I AM really happy to be teaching putting again. It is something I have always enjoyed doing immensely, but I have not had the facilities to do so over the past few years.
During my first few weeks at Cronulla Golf, I have been using the new putting studio inside Club One (open to the public for lessons) and it has amazed me just how many golfers are having difficulty with their aim at set up.
I have obviously seen my fair share of this over the years, but it seems that most putting lessons in recent times are really struggling with alignment.
Let’s take Bill as an example.
He booked in for a lesson recently with concerns over missing a number of short putts left in recent rounds.
The first thing I did was watch him putt outside on a real green and put him under a bit of pressure to recreate the anxious feeling he gets on the course. Then we went into the studio to put Bill through a five-ball PuttLab test – the results of which immediately showed that he was aiming left on every putt (as shown in on left).
Then I started up the PutLab Projection which beams lasers/lighting from the roof on to the indoor putting green.
I had Bill hit a number of putts, and just before he pulled the trigger, I would light up his “live aim”. As you can see from photo on right, he was aiming a long way left.
The good news is we identified the issue quickly. In fact, Bill’s putting stroke, after taking a look at it, was pretty good.
I then spent 30 minutes with Bill training his eyes by turning the laser/lighting on and off over and over again until he could do it instinctively.
We then went back outside to the putting green to, firstly work on Bill’s pre-putt process and routine which were solid, and then to see if Bill could aim correctly consistently on different putts, uphill, side hill, etc.
The good news is Bill has messaged me since to report that his old, reliable putting had already returned.
If you would like a putting lesson, or long game lesson with PGA award-winning coach Glenn Whittle, visit www.whittlegolf.com.au and book online.
Glenn teaches at two facilities in Sydney – Cronulla Golf (Club One) and Barton Park Golf Range.
Glenn Whittle is an AAA PGA Member and Head Coach of the NSW Institute of Sport, Golf Program. He was also the 2008 NSW PGA Teacher of the year. To book a putting session personally with Glenn, phone The Ridge Golf Course and Driving Range Pro Shop on (02) 9541 4960 or visit www.sydneyputtingstudio.com 
