Gatekeeper Resolutions Day 20: Explore Different Paces Of Putting
Day 20! Something that’s stuck with me for many years is the concept of being a “thinker” or “non-thinker” in sports. Neither is really superior to each other. Some people do best when they have time to prepare and consider a situation, and other folks succeed mostly on reactive behavior. Today, let’s explore that in the context of putting to help develop a routine, and figure out what pacing allows you to perform at your best.
We’re going to take a couple sets of putting where we take very different amounts of preparation and time between putts. The results of putts during this exercise–whether make or miss–aren’t as important as how confident you feel. So really monitor that aspect of the drill and try to apply it in later putting practice to define a routine.
First, get a stack of putters and fire them at the basket on a short reset. The entire goal here is to avoid thinking about mechanics or cues. Find your target and put it there.
On your next set, take your time and be deliberate. The objective is to consider ambient conditions, find your balance, find your aim point, address any cues that are kicking around in your head, and make it. You have thirty seconds to putt, so for the purposes of the drill take all of that.
You “win” the game when you determine the appropriate balance for your own game of thinking or not thinking in various situations, and can tailor your approach to vary how long you take on a putt. This can be expanded to drives and other shots as necessary.
Written By Andrew Fish, PDGA 58320
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