Xander Schauffele with placing coach, Derek Uyeda
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In the case of shaving strokes off your rating, probably the greatest expertise you may refine is lag placing. By growing your really feel and distance management, you’ll go away your first putts inside a makeable distance, eradicate expensive three-putts and even improve your possibilities of making these lengthy birdie putts.
There are a lot of nice methods to develop your really feel on the greens, however Chris Como, a GOLF High 100 Trainer, not too long ago posted a drill from Xander Schauffele’s placing coach, Derek Uyeda, that I assumed was price sharing.
Under is a condensed model of Uyeda’s “Eyes Closed Time Drill” from Como’s GolfPass collection “Swing Expedition.”
How Uyeda’s “Eyes Closed Time Drill” works
So let’s break it down. As Uyeda explains within the video, his drill is easy. Begin by setting as much as a 30-foot putt and hitting it along with your eyes open to verify that you just’re making constant center-face contact. In keeping with Uyeda, it is a very important a part of lag placing.
“You’ve gotta hit the ball clear,” Uyeda says.
That’s as a result of constant center-face contact is important to supply the identical quantity of pace on each putt.
When you’ve established constant contact, shut your eyes and hit that very same 30-footer. After you’ve hit the putt, attempt to predict when and the place the ball will come to relaxation. You may test how shut you might be by having a taking part in associate watch your putts or by recording your self along with your telephone.
Why does this drill work?
The eyes-closed approach works, Como explains, as a result of it helps you perceive how lengthy your ball goes to be in movement relying on the size of your stroke.
“That is vital for really feel as a result of an enormous a part of the pace of a putt is principally represented by how lengthy it’s shifting on the inexperienced,” Como says.
The higher you will get at understanding when your putts will cease, the higher your chances are high of leaving it inside a number of toes of the outlet.
Como says this drill can be good for lag-putting as a result of it calibrates your notion.
“[This drill] is a good instance of coaching really feel, or our notion of issues, versus actual, the fact of what’s occurring,” Como says.
Calibrating your notion earlier than a spherical will assist you belief your really feel and cease guessing on lengthy putts, leading to a extra assured stroke and a strong strike each time.
Subsequent time you’re on the course, give this tour-trusted drill a attempt to turn into a greater lag putter and make extra two-putts — and perhaps even one-putts.
