Hey everyone- sorry I haven’t been around for a while. Went through a big move and just now getting settled back in.
I just listened to Dave Stockton “Unconscious Putting” on Audible and I have been practicing its lessons on my new Perfect Practice Putting Mat I got from Jon (thanks, Jon!). I am flying high right now, as the lessons are so good and I think they fit perfectly in this forum.
The book is all about the mental side of putting, focusing on what the eyes and mind are doing in your pre-shot routine and as you actually stroke the ball. He has almost no “technical” instruction, and believes that if you get your mind and eyes in the right place, the stroke will take care of itself. After practicing this, I couldn’t agree more. Not only does it make putting more fun because you make more putts, but it makes the whole process and act of putting more fun, as you feel your eyes and mind focus in on the line, with zero anxiety of your stroke mechanics or the possible outcome.
I’ve used the Perfect Practice putting mat to hone in my eyes and mind, more than my stroke. I stand behind the ball with my dominant eye (right eye) directly on the line. I start with my gaze on the ball, really taking stock of the ball and its whiteness. Then I follow with my eyes the hash marks from the ball to the hole, trying to miss or gloss over any hash mark. When I get to the hole with my eyes, I focus on the hole, take it all in, its roundness and blackness. Then with my eyes trained on the hole, I walk into the putt, keeping my right eye on the target line the entire time so as not to lose the line of the putt (don’t arc out to the left as I walk in) while keeping my eyes and mind on the hole like a hawk. Once I get even with the ball where my stance will be, I follow the hash marks back from the hole to the ball, and once I get back to the ball with my eyes, line my blade up with the line of the putt. Once I get the blade set, I take my stance with my feet and get comfortable. Then I follow the hash marks back to the hole with my eyes, take in the hole with my eyes and mind briefly, then follow the hash marks back to my ball, and then I just stroke the ball down the hash line. Zero mechanical thoughts.
I know it sounds like a lot, and it first it can be, but it’s a lot more fun to practice that routine with your eyes and mind than obsessing over your face and path and rhythm and transition and all the other mechanical things you can obsess over. Try to do each of the steps above, and be aware when you don’t get one part of the process right. Once you get a good feel for it, you can start timing yourself to make sure your routine is consistent. As proof that it’s really not all that much to do, when I time myself it takes almost exactly 21 seconds every time from the time I stand behind the ball and get the line to when I stroke the putt. No practice strokes (as your practice strokes are not on the same line as your actual putt), no freezing up or wasted movements or moments. I guarantee if you dial in this routine you will be the fastest putter in your group. Especially when you consider you will start taking 26 putts a round instead of 40! It’s so fun.
I can’t wait to get out on the course and put this into action. Obviously there will be the added element of reading curving putts and marrying speed and line out on the course, but I’m going to have those little white hash marks seared into my mind going from my ball to the hole every time. And the clearer picture you have in your mind of the perfect read and speed, the better your speed and marrying speed and line and lag putting will be.
I love instruction that is based on the eyes and the mind, rather than technique. I highly recommend this book and pairing it with a Perfect Practice putting mat. It’s perfect for the cold winter months and training for actual golf in the spring!
Hope everyone is doing well. Anyone else read this book or something similar? What’s your experience?