Ketola Method Putting

Here is how to make every putt you look at.  First take a sharpie and put a single dot on your ball in your favorite color.  I would recommend red.  Red for red numbers on the scoreboard!  Walk off your putt to see how many feet you have. Make your read.   Imagine a point as small as the dot on the ball that you want to aim at.  Take a look into the hole to get a visual of your ball's final destination.  Go about halfway on your putt's line to get a feel for the break.  Place your ball with the dot up.  Go through your routine and imagine what part of the hole you would like your ball to enter.  Tell yourself something like "It would be really cool if I made this putt".  Address the ball, think about nothing but distance and the part of the hole your ball is GOING to go in at, and stroke it.  By the way, I didn't mention anything about technique or making a perfect stroke.  Save that stuff for the practice green.  Give it a try!

Stevie kicked to the curb

Tiger fired his long time caddy Steve Williams this week.  Not sure what Tiger is doing with his life lately but it seems to be a wreck.  Steve was the man for him for 13 majors.  Tiger was the best man in Stevie's wedding.  Not sure what Steve did to deserve this.  He did caddy for Adam Scott in a few events will he was sitting idle waiting on Tiger to fix his body, mind, swing, family life, finances, etc etc etc...It seems that Tiger has lost everything that was good in his life in the last few years by making bad decisions.  He has lost his dad, wife, family, endorsements, golf game, caddie, etc..What is next?  Guess we will have to tune in to find out.

Duck on Water

When it comes to playing good sand shots you must use your equipment in the correct fashion.  If you play in bunkers with a lot of sand you might be better served with more bounce on your wedge.  If the sand tends to be shallow and not very thick, then less bounce might help.  I see far too many golfers that don't use the bounce correctly when hitting a green side bunker shot.  If the face isn't open enough at address or if the hands are pressed too far forward, then the wedge will dig far too much and produce lackluster results.  The key is to get the club open enough with the shaft pointing at your belt buckle at address so the club face will slide right through the sand with ease.  A duck uses its rounded belly(bounce) to glide into the water on a landing so that the duck doesn't come to an abrupt stop when he lands.  Give it a try and remember to keep good speed with the club head as it moves through the sand.

3 peat

Steve Stricker wins 3 in a row.  What a great accomplishment.  Stricker has become one of the most consistant golfers on the planet in the past couple of years.  The reason for that:  a new found dedication to the game after almost giving up on himself, a VERY simple golf swing, and a silky putting stroke.  I only watched the last 20 minutes of the tournament but that was the best 20 minutes.  Stricker is one down going in to 18 and pulls his drive into a horrible spot in a bunker.  Ball below his feet with water to carry and a back left pin.  Stricker took his time until he was ready to pull the trigger.  When he did it came off perfect and finished just on the back fringe.  He then proceeded to fearlessly roll in about a 25 footer for the outright win.  This guy is a force to be reckoned with.  What a competitor!

Aim small-Miss small

Whenever we are picking a target to aim at it is important to pick a small one.  Claude Harmon once said " In golf just as in life, when we aim at nothing that is exactly what we will hit."  When you are on the course pick out something in the distance that is very small to aim at.  You will be surprised how much better your misses will become.  When you are putting from short distances don't just aim at the hole, aim at a blade of grass on the edge of the cup.  This technique helps your focus and narrows your shot pattern.  Give it a try!

Routines

Everyone has thier own daily routines.  I know I have mine.  Coffee before work, two showers a day, 3 workouts a week, eating habits, etc.  Normally we do those things without thinking too much because we have made them a part of who we are.  A solid pre shot or post shot routine should work the same way.  A routine in golf gets you prepared and comfortable to do your thing.  It should be consistant.  tiger's pre shot putting routine takes 17 seconds...every time.  When the pressure is on your routine will get you through it unscathed!  Your routine should be very individual.  don't copy someone else's.  Do what works best for you.  There is no rule that says you have to take 3 practice swings before each shot.  Especially if you shoot in the 100's...How annoying and tiresome.  It should be the same every time.  Have you ever watched the guys on TV?  There are some weird routines.  Hat grabbing, shirt pulling, eyes closed, tapping, stepping, licking, etc.  the way Jim Furyk hitches up his pants with his palms is so annoying.  JB Holes balking while he tries to line up...wow..and VJ Singh leaning sideways after a shot that is going right for the pin..AKA a pinseeker.  But maybe he has to lean sideways to see the pin because he hits it so straight.  Keep your routines quick, to the point, and in good hygine.  Haha.  If your superman undies are stuck somewhere on a hot day..just leave them there!

DK