A Conversation with a Coach

I was having a discussion with a coach I work for this morning. I thought I would share my comments to him in the hopes it might provide some new perspective for those of you looking for some information that might pertain to you.

I think it all starts with defining the player. How do they perceive the task? Where is their awareness in the stroke? The source of the motion source in my guideline. How do they develop or feel speed and where is their awareness for that task? Players either move their hands with their shoulders or swing the clubhead with their hands. Arms support either motion. Arms are either in sync with the shoulders or independent of shoulders with the hands. Shoulder swing the hands are usually more aware of the path, arms and hands are typically more aware of the club face.

Players fall into categories by my observation. Proactive and reactive. For example, my impression of pneumonia of your players is reactive. He plays the putt like he plays a shot. He needs to train to enhance that perception, not change it. You might have another player who is proactive, lots of block practice, every putt is a straight putt. He is going to make the same basic stroke regardless of condition; where the reactive player might play a putt off the toe or heel on purpose. A reactive player might change his release pattern depending on the circumstance. He needs a different perspective as a coach. How do you enhance that ability?

A word of warning. Changing a player to a coach’s preference can take away the opportunity to use their talents to excel.

Another category we see is linear and non-linear. The linear player is a candidate for AimPoint. It is easy for them to translate a straight line to the task. The non-linear is a reactive player. They are often more creative. They manufacture a process for every putt. They see the entire path to the hole. I always have categories in mind as I work with each player. Once you start to look for the appropriate category for each player, you see common tendencies within the categories. For example. A non-linear player can point to the entry point of a putt at the hole easier than they can pick a spot to the left or right of the hole as a linear player would. I don’t have a bias either way. Again, we are trying to enhance the player’s preference. I don’t want to diminish their confidence.

Concerning the always on the low side example. You might find that this linear player’s last look is at the hole rather than their aim point or start direction. A linear player needs to focus on the chosen line and trust the decision. If they are always on the low side, they are typically steering the ball back to the end result. Not to their original decision. If you are linear, stay linear. Where a non-linear instinctively knows where to start the putt because they have processed the entire path. They have built a road, and they start the ball down that road. Non-linear shouldn’t try to find a linear solution.

In an example where the player is always missing on the high side. They are almost always in the non-linear category. Reactive and helping the shot. I would ask them not to try to aim anything. Use a putter without a line and just set up to the shot as they would play a fade or a hook. If you give him an AimPoint, his or her instinct will always be to help it, and they end up missing on the high side.

As for trends. They are always the easy way out. But rarely does what works for one work for the group. Following trends has never accomplished anything except for helping the trendsetter make a sale. LAB putters, for example. JJ Spaun was a perfect candidate for LAB technology. Everything rotates around the spine on parallel planes. Shoulders, forearms, and hands all move on a 69° plane. This player is very rare. So if you are a face-aware non-linear player, following the trend might create a problem.