My father, the Pro, said,
"Tissy, when playing as my partner with the men on Thursday's remember
you are responsible for paying your half of any debts for lost holes."
Making $15 every two weeks for working 7:00 am--2:00
Tuesday-Saturday in the golf shop, didn't leave me
much spending money in the early 1960's. Consequently, I would much rather win money than lose money.
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| 1965 USGA Jr. Girls Championship |
He went on to add, "It could cost you a quarter a hole."
My math skills were not strong, but I could certainly figure out that I could lose $4.50 in 18 holes, or more I later learned. Pondering that with my pride, I asked, "How do I win every hole?"
"Practice your putting every day and pay attention to the break and speed."
I did practice, but I was young and worked in the golf shop, so when there was nothing else going on for a few minutes I stepped outside to putt. For the most part my dad and I tied or won our matches. One day, I will never forget, I had to hand over $.50 to Dr. Kenny Richards, my golf coach at NEO. It was a painful experience, and one that made me realize how important putting can be.
Ever since those early years, I make time to practice my putting. I am still a very active learner when it comes to doing something better.
Recently, I watched the SupHer Power Golf for Women zoom program on Confidence and Putting. Click on this link to watch the program (about 40 minutes). The demonstration by Nancy McDaniel, Hall of Fame Women's Golf Coach from UC Berkeley, is dynamic.
BELIEF DRIVES CONFIDENCE
I can say that I am a confident putter, not perfect and I most certainly have unpredictable days when I putt like like the tortoise and the hare. That is when I want a tool kit to help me practice. SupHer Power Golf has given me just that, a tool kit of learning that I can follow.
Keys to Set Up:
- Feet hip width apart
- Knees, hips shoulders in alignment
- Light grip pressure
- EYES OVER THE BALL
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| Prairie Dunes CC |
For instance, in the video (link above) Nancy McDaniel demonstrates this practice putting technique: she putts three 4' putts to a target with her normal grip; then three 4' putts using only the right hand; followed by three 4' putts using only her left hand; and finally both hands again. This shows her balance and which hand takes over, giving her a lesson in adjustment.
Confidence is a choice, to help us
play closer to our own potential.
A few years ago Annika Sorenstam made a commercial that showed her in a recliner listening to a recording of a ball being struck by a putter, the soft rolling sound of the ball on the green, followed by the clinking sound the ball made when it dropped into the hole.
If I begin to miss the target left or right (inconsistently) I realize that I am most likely peeking at the target causing my body and alignment to be off the target line. When I take a moment to think, I imagine Annika listening to her ball drop in the hole. It helps when I am playing.
SupHer Power Golf added these Annika tips for practicing with the putter.
- Set up properly.
- Hit the ball once with eyes closed; twice focus on the hole; three times hit the putt regularly.
- Listen for the ball to go in the hole.
- Place a quarter under the ball and see it after you stroke it
So simple. Why do we insist
on making this game miserably difficult? One thought is that we all have
an inner critic, or in my case I call her ‘the evil twin.’ Some days and weeks
the ‘evil twin’ makes the game of golf exhausting.
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| Downhill putt at Oakwood CC, Enid 1986 |
April Kenyon,USGTF Certified Golf Instructor, suggests that we can choose to merely view the inner critic, instead of following it.
We are
NOT that voice.
We are
just the person observing that voice.
Next time I play, I plan to
remember that when I hear the ‘evil twin’ I will acknowledge the voice, but
realize that it is not me. I am only observing that negative voice. With my
imagination I may think I hear that voice coming from a garish neon orange
bucket. I will observe it and kick it. Kick it hard away from me.
As Annika stated:
You just have to try and keep on grinding and hope that things will turn around eventually. More importantly stay patient.
SupHer Power Golf for Women will host a zoom Virtual Play Day on Friday, July 10 at 6:00 Central Time Zone. See their Facebook page for details: SupHer Power Golf
For other posts about SupHer Power Golf click on these links:
SupHer Power Golf This landing page will direct you to the future classes and events.
SupHer Power Golf Warm Ups on the Go https://literallyletty.blogspot.com/2020/05/supher-power-golf-warm-ups-on-go.html
SupHer Power Golf https://literallyletty.blogspot.com/2020/04/supher-power-golf.html
Letty Watt, golf blogger
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