| In his book "Putt Like the Pros", the well known and | | | | inventor, and author. His scientific approach to putting |
| highly respected short game guru and teacher, Dave | | | | issues is clear when you read his books. While still at |
| Pelz, makes some interesting points that every golfer | | | | NASA Pelz invented a putting aid called the Teacher |
| should be aware of. This article will discuss a number | | | | Putter, which is a device that helps golfers groove |
| of these observations which will hopefully put the | | | | their strokes, giving feedback about whether the |
| science of putting into better perspective. | | | | stroke was good or poor. |
| As a young college student Pelz had aspirations of | | | | Early on Pelz wanted to understand how many putts |
| being a great tour player, and he played college golf | | | | a person could reasonably expect to make. To |
| at Indiana University in the Big 10. As time went by | | | | address this he build a machine called the Perfect |
| he became more and more frustrated that he could | | | | Roller, which took some time to perfect, but he could |
| not beat a certain player from Ohio State, also in the | | | | eventually roll perfect putts from the machine, time |
| Big 10, named Jack Nicklaus. Of course no one knew | | | | after time. He took his machine to several golf |
| at that time that Nicklaus would become perhaps the | | | | courses and took data about the number of putts his |
| greatest player to ever play the game. Before his | | | | machine could hole. He tried 100 putts on each of the |
| last year in school Pelz and his coach decided that | | | | 18 holes of the courses he did his tests on, rolling 12 |
| putting was the aspect of the game that was holding | | | | foot putts in each case. To his surprise his machine |
| him back, so with great determination he decided to | | | | could only make about 50% of the putts attempted |
| dedicate himself to practicing his putting and making | | | | on two different golf courses. He improved this by |
| improvements. He arranged his class schedule such | | | | arranging to do his experiments on a course with a |
| that in the fall and winter season when the weather | | | | reputation for excellent greens, and he did this early |
| did not allow golf to be played he took a very heavy | | | | in the morning just after the greens had been |
| load of classes. In the spring season he then had a | | | | mowed and no players preceded him on the greens. |
| light class load and was finished every day by 10:30 | | | | Here he was about to hole 84% of the putts, a big |
| am. He thus was at the golf course by 11am each | | | | improvement, but his machine still missed 16% of the |
| day. Pelz was obviously dedicated and motivated | | | | attempts in almost perfect conditions. |
| since he practiced putting 4 hours every day! | | | | Pelz then did experiments with golf balls and |
| At the end of the college golf season that year Pelz | | | | determined that golf ball imperfections can made |
| realized that his stroke average was 0.1 strokes | | | | significant differences, and he also studied the effect |
| higher than the previous year. In other words after all | | | | of the imperfections golfers cause on putting greens |
| that practice and dedication, instead of improving, his | | | | when walking on them. The bottom line is that even |
| scores got worse! In fact Pelz mentions that he has | | | | professionals can't expect to make them all. He |
| often seen young players of twelve to fourteen | | | | presents data which shows that PGA Tour players in |
| years of age who are fabulous putters, but by the | | | | tournament play made on average between 9% and |
| time they are older they are only mediocre. This | | | | 21% of the 15 foot putts they attempted. For 10 |
| underlines an important point that Pelz learned later in | | | | foot putts the numbers increase from about 16% up |
| life about putting: if you are going to practice you | | | | to 31 %. Even on 6 foot putts these pros, the best |
| need to practice intelligently. This means you need to | | | | players in the world, made on average from about |
| get accurate feedback about your stroke, and this in | | | | 45% to 56% of the putts they attempted. So if you |
| turn means you need to know more than whether | | | | think you should hole every six footer you face, your |
| the ball went into the cup or not. The problem here is | | | | expectations are too high. One way to improve that |
| that it is very difficult to see the difference between | | | | performance is to read Pelz' book, "Putt Like the |
| whether a golfer made a good putting stroke or a | | | | Pros", and absorb what he says. His teaching method |
| poor one. | | | | includes making a correct stroke, having the correct |
| Pelz decided upon graduating from college that he | | | | face angle at impact, hitting the ball on the putter |
| could not compete and succeed on the PGA tour. He | | | | "sweet spot", having good touch and distance |
| studied physics, mathematics and related courses, | | | | control, and improving the mental aspects of putting. |
| and he took a job at NASA and became a scientist. | | | | If a golfer addresses these tasks in the proper way, |
| He stayed there for 15 years before taking the dive | | | | that is obtaining proper feedback, he almost certainly |
| into the golf business as a short game consultant, | | | | will improve his putting. |