Learning How The BEST Putt!

SAM PuttLab Level 1 Certification Training opened my eyes to how Tour Players Putt!

Yesterday was eye opening for me in my quest to help golfers improve their putting.  I have been fortunate to be trained to use the SAM PuttLab by Glen Coombe – The Putting Doctor.  Yesterday though Christian Marquardt taught Science and Motion Sports (SAM) PuttLab Level 1 Certification Training at the PGA Show, and helped  me learn a new level of knowledge about how the best putters in the world putt.

When a golfer is tested with the SAM PuttLab, his data is compared with a data base from tests done with 99 Tour Players in 2003 – 2005.  This allows a golfer to see how his stroke stacks up against the best putters, and to help identify training strategies for improvement.

Some of the things that I learned and I think in some cases relearned during the training include:

     While aim is very important, Tour Players care more about impact than they do about aim;

     Face rotation is very important in putting;

     If at impact your face is about 0.7 degrees off of center aim from 13 feet, you will miss the hole;

     If you miss a putt, this is most likely because of where the face points at impact (D Plane);

     The sweet spot of a putter is slightly up on the face (and Tour Players FEEL this!).

These are just some of the tidbits from the training.

Just as important though were some of the things that Christian discussed about Training – how  to help golfers make change to habits.  Two things he said really stuck with me:

     It is more important to learn subconsciously; and

     Learning is the repeated attempt to solve a task, not the repetition of a solution for a specific task.

I am going to make small business cards with these two statements – they are golden!

Back home now – cannot wait for the 2014 PGA Show, it has been a great week.

 

The Fit Is IT!!

Tony