SupHer Power Golf--Putting with Confidence

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

1965 USGA 
Jr. Girls
Championship

 much spending money in the early 1960's.  Consequently, I would much rather win money than lose money. 

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.  

 https://zoom.us/rec/play/vsF5Jrqur203GIHAtASDAKUtW9Xvf6ushidIq_sMykiyUiRQYwemZLYWN7SQptKDtXzUJsFYVseKuQlO?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=UyLzpMABRj6WvP99vR9_Nw.1591044687347.fb558db54778d025ff0be2e6493cb396&_x_zm_rhtaid=582

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

Prairie Dunes CC

The keys help me while I am playing if I need an adjustment. However, if all goes wrong I know it is time to practice on the putting green correctly.

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.

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

 

Golf Gypsy: Rebuilding Confidence

It seems like year after year I push myself to the limits and find ways to injure myself while having fun;  like falling while walking the dog, like straining the piriformis muscle while hitting a shot out of the pond and smashing my club into the bank, like pulling the rotary cuff muscles while swinging hard when my muscles were cold, etc, etc, etc.  This year I outdid myself with surprise "hernia" surgery.  As a result, eight weeks later, I am rested and healthier, but my golf game I've noticed is lacking confidence.  Sure wish I knew where that confidence went while I was recuperating from surgery because the rest of me feels fine.

After six weeks and with the doctor's blessings I headed out to the golf course to play golf and take it easy.  To simplify the instructions I played with my 8 iron, wedges and putter.  Not bad, it was just a lot of shots, and certainly more than I was used to.  The next time when I used the bigger clubs--woods, I discovered that the heel (not heal) and toe method was another problem.  Worst of all my touch and feel around the greens, my strength, my favorite shot in golf, my putting had left me.  Having played several rounds of golf now, I have decided that "my confidence in putting" is lacking.

Nothing has ever stopped me before, so with my brain focused on putting I headed out to the golf course.  After several holes, I discovered that it wasn't only my putting stroke that was on hiatus, so was my focus.  My mind wondered like a piece of paper caught in a wind storm. (I even thought about writing a story about it!)  With a few deep breaths, I was able to figure out my weakness and still enjoy the time.  At one point I was totally swept away with my love of nature as a mother "Eastern King bird" landed on the fairway, and her two babies landed right behind her.  I savored the moment, and knew why I was alone on the golf course.  In the quiet of the fresh air nature can be enjoyed and the spirit refreshed.

Focus and relax those hands, then swing smoothly.  

After nine holes I stopped, put up my clubs, and walked to the putting green to practice; to relax my shoulders, to sing a song, and to let my body relearn the simple stroke. I think I can, I think I can, I know I can.

Footnote:  This story was supposed to automatically post 7/17/12, but it didn't.  So I can now write that I am gaining focus and confidence.  We spent four days playing Red Sky Ranch Golf Course in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and I putted well.  Then over the weekend I played in the Challenge Cup series held at Wichita Country Club and recorded only 27 putts.  I'm back in my groove and am even using my old Ping putter.

Letty Stapp Watt
historian, golfer