Dear Friends,
As the summer of 2002
comes to a close, some of the best weather for golf is upon us in virtually all
parts of the nation. Dr. Putt hopes that you will enjoy your golf in more
comfortable temperatures in the weeks to come.
The golf course is a
healthy escape from the talk or wars and double dip recessions. Dr. Putt is
certainly thankful for the mental respite that even four or five holes in the
evening provide.
As the year begins to
draw to a close, Dr. Putt invites you to consider several things in this
newsletter.
1) Putting tip for
the fall – beware of thinning grass!
2) Time to take
stock!
3) The white hot
2-ball putter – is it for you?
3) Ryder Cup Thoughts
1)
Putting tip
for the fall – beware of thinning grass!
As the summer grass
begins to thin out, grain will begin to have more effect on the ball. This is
especially true on Bermuda grass that has runners and leaves growing from the
runners. The ball will also roll farther as fewer blades of grass slow it down.
So allow more distance.
The increased break
effect is most profound at the end of the putt when momentum is lost and there
are fewer blades to cushion the ball from those runners. They then act as rails
to steer the ball.
You have two options
here. Account for increased break by allowing more break,
especially at the end.
Or you can do like
Tiger and ram the ball into the hole so that it still has momentum when it gets
there.
Dr. Putt would advise
the former for we mere mortals, as we score best when
we avoid the three-putt.
2) Time to Take
Stock!
This is a good time
to begin to take stock of how you have progressed this year. So Dr. Putt
encourages you to take a realistic look at your game right now.
·
How often are
you hitting fairways?
·
How often do you
hit greens when you have the ball within 150 yards?
·
Are you
getting your chips close so that you can get down in two half the time?
·
Is your number
of putts consistently in the low 30’s?
·
Are there
shots that you dread?
If you have not been
doing so, keep some records of your play in the last months you get out before
the big chill sets in. Then sit down in front of the fire and think about where
you are and where you can improve.
Dr. Putt will share
some thoughts on that issue over the winter months. If you have not made the
progress you want and if you have made an honest effort to practice and improve
this year, it might be time to make some major changes.
3)
The white hot
2-ball putter – is it for you?
Dr. Putt has received
many letters about the Odyssey 2-ball putter. Many of you have asked if Odyssey
copied the EOB device and built it into a club. To see Dr. Putt’s answer and
see a detailed comparison of the 2-ball putter with the EOB aiming and
alignment device, visit http://www.drputt.com/deardrputt/Ody2BallPutter.php
at the “Dear Dr. Putt” Website.
2)
Ryder Cup
Thoughts
Much ink will be spilled speculating about the significance
of and explanation for the
What Dr. Putt would like to observe pertains to putting, naturally! In the
course of the competition, these players, the finest in the world, all made
some long putts and missed some relatively short ones. That is part of the game.
They understand that and maintain their same routines, doing their best and
accepting the outcomes. We would do well to emulate that. Build a routine that
is fundamentally sound and stick to it, knowing that some will miss and some
will fall. A miss is not a crisis unless we make it one. Do not dwell on the
negatives. Accept them and move on.
Remember to check the
Dear Dr. Putt website for all your putting questions – a neat search feature now
allows you to look up almost any subject you like – and the references are
growing all the time!
Thanks for all your
letters and questions and for making this the best summer yet for Dr. Putt.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Putt
PS--If you want to be
removed from Dr. Putt’s newsletter list, please just email Dr. Putt at drputt@drputt.com,
and ask. He will remove you – really!