Putting Tips DISTANCE CONTROL Introduction The Monty Move Distance, The Putter & The Ball The Pop Putt, The Panic Putt & The Pro Putt Applying The Pro Putt Muscle Memory PERFECT LINE Introduction Eye Position Ball Position Hand Position Body Alignment The Grip Forward Press The Takeaway Summary

DISTANCE CONTROL

Introduction

The Boomerang is a very demanding skill test. To master it requires a consistently high level of accuracy for both line and length. This lesson gives you a consistent distance control technique without ever mentioning words like touch or feel - and it's FREE! According to our survey over 40% of golfers struggle with distance control so if you're one of them then this is something you should read especially if you want to master the Boomerang.

I'm about to explain the holy grail of all putting tips - the secret of distance control. Usually we teach a perfect line first but it's our distance control technique that will grab your attention because it's based on common sense, it's easy to learn and it never breaks down under pressure.

THE SECRET: The longer putter speed matches the ball speed the easier it becomes to judge distance - it's called synchronization. We developed this technique further in order to beat the Boomerang - the world's most accurate putting test. Understanding synchronization is one thing, achieving it is another...

In 1998 we began to use the Boomerang to teach on the European Tour and we continue to teach the same technique today. That's because it works, it's based on common sense and achieves near perfect results under pressure. When you can perform BoomTech even as a practice drill you wont believe how effective it is - or that you never thought of it for yourself.

Start with your own stroke - if it's conventional then the putter head probably finishes around your ankles. Most golfers putt this way concentrating on the same length back and the same length through. But when we see an abbreviated follow through we know that individual either relies on lots of practice or touch and feel. How do we know just from seeing an abbreviated stroke? Before I tell you first think about some other sports.

In football you don't kick the ball and stop. Neither do you throw a free-throw or baseball and stop. You don't hit a tennis ball or cricket ball and stop and you don't bowl a bowling ball or lawn bowl and stop because in each case the follow through is integral to both line and distance control.

If you see anyone who achieves consistent distance control in any ball sport they generally do it with a long, smooth action, stroke, swing or kick. It's the same for sports as diverse as fly-fishing and hockey and especially for the golf swing - but not the golf putting stroke - isn't that strange?

Putting is the exception because short, stabby strokes have been tradition and convention. Although follow-throughs are getting longer almost every golfer still putts with an abbreviated follow through and never questions why. But say what ever you want if your putter speed doesn't match the ball speed there are only two alternatives - an accelerating stroke or a decelerating stroke and which one do you think holes more putts?

The difference between pros and amateurs with abbreviate strokes is that pros practice their short, stabby strokes for hours and achieve adequate distance control through repetition and sheer hard work. Most amateurs don't have the time to practice so never get any real consistency and when it comes to distance control - consistency is everything.

With a conventional putting stroke it would be amazing if you could putt consistently well without lots of practice because there're so many variables. Ball speed varies according to putter head speed and putter head speed varies according to the force you apply to the putter, which varies according to the grip pressure, length of backswing, rate of acceleration and amount of follow thorough.

So how can you learn to control these forces and consistently relate them to distance without great touch or getting a feel for the putt? It's easier than it sounds because there's a way to reduce the number of variables considerably - it's like stacking a deck in your favor - but to do so a longer stroke is essential.

In the animation above you can see the putter following the ball to the target and the two objects moving at the same speed. It's what I see every time I putt, but if you have a conventional putting stroke or you don't have your eyes over the line then this is something you've probably never seen before. This is the holy grail of putting distance control mysteries and I'll explain why.

It might be stating the obvious but with the putter moving down your eye line to your target you can see how fast it moves in relation to the ball. And here's the science; while there're an infinite number of possible putter head speeds, there's only one speed where the putter and ball move together in synchronization. With an exaggerated follow thought you can find that speed much easier.

When you can match the two speeds you'll achieve a synchronized putting stroke. Practice this stroke you'll become consistent on any putting surface because you'll have a genuine system of distance control that doesn't rely on touch or feel. Now you know the secret - read on if you want to know how to master the technique.