never >4-5 rps
at the lip), 3) Never goes too far past / stays in gimme range (i.e.,
1-3 rps).The OPTIMAL ball delivery speed is 1-3 rps for all players.
Controlling the distance -- optimum capture speedS
The OPTIMUM ball delivery speed is 1-3 revs./sec. for all players.
The hole is 3” to 3.25” wide when the ball arrives between 1 and 4 revolutions per second.
Controlling the distance -- speed / hole / roll-by profile
Controlling the distance -- speed / distance profile 10’ putt
Skid phase
Roll phase Decay
Controlling the distance -- roll-by profile
•Roll-by distance of misses depends upon delivery speed of ball plus speed of grass and whether surface past hole slopes uphill or downhill.
•There is not ONE optimal roll-by distance.
•Human control of roll-by distance is no better than ± 6 inches.
•Aiming / intending a specific roll-by distance is not realistic.
•Intending to deliver the ball into the “gimme zone” is all that is required (between 0” and 24” past the hole).
Controlling the distance -- pga tour roll-by profile
Average proximity to hole:Leader: 30.2’Median: 34.9’Last: 38.6”
Average distance all 2-putts:Leader: 24.7’Median: 22.7’Last: 20.1’
Average “leave” after first putt:Leader 2.0’ [almost all long]Median: 2.35’Last: 2.8’
Average fairway proximity to hole:Leader: 27.9’Median: 31.1’Last: 35.10’
Average distance GIR 2-putts:Leader: 27.4’Median: 24.8’Last: 21.1’
Average distance GIR 3-putts:Leader 54.2’Median: 41.11’Last: 31.9’
Typically, Stimp 11 green speeds.
Controlling the distance-- space: rule out going too long
• The green is not a well-defined SPACE – it’s like a “limitless prairie” with a gopher hole in it.
• A ceiling is a limit, a wall is a limit – the distance of the hole has to be imagined as limited in a similar way to become a target.
• When space is limited, the brain uses rhythm to move safely at and to the target.
• Imagine each hole has a wall behind it 2-4 rolls past the back edge and then roll the ball safely into this safe “hole capture area” without smacking into the wall.
• The brain faced with a limit for movement BLOCKS the body from using too much force by restricting the backstroke from becoming too large, since the brain instinctively protects against injury / pain.
Controlling the distance – time: Tempo versus rhythm
• Tempo is how quickly or slowly the back-and-thru motion is made.
Controlling the distance – time: Tempo versus rhythm
• Rhythm is the ratio or proportion of the back and thru strokes.
• The drummer plays 4:4 music of 4 quarter notes so that each note has “equal duration” – that’s “rhythm”.
• But the conductor says “how fast or slow” to play the equal notes – that’s “tempo”.
• The fundamental timing is RHYTHM not TEMPO – keep the Rhythm always smooth and even and “silky” – “never hurried, never worried.”
Controlling the distance – time: Tempo versus rhythm
• The brain prefers a casual tempo and equal rhythm as the most natural and consistent – this is the timing most deeply embedded in the body.
• Whatever time is taken in the backstroke, the same time is the only time that is rhythmical to complete the thru-stroke, and vice versa.
• The SIZE of a stroke and it’s FORCE depends upon TEMPO, but the brain can generate the same force with different tempos by changing the sizes (faster tempo, shorter stroke), and this means the golfer can change tempo to suit the situation, but he cannot also change the RHYTHM.
Controlling the distance – TIME: Rhythmical movement
• The equality of the backstroke timing and the thru-stroke timing is the preferred ratio for putting, as this is the “swing, swing” rhythm most often experienced in the world.
• To the brain, the putting stroke starts from the top of the follow-thru and then swings down thru the bottom to the top of the backstroke – this is the total time of the backstroke set by the tempo, even though the real backstroke starts from the bottom.
• The rhythmical backstroke impulse is one that starts the backstroke so that it “joins in” with the on-going back-and-thru “swinging” tempo from top to top – the first move back is a “swing” that catches up with the on-going “swing, swing” tempo in the brain – the backstroke catches up to the tempo at its top.
Controlling the distance – movement: IMPULSE & Backstroke• The brain knows the world’s requirements for the
putt’s energy, and from this knows the SIZE and hence FORCE of the stroke.
• Knowing in advance the SIZE of the backstroke for the putt, the brain sets the level of IMPULSE to start the back “swing” so that the swing persists for the correct tempo time and reaches the correct backstroke SIZE.
• The golfer establishes the IMPULSE of the backstroke by paying attention to the world’s requirements.
• Once the golfer has paid attention and formed the intention to go all the way and not too long, then the golfer simply executes the stroke with tempo and rhythm and respects whatever IMPULSE the body happens to use, without judgment or conscious control.
Controlling the distance–movement: Deposit & Withdrawal• With a stable tempo and rhythm, the force of impact
required by the world is set by the size of the backstroke.
• The tempo sets the size and force of the backstroke like making a deposit in the bank of the exact price of the putt’s distance.
• Rhythm in the thru-stroke then withdraws and spends the full price to deliver the backstroke size’s force at impact.
• An instinctive and rhythmic back-and-thru stroke never attains a backstroke too large and forceful and never delivers insufficient force that is short.
• “Rhythm alone is always enough – get the full deposit and then spend it all, trusting that the brain that pays attention knows the right deposit..”
Controlling the distance– movement: Backstroke size
When the golfer pays attention to the limits of space with the intention of avoiding going too far past, the brain restricts the backstroke from becoming too large, and consequently:
• “The backstroke is never too large.”
• “The backstroke is not large enough until it is as large as the instinctive movement wants it to become.”
• “The backstroke is not as large as it needs to be until the final trace of impulse to hit the ball or the felt need to help the ball go all the way completely disappears and evaporates.”
• “The instinctive golfer never thinks or worries about the size of the backstroke.”
• If the golfer pays attention, the backstroke is correct for the force in light of the tempo and rhythm.
• The ONLY possible way to go TOO LONG is to “gas” the downstroke (bad rhythm).
• The two ways to go SHORT are 1) end the backstroke before the tempo fully loads the force, and/or 2) decelerate the downstroke (both bad rhythm).
• What causes bad rhythm is IRRATIONAL fear that the body does not block the backstroke from getting too large or that the backstroke is not adequate to get the ball all the way to the hole.
Controlling the distance– long & short cause and effect
• The long and short of touch is pay attention and INTEND the space result, then use the normal tempo rhythmically back and thru.
• That’s it!• If your mind thinks it knows better, ignore it.
Controlling the distance– long & short of touch
Controlling the distance -- Long putts >25’
•Long putts require sharp space limits & excellent timing to avoid 3-putts.•Golfers with steady tempo and rhythm sink more long putts than others.
Controlling the distance -- Long putts >25’
Controlling the distance -- Long putts >25’
Controlling the distance -- medium-length putts 10-20’
•Medium-range sinks are needed for victory – 8-15 footers.•Medium-range putts require steady tempo and rhythm to match read and pace so that breaking putts are 1-putted.•Go-by distances are never the problem for medium-range putts so focus completely on line with even, smooth, complete rhythm.
Controlling the distance -- short putts <10’
•Golfers for short putts can vary the tempo to quicker, firmer, and shorter strokes, but should avoid a quit-rhythm.•2-foot putts almost never have enough slope and green speed to break out of the hole, so aim slightly inside to the high side.•Know the range for different slopes on any given day’s greens within which no putts break outside the hole.•Take break out only on short putts that are either breaking out of the hole uphill or breaking out of the hole on slow grass or mild slope.
Controlling the distance -- uphill, downhill touch
• Uphill as “slow” green speed / downhill as “fast”.
• Up/down conversion to level distance 1” = 1’ level.
• Only the “net” elevation change matters.• Uphill tilt of rim allows adding 1/4th more
speed on mild slope and twice the normal speed on severe slope.
Tiers – Special Case
• Tiers “dump” excess slope and have dramatic elevation change – a 2’ rise to the top edge of a tier only 10’ away requires a 34’ level-equivalent putt just to avoid rolling back to the feet (10’ plus 24’ elevation energy).
• Down a tier – estimate the roll-out.
Controlling the distance -- uphill, downhill touch
Add strokes uphill to top edge of tier plus on to hole, downhill to top edge then from roll-out to hole.
Controlling the distance -- uphill, downhill rim tilt
Adding / reducing crossing speed according to the tilt of the rim by the slope changes the speed 0.15 rps for each % of slope. [The level crossing speed is here taken as 3 rps. On faster putting surfaces, this might be 1 or 2 rps.]Slope % ± 0.15 rps / % New rps up/dn
1 0.15 3.15 / 2.852 0.3 3.3 / 2.73 0.45 3.45 / 2.554 0.6 3.6 / 2.45 0.75 3.75 / 2.256 0.9 3.9 / 2.17 1.05 4.05 / 1.958 1.2 4.2 / 1.8
Controlling the distance -- uphill, downhill go-by
Each 1% of slope effectively extends the usual 24” level go-by range by about 3” uphill and reduces the go-by range downhill by 3”.
Slope % ± 3” / % New go-by up/dn
1 3 27 / 212 6 30 / 183 9 33 / 154 12 36 / 125 15 39 / 96 18 42 / 67 21 45 / 38 24 48 / 0
Controlling the distance -- slick downhill touch
• Slick-but-stoppable downhill putts require a slow-motion stroke with “even-even” rhythm.
• “Even-even”: backstroke steady-velocity in slow motion to “whatever” size in the time to pronounce “e-ven” slowly, then forward stroke at same steady pace to ball contact and then repeat “e-ven” to complete thru stroke of identical size.
• Unstoppable downhill putts: feed the ball sideways onto the fall line thru the hole with the least downhill speed possible.
• Count the number of rolls from ball “only” to the fall line along aim line – don’t use more rolls without reducing the break played.
Pause for Summary
Next: Details about StrokeFurry Lewis, 4th and Beale Streets
PuttingZone™Thanks for your time and interest!
“Roll ‘em and hole ‘em!”
-- Geoff
Geoff Mangum’s PuttingZone™
• For MORE information and to receive future tips and news from the PuttingZone, visit or contact:
• Geoff Mangumwww.PuttingZone.com518 Woodlawn Ave, Greensboro NC USA 27401+001 (336) 340-9079 [email protected]
• Join us! If interested in becoming a PuttingZone Certified Coach, contact Geoff for more details --17 Academies and 80 Certified Coaches in 16 Countries Worldwide and growing strong.
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