Rory's Putting Routine at The Open

NFH

Did anyone else notice that Rory didn't really take any pre-putt strokes to gauge distance. Most of the time, especially on the last day, I noticed he would spend a lot of time working out the line, place the putter behind ball, align body to this without moving putter, and then hit his putt.

I've always done the more common (Tiger putting routine), find the line, align body and putter to line, take two practice stokes to gauge distance, slide putter up to ball, then feet, take a few looks and hit.

Any opinions on not taking practice stokes and just focusing on line?

First Up

NFH wrote: »

Did anyone else notice that Rory didn't really take any pre-putt strokes to gauge distance. Most of the time, especially on the last day, I noticed he would spend a lot of time working out the line, place the putter behind ball, align body to this without moving putter, and then hit his putt.

I've always done the more common (Tiger putting routine), find the line, align body and putter to line, take two practice stokes to gauge distance, slide putter up to ball, then feet, take a few looks and hit.

Any opinions on not taking practice stokes and just focusing on line?

I haven't checked the stats but his putting at Hoylake was the best I've seen from him for a long time, so maybe the routine worked. He has always had more trouble with line than pace so maybe concentrating on that was a help. It may also be that he has a good feel for links greens anyway, so didn't need to worry too much about it.

Not sure if that translates into a guide for the rest of us. Pro's play fast greens all the time, whereas the variation in pace between the courses we play on is huge so we need to work on it - possibly even more than line. We don't encounter greens as tricky as they do very often.

Innish_Rebel

NFH wrote: »

Did anyone else notice that Rory didn't really take any pre-putt strokes to gauge distance. Most of the time, especially on the last day, I noticed he would spend a lot of time working out the line, place the putter behind ball, align body to this without moving putter, and then hit his putt.

I've always done the more common (Tiger putting routine), find the line, align body and putter to line, take two practice stokes to gauge distance, slide putter up to ball, then feet, take a few looks and hit.

Any opinions on not taking practice stokes and just focusing on line?

To the best of my knowledge - Rory has been doing this with quite a while... I can remember seeing this a while back.

It all comes down to personal preferences, there are so many different routines & types of putting strokes...

Golfnut77

That's down to Dave Stockton, I think Rory started working with him after his Masters blow up and the first time I saw him do the no practice putt routine was at Congressional when he walked the US Open.

Stockton prefers players to focus on the hole, I believe that he himself takes a practice stroke while looking at the hole but with Rory they have gone this way, maybe he was thinking too much when doing the practice stroke. Whatever the reason his putting has improved a lot since making the change.

First Up

Golfnut77 wrote: »

That's down to Dave Stockton, I think Rory started working with him after his Masters blow up and the first time I saw him do the no practice putt routine was at Congressional when he walked the US Open.

Stockton prefers players to focus on the hole, I believe that he himself takes a practice stroke while looking at the hole but with Rory they have gone this way, maybe he was thinking too much when doing the practice stroke. Whatever the reason his putting has improved a lot since making the change.

He got help from Stockton a good while back but his putting remained probably the weakest part of his game. The two big wins since May suggest he has worked on something else more recently.

snaphook

Used an Eyeline mirror aid according to today's Examiner. First time I've seen him use it.

Said that one of his trigger words was SPOT during the final round.

Picked a spot on the green on his intended line and focused on making sure that ball rolled over that spot. If it went in it was a bonus.

GreeBo

I dont use a practice swing for any shots at all.

For putting and chipping I find its more of a distraction...what if I make a bad stroke etc?

I have never taken a practice swing when throwing someone a ball or firing something into the bin, dont see golf as any different, especially for feel shots.

WHIP IT!

GreeBo wrote: »

I dont use a practice swing for any shots at all.

For putting and chipping I find its more of a distraction...what if I make a bad stroke etc?

I have never taken a practice swing when throwing someone a ball or firing something into the bin, dont see golf as any different, especially for feel shots.

I'd actually be kinda the opposite. I feel less need to make a practice swing on full shots... but do like to play a few 'feel' practice strokes on putts and chips/pitches....

SnowDrifts

How does taking a practice stroke help you gauge distance?

NFH

snaphook wrote: »

Used an Eyeline mirror aid according to today's Examiner. First time I've seen him use it.

Said that one of his trigger words was SPOT during the final round.

Picked a spot on the green on his intended line and focused on making sure that ball rolled over that spot. If it went in it was a bonus.

Ya that's kind of how I would putt as well, only with two practice swings before. Its interesting to see considering the conventional approach is to take practice strokes and the majority of players usually do. But I can see it's merits especially on shorter putts, I sometimes find that the practice swing you make before settling into the ball makes you lose your line slightly. Sure might give it a go so.

Russman

I don't think Rory has ever used a practice stroke while he's standing at address.
I was at a putting seminar with Karl Morris around 4/5 years ago and he spoke about Rory's routine and the reasons etc, so it's been going on a long time.

FixdePitchmark

snaphook wrote: »

Used an Eyeline mirror aid according to today's Examiner. First time I've seen him use it.

Said that one of his trigger words was SPOT during the final round.

Picked a spot on the green on his intended line and focused on making sure that ball rolled over that spot. If it went in it was a bonus.

Was thinking off getting something like that.

Went into a certain Dublin shop a few months ago to buy one - the lad told me if you need that you have run out of ideas - I went ok. If he is refusing to sell it to me , must be rubbish.

Turn on tv Sunday - Rory out on practice green prior to his open win nailing every 9 footer using the mirror aid.

ForeRight

Russman wrote: »

I don't think Rory has ever used a practice stroke while he's standing at address.
I was at a putting seminar with Karl Morris around 4/5 years ago and he spoke about Rory's routine and the reasons etc, so it's been going on a long time.

You are right. He hasn't use a practice stroke in years.

He addresses the ball and looks at the hole while finding the line with his feet.

Takes two looks at the hole and after look two he hits it.

I read he has a trigger word in his head too for starting the stroke

kiad

SnowDrifts wrote: »

How does taking a practice stroke help you gauge distance?

For me I can usually tell by the speed of the putter if I think I am over/under cooking it. I will practice swing until I get the feel of the speed I need to hit it (rarely any more than 2 swings) and then address the ball and putt.

ForeRight

I can never understand these guys that take a huge practice stroke when the actual stroke is only soft blow from 3 foot

Rikand

I put like rory, straight in behind it and bang.

unfortunately that also means I am just as streaky as rory on the greens. I either putt like God or I'm awful!

PARlance

Rikand wrote: »

I put like rory, straight in behind it and bang.

unfortunately that also means I am just as streaky as rory on the greens. I either putt like God or I'm awful!

I've only seen you putt like God!!!

geeksauce

I have recently stopped taking practice strokes when putting, instead just align the ball to the target I want, align the putter with the ball settle in my stance and make the stroke.

I find it does help me, stops me thinking too much about pace and usually the ball is pretty good for pace it's never 6ft short or long anyway.

GreeBo

kiad wrote: »

For me I can usually tell by the speed of the putter if I think I am over/under cooking it. I will practice swing until I get the feel of the speed I need to hit it (rarely any more than 2 swings) and then address the ball and putt.

I guess the point is how can you get a feel for something that you are not actually doing? Its different if you are hitting practice putts to get a feel (like you do on a practice green before a round) but, imo, empty swings with a putter dont tell you too much about whats going to happen when you actually hit a ball.

If I am hitting out of heavy rough or an uneven stance I might take one to see how the ground/rough affects my balance/strike but that would only be for an abnormal situation.

Keano

When Rory McIlroy first approached Dave Stockton for a putting lesson after a period of mediocre performances on the green, it’s reputed that the former US Ryder Cup captain and double major winner first asked him to sign his name.

The young Irishman looked a little stunned but thought the veteran maybe just wanted his autograph. Not so, because he was then asked to try to reproduce his signature exactly.

Still a little confused McIlroy carefully tried to trace the lines as closely as possible. He struggled when he had to think about.

“Think of your putting stroke as natural as signing your name,” Stockton told him, that’s what it should feel like – take the mechanics out of it.”



Read more: http://www.golfmagic.com/tips-putting/how-stockton-cured-rorys-putting/11202.html#ixzz38HKiQUgS

Russman

GreeBo wrote: »

I guess the point is how can you get a feel for something that you are not actually doing?

Maybe a visual feel then. Feel isn't something you can't measure, lots of guys take a practice putting stroke while looking at the hole because they feel it helps them with pace.

SnowDrifts

That's a great little article Keano... I'd say there would be so many golfers who would benfit from that advice and get rid of these bullsh*t pre-shot routines you see out on the course every Sunday.

Another snippet...

Stockton also advised him to dispatch to the dustbin, his pre-shot routine he’d developed since a boy prodigy.

As Stockton reveals in his superb instruction book Unconscious Putting: “Once you see the line the key to making the ball go where you intend is to stop cluttering your pre-putt routine with steps that at best don’t do anything to help you roll the ball on line and at worst actively hurt your chances to do it.”

NFH

Keano A Legend wrote: »

http://www.golfmagic.com/tips-putting/how-stockton-cured-rorys-putting/11202.html#ixzz38HKiQUgS

Interesting article, might be worth reading some of his stuff, cheers.

SnowDrifts wrote: »

That's a great little article Keano... I'd say there would be so many golfers who would benfit from that advice and get rid of these bullsh*t pre-shot routines you see out on the course every Sunday.

Another snippet...

There might be, but you can't say pre-shot routines are bulls**t! I think Jack and Tiger would have thing or two to say about that.

TheDoc

GreeBo wrote: »

I dont use a practice swing for any shots at all.

For putting and chipping I find its more of a distraction...what if I make a bad stroke etc?

I have never taken a practice swing when throwing someone a ball or firing something into the bin, dont see golf as any different, especially for feel shots.

I don't take a practice shot persay, I kinda just make a really loose swing to just, get loose I guess.

I have however been trying to focus more on direction and setup with my putting and chipping, and stopping practice swings. My putting is in the horrors at the moment, so I'm getting less confident taking practice strokes, wathcing my putter head go off line

SnowDrifts

NFH wrote: »

There might be, but you can't say pre-shot routines are bulls**t! I think Jack and Tiger would have thing or two to say about that.

I can indeed say it and think it. It's called having an opinion.

alxmorgan

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I can indeed say it and think it. It's called having an opinion.

Why don't we ask Parlance about putting pre-shot routines ?

NFH

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I can indeed say it and think it. It's called having an opinion.

Haha, calm down! You can say that a pre shot routine does not work for you. But you actually can't say that a pre shot routine is bulls**t, that's just nonsense. All of the best players to play the game used a pre shot routine. Imagine walking up to Jack and Tiger and saying "lads.... you're doing it all wrong".

SnowDrifts

NFH wrote: »

Haha, calm down! You can say that a pre shot routine does not work for you. But you actually can't say that a pre shot routine is bulls**t, that's just nonsense. All of the best players to play the game used a pre shot routine. Imagine walking up to Jack and Tiger and saying "lads.... you're doing it all wrong".

Perfectly calm.. just have a differing opinion to your own. When you say you take two practice strokes to gauge distance... well.. lets just say, I'm on the side of Mr Stockton in thinking that's about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

NFH

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Perfectly calm.. just have a differing opinion to your own. When you say you take two practice strokes to gauge distance... well.. lets just say, I'm on the side of Mr Stockton in thinking that's about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

Hilarious! My point is that discrediting or disregarding the use of a practice stroke as you are doing is just stupid considering how effective it has been for the vast majority of the greatest players throughout the history of the game. Even though Stocktons method is not what I use, I still see its merits and would not trash it simply because I prefer another method. Shame on me for even taking the bait :rolleyes:

GreeBo

NFH wrote: »

Hilarious! My point is that discrediting or disregarding the use of a practice stroke as you are doing is just stupid considering how effective it has been for the vast majority of the greatest players throughout the history of the game. Even though Stocktons method is not what I use, I still see its merits and would not trash it simply because I prefer another method. Shame on me for even taking the bait :rolleyes:

How are you measuring the effectiveness of the practice routine for those players?
If every great putter also scratched their left ear before taking a putt, would you think its a vital piece of good putting?

NFH

GreeBo wrote: »

How are you measuring the effectiveness of the practice routine for those players?
If every great putter also scratched their left ear before taking a putt, would you think its a vital piece of good putting?

WacoKid

For me if I know the pace I don't practice swing as doing so gives you the opportunity to talk yourself out of it! For long putts (> 25ft) i practice swing to get a feel the distance.

You could say that any regulatr golf should know the pace from inside 20ft, unless its a sidewinder, and thus practice swings are questionable if they offer anything.

As for 6 ft and in its just put the club behind the ball and pul the trigger on that line. No time to talk yourself into missing.

Johnny_Fontane

so going out saturday morning just walking up to putts and pouring them in without a practice swing.

have been putting well recently too, what could go wrong :P

Whyner

GreeBo wrote: »

How are you measuring the effectiveness of the practice routine for those players?
If every great putter also scratched their left ear before taking a putt, would you think its a vital piece of good putting?

Do too big a stroke = the ball will go by the hole
Too short a stroke = ball will come up short
Feel for something in between

I don't do a practice stroke either but discrediting it is hilarious. Just agree it doesn't work for you

TheDoc

GreeBo wrote: »

How are you measuring the effectiveness of the practice routine for those players?
If every great putter also scratched their left ear before taking a putt, would you think its a vital piece of good putting?

Well, actually, a lot of great players in sport, including golf, do whats called muscle memory.

If they hit a good shot, they will make a unique body gesture, to trigger a response in their brain that registers "This is a good shot". The idea behind it is making your brain remember the pattern by which you performed the action, to repeat it again in the future.

Tiger was infamous for after a good shot, double tapping his right toe in the finish posture. Plenty of other players have other little things. And it happens across a number of sports.

It;s where the pre-shot routine came out off. Getting into a pattern that promotes muscle memory, for your brain to recall what needs to happen.

So there is just as good an argument for having a pre-shot routine, and arugeably a stronger one, then not having one. Personally I'm moving away from it on my chipping and putting as a confidence thing. I'm seeing a bad stroke and it shoots my confidence.

But if I was in good form, I don't honestly think I can say I wouldn't deploy a pre-shot routine.

GreeBo

NFH wrote: »

I'll take that as you admitting your point was baloney so.

Whyner wrote: »

Do too big a stroke = the ball will go by the hole
Too short a stroke = ball will come up short
Feel for something in between

I don't do a practice stroke either but discrediting it is hilarious. Just agree it doesn't work for you

But without hitting a ball and seeing the results you cant say where the ball will go.
You can take a huge stroke but decelerate or a short one an accelerate and get totally different results.
If arguably the best putting instructor in the game discredits it its good enough for me.

TheDoc wrote: »

Well, actually, a lot of great players in sport, including golf, do whats called muscle memory.

If they hit a good shot, they will make a unique body gesture, to trigger a response in their brain that registers "This is a good shot". The idea behind it is making your brain remember the pattern by which you performed the action, to repeat it again in the future.

Tiger was infamous for after a good shot, double tapping his right toe in the finish posture. Plenty of other players have other little things. And it happens across a number of sports.

It;s where the pre-shot routine came out off. Getting into a pattern that promotes muscle memory, for your brain to recall what needs to happen.

So there is just as good an argument for having a pre-shot routine, and arugeably a stronger one, then not having one. Personally I'm moving away from it on my chipping and putting as a confidence thing. I'm seeing a bad stroke and it shoots my confidence.

But if I was in good form, I don't honestly think I can say I wouldn't deploy a pre-shot routine.

The big point your argument misses/avoids is that a practice swing does nothing for muscle memory. There is no result to good shot that you want to remember or reinforce. Taking thousands of practice putts will promote motor learning, swinging a putter at thin air will make you an excellent air putter.

TheDoc

GreeBo wrote: »

The big point your argument misses/avoids is that a practice swing does nothing for muscle memory. There is no result to good shot that you want to remember or reinforce. Taking thousands of practice putts will promote motor learning, swinging a putter at thin air will make you an excellent air putter.

Yes I take your point about the actual swing during a pre-shot routine. I don't think I've ever really done a practice swing, as in trying to copy an actual swing. I just make little swings to keep loose, and around approach shots just get a feel for the distance I want to swing the club back to. But it never "looks" like a real shot if you know what I mean.

PARlance

alxmorgan wrote: »

Why don't we ask Parlance about putting pre-shot routines ?

Oh Camillio how I miss you.
I was showing someone his routine lately and I had to look around to make sure no one else was looking. The mortification. Ah that young lad was doing it (18*3putts) 54 times a round.

I've changed my own routine myself of late, anything within 4 feet is just walk up and sink it before I can even begin to think. Working well and not missing half as much short ones.

For anything outside of that it's 50/50 weather I "loosen" up before a putt.
I wouldn't call them practice swings as such. I may just get a feel for how much I'm going to bring the club back as I'm looking at the line... I've never practiced a putting stroke right beside the ball.

PARlance

TheDoc wrote: »

Yes I take your point about the actual swing during a pre-shot routine. I don't think I've ever really done a practice swing, as in trying to copy an actual swing. I just make little swings to keep loose, and around approach shots just get a feel for the distance I want to swing the club back to. But it never "looks" like a real shot if you know what I mean.

I do anyway, that's exactly what I do some of the time... No rhyme or reason to it other than on some longer putts I may feel the need to loosen up, it prob gives me a little bit extra confidence.
The putter head could be a foot off the ground, I'm just trying to get a feel for how far I'll be taking it back.