Putting with Brad Faxon

[treeleaf20]

Saw this video tonight and it’s incredible. Could really help some people with their putting. Just wanted to share. 

https://youtu.be/qp6k5d8FJOA

 

[cksurfdude]

Gonna watch it later - FYI other readers: it's 40 minutes...

..but also wanted to mention I have the Blast Motion golf trainer and in the companion app are included video tips from Brad Faxon, which I've found to be really interesting and really really helpful!

[cksurfdude]

Wow! A few minutes in and learned more about something we all kinda "know" but according to Brad...

Say you're on a green with a constant 2% slope and stimp of 11 and then take two straight putts...

1. Uphill - relative speed becomes like an 8 stimp green;

2. Downhill - yes faster but more like a 19 stimp!

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I'm glad you summarized a bit. Saw it was RS and just have a rough time with him. 

Maybe I'll listen to it like a pod vs watching it. 

[TR1PTIK]

8 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

Wow! A few minutes in and learned more about something we all kinda "know" but according to Brad...

Say you're on a green with a constant 2% slope and stimp of 11 and then take two straight putts...

1. Uphill - relative speed becomes like an 8 stimp green;

2. Downhill - yes faster but more like a 19 stimp!

 

That was probably the biggest eye-opener for me but at the same time is kind of meaningless because I don't think I'll ever be able to tell with my eyeballs how much slope I'm looking at lol.

[treeleaf20]

12 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

That was probably the biggest eye-opener for me but at the same time is kind of meaningless because I don't think I'll ever be able to tell with my eyeballs how much slope I'm looking at lol.

Stay below the hole

[cksurfdude]

A few Brad-isms from the vid lesson...

.. more pros, than not, are using a line on the ball;

.. square putter face at setup is one of the most overrated aspects of putting .. what matters is at impact;

.. he's a big fan of practicing while looking at the hole (ignoring mechanics, not looking at the putter head nor fixated on the ball);

.. your actual stroke must replicate your rehearsal strokes;

.. let the putter head flow through ball - "gain control by giving up control", Dr. Bob Rotella;

.. rhythm and flow starts in your setup - his is very brief but absolutely consistent;

.. practice drill: find a straight, flat putt - place a dime two feet away and an alignment stick another two feet past the dime (so four foot putt) and roll balls over the dime and stopping at the stick;

.. arms should be soft ("like rubber") so you can feel the weight of the putter head;

.. putter DOES travel on an arc .. NOT straight back straight through .. the putter face should stay square to the arc of the swing, and not stay square to the target line (called it "toe flow").

Generally - try to loosen up and have fun!

--

Fun fact: Brad is still using the same custom Scotty he got 25+ years ago!

===================

 

24 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

That was probably the biggest eye-opener for me but at the same time is kind of meaningless because I don't think I'll ever be able to tell with my eyeballs how much slope I'm looking at lol.

AimPoint has *really* helped me on the greens! Maybe give it a look..?

[GolfSpy_APH]

2 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

A few Brad-isms from the vid lesson...

.. more pros, than not, are using a line on the ball;

.. square putter face at setup is one of the most overrated aspects of putting .. what matters is at impact;

.. he's a big fan of practicing while looking at the hole (ignoring mechanics, not looking at the putter head nor fixated on the ball);

.. your actual stroke must replicate your rehearsal strokes;

.. let the putter head flow through ball - "gain control by giving up control", Dr. Bob Rotella;

.. rhythm and flow starts in your setup - his is very brief but absolutely consistent;

.. practice drill: find a straight, delay putt - place a dime two feet away and an alignment stick another two feet past the dime (so four foot putt) and roll balls over the dime and stopping at the stick;

.. arms should be soft ("like rubber") so you can feel the weight of the putter head;

.. putter DOES travel on an arc .. NOT straight back straight through .. the putter face should stay square to the arc of the swing, and not stay square to the target line (called it "toe flow").

Generally - try to loosen up and have fun!

--

Fun fact: Brad is still using the same custom Scotty he got 25+ years ago!

AimPoint has *really* helped me on the greens! Maybe give it a look..?

Thank you! Saves me 40 minutes and confirms lots of my own thoughts on putting. 

[cnosil]

40 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I'm glad you summarized a bit. Saw it was RS and just have a rough time with him. 

Maybe I'll listen to it like a pod vs watching it. 

Not a huge RS fan myself, but the video is worth a watch even with the summary @cksurfdude posted since some of teh things they talk about are best seen and not just heard.    Brad talks more that RS.  

[TR1PTIK]

28 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

AimPoint has *really* helped me on the greens! Maybe give it a look..?

It's not that I have a difficult time reading greens, but I couldn't tell you what a 2% slope looks like or even what it means outside of what was said in the video. I am very much a "feel" player and instinctively adjust to slope. If I were playing competitively at a high level then perhaps I would consider learning some sort of system to help me with green reading, but I don't think the investment would gain me much as a recreational player - certainly not at my current handicap.

[LICC]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I'm glad you summarized a bit. Saw it was RS and just have a rough time with him. 

Maybe I'll listen to it like a pod vs watching it. 

The video was excellent because of Faxon. I felt like I got a $1,000 putting lesson.

Shiels makes some annoying comments throughout but it was minor. Faxon was brilliant.