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We all know how important ‘Making Putts’ is in the grand scheme of playing and scoring in golf. This simplest, foundational stroke is responsible for between 35% and 50% of you carded numbers. Your ‘Short Game’ is another 15% to 20%. How many golfers have made more than 40 or even 50 putts in a single round of 18 holes? Improving on that stat is so very easy and predictable. What is preventing your ‘Working Smart’ at putting better?

Remember, ‘A Chip Is A Putt With A Hop!’ Thus, working on your ‘Putting’ invariably helps making Chips and even Bump & Runs. “Pitter Patter, Better Get At ‘Er!”

Things to do while preparing and putting in the wind …

1. Use your very smart ‘8 Step Putting & Chipping Pre-Shot Routine’ (PSR)

Currently touted as the ‘New Approach’ created by Bryson DeChambeau and Mike Schy, his coach, is simply not true!

For years our family owned I.R.G.O. golf stores in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada and North Western Washington, U.S.A. and were one of the biggest custom fitting and repair stations in this international region.

Our very creative and capable fitting, assembly and repair staff, along with the teaching staff, entertained the idea of ‘Single Length Irons’ in the mid 80’s. Initially, we started making ‘All Wedges The Same Length’. That was both logical and very successful. This made a little heavier ‘Swing Weights’ but we adjusted that with ‘Shaving or Machining The Hozels’ to reduce their ‘Dead Weight’. (Mass)

The only lasting favour which a teacher
may confer on the student
is that of helping the student understand
and then to help himself enjoy outcomes!

Converting Extrinsic Discipline to Intrinsic
in the form of Behaviour is central.

The rewards shall be immediate and commensurate!
They will stimulate more of the same!

“Behaviour which achieves desirable consequences
shall recur!”

Thomas & Skinner

Pretty common topic of golf conversation? “How can I get off the beach without a bucket, shovel and perhaps a rake?”

There are only three elements … 1) Bottom Of Swing Arc … BOSA, 2) adequate LOFT and 3) enough Clubhead Speed.

1. BOSA for Bunker Work demands a precision bottom accomplished under a Tallish Chin with Longish Arms or ‘Lever Assemblies’. If we have control of the Tallish Chin and Hands, Wrists & Arms Length, we will have reasonable control of ‘Down Force’ and ‘Impact & Separation’. Make that “THUMP” when you hit the sand!
2. Adequate LOFT is simply about ‘Club Selection’. ‘Loft’ is your friend. Remember your #SW has generally got the most ‘Bounce’, which helps us not strike the sand overly fat. We do not want to dig a ditch! There is a procedure of what we refer to as ‘Open Open’ … Open Clubface Aim and Open Alignment. I am not a big fan until I have run out of ‘Loft’. I don’t like ‘Side Spin’ if I can avoid it!

Short Game

The primary task when you are still ‘Off The Green’ is to ‘Get the ball on the Dance Floor behaving like a Putt as soon as possible’. Might I add that you must truly believe in yourself!

When out in the ‘Approach Zone’ we should focus precisely on the 5/10/15 Foot Circles. From there we can make good things happen more often than not! Smaller circles make for improved ‘Putting Stats’.

When out in the ‘Approach Zone’ we will be well-served to ‘Quadrant The Greens’. By that, your 555 Team means ‘Gunsighting The Green’ or breaking it into ‘Four Quadrants’ of approximately the same area or size. (see ‘Cross Hairs’)

The Step Step Drill

Align properly using two ‘Ground Sticks’. Stand with your feet square and separated about 4 to 6 inches. Flare your Target Foot 45 to 55 degrees. This is essential to inviting and causing your Target Hip to Clear or Retreat Aft and thus make room for the advancing thrusting Brace Leg and Hip. You must ‘Steer So You Can Clear’.

The drill is now to Step Brace about 6 to 8 inches in a very controlled ‘Take-Away’. This ‘Step Length’ depends on your ‘Club Selection … long shafts require a slightly longer step and width.

The ‘Full Circle’ has 360 degrees. Therefore, in one hour (60 minutes) the ‘Minute Hand’ travels through a ‘Full Circle or 360 Degrees’. (12 o’clock to 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock … 180 x 2 = 360)

If we divide 360 Degrees by 60 Minutes, we get 6 Degrees per Minute. (6 x 60 = 360)

If we expand this ‘Degree-ness’ to include our ‘Clubheads’, our ‘Putter’ will usually have between 2 and 6 degrees of ‘Loft’ … the angle of the Clubface to Mother Earth. The typical Driver has between 8 and 12 degrees. The typical III Wood has 15 degrees. The typical V Wood has 20 degrees. The Typical VII Wood has 25 degrees. (see 5 degree splits) The #SW usually has 56 degrees, the #PW usually has 48 degrees, the #9 Iron – 44 degrees, the #8 Iron – 40 degrees, the #7 Iron – 36 degrees, the #6 Iron – 32 degrees, the #5 Iron – 28 degrees, the #4 Iron – 24 degrees, the #3 Iron – 20 degrees etc. (see 4 degree splits)

All our brethren world-wide sooner or later hear about our ‘555 Golf Concepts Approach’ to this Great Game. One that has been both popular and meaningful is the ‘Tether Ball Pole Concept’. It focuses on ‘Core Structure’ (‘Pivot’) as well as ‘Rope & Ball’ (‘Lever Length’). Our ‘Balsa Airplane Concept’ is also important in principle and performance.

We winde up the ‘Rubber Band Engine’ with tip of our finger. When ready to make it fly, we simply release the ‘Tension’ and launch with a deliberate toss towards the heavens.

The ‘Human Golfing Machine’ is quite similar, but we replace the ‘Airplane Rubber Band’ with ‘Soft Tissue’ that also has marvelously practical elasticity.

Your Dream Journey

I have had numerous requests over the recent months for a ‘Most Basic Abbreviated Summary’ of what is necessary to enjoy happiness coming from ‘The Great Game’! So, in this quiet moment, early in the ‘morrow, here it is … for YOU!

1. Non Optional Ingredients … Golf embodies ‘Desire Honesty and an Open Mind’
2. Master Golf Basics (MGB) … Learn The ‘555 System’. It will support YOU!
3. Focus On Fundamentals (FOF)
4. The 5 Set-Ups Are the Foundation … Learn them deliberately!
5. The 5 Essential Elements Tune The Instruments

I just had a stranger (customer now!) call me about ‘Unusual Lies’ … situations wherein the ground is not ‘Usual’ (level and clean). In this situation, your ‘Stance’ will also be a little ‘Non Standard’. Don’t fight the ‘Unusual’! Learn to adjust efficiently!

So, how do we prepare (‘Set-Up’) and ‘Execute’ abnormally?
The answer is, “As close to Normal / Usual as possible!”

If you pay attention, listen to your body talking, you shall not struggle with these anomalies!

If the ground is NOT level, do not stand as though it were! We may be ‘Plumb’ in the ‘Static State’, but we are ‘Forward Leaning’ in the ‘Dynamic Mode’.