Putting
Eagle Vision for Putting
Focus on a Quiet Head: Instead of just steadying your hands, consciously keep your head completely still and quiet during the stroke. Visualize your eyes as anchors—any movement can misalign your aim.
Use Your Opposite Hand for Feedback: During practice sessions, try putting with only your non-dominant hand occasionally. This helps develop a more natural, stable stroke and gives you instant feedback on your muscle memory.
Create a Personal "Sweet Spot" Drill: Mark a tiny spot on your putter face where you aim to strike the ball. Practice hitting that spot consistently to improve contact and roll.
Visualization with a Twist: Before you putt, close your eyes and imagine the perfect roll, then open your eyes and try to replicate that feeling by aligning your stroke accordingly. This mental connection can enhance your touch.
Target Size Exercise: Instead of focusing solely on the hole, pick a specific spot just behind or in front of the hole as a target (like a leaf or a blade of grass). Aiming at a smaller, specific target increases your precision.
1. Gate Drill
- Purpose: Improve stroke path and stability.
- How to do it: Place two tees slightly wider than your putter face on either side of the ball, creating a "gate." Practice stroking the ball through the gate without hitting the tees. Focus on a smooth, straight stroke.
2. Distance Control Ladder
- Purpose: Master control over different distances.
- How to do it: Place balls at increasing distances from the hole—say 2, 4, 6, 8 feet. Try to get each ball to stop just short of or just past the hole, then gently readjust for precision. Record your success rate and work on consistency.
3. One-Point Focus
- Purpose: Enhance visual alignment and focus.
- How to do it: Pick a small spot a few inches in front of the ball (like a mark or leaf). When you putt, aim to make contact with this mark first, then let the ball roll over it. This sharpens your focus on the initial contact point.
4. Roll and Watch
- Purpose: Develop a better feel for roll and speed.
- How to do it: Putt a ball on a flat surface or green, and watch how it rolls. Then practice changing your stroke length and speed to produce a consistent roll over different distances. Record what works best for each distance.
5. Mirror or Glass Reflection Practice
- Purpose: Improve stroke path and symmetry.
- How to do it: Place a small mirror, window, or glass on your putting line while practicing. Watch your stroke in the reflection to ensure your putter follows a straight line and that your eyes stay level.
Ready to Make a Change?
Short Game
Eagle Vision for Short Game
1. The Loft & Lie Mindfulness Check
Tip: Before every wedge shot, consciously assess the loft and lie angles of your club to match the shot you want. Visualize the trajectory, then adjust your stance and swing to suit that loft.
Drill:
- Take your wedge and set it on a flat surface.
- Practice hitting the ball with the club’s sole flat on the ground, then tilt the club to slightly open or close the face.
- Switch angles and notice how the club’s position affects the shot.
- Use this to understand how your adjustments influence flight and distance, creating a mental “mood board” for different wedge shots.
2. Targeted Spin Control
Tip: Instead of just trying to hit the ball high or low, intentionally practice with small, subtle adjustments to your hand and wrist action to control spin.
Drill:
- Place a small towel or Tee behind the ball (about 1-2 inches).
- Practice hitting the ball without touching the towel/Tee, focusing on crisp contact.
- Then, deliberately create slight open or closed face positions to produce more or less spin, observing how that changes the shot height and roll.
- Use this feedback to develop feel—aim to produce consistent spin and distance with minimal adjustments.
3. One-Position Setup Simple-Reset
Tip: Always set up with a consistent, pre-memorized stance. Make this a “mini-routine” drill:
- Pick one stance position (feet, knees, arms) and fix it. Before each shot, reset to that same setup with a single, deliberate motion.
- This minimizes on-the-fly adjustments, maximizing repeatability and confidence.
Drill:
- Use a mirror or a wall to check your setup.
- Place a small marker at your position and practice resetting your stance for each shot, focusing on muscle memory.
4. Landing Zone Pattern Practice
Tip: Instead of just focusing on distance, visualize the landing area for your wedge shots. Think of a “landing zone” rather than just the hole.
Drill:
- Mark multiple target landing zones on the practice green with small flags or cones, each representing different distances and heights.
- Hit shots aiming specifically for each zone, adjusting your swing length and angle accordingly.
- Over time, this trains your brain to judge the necessary trajectory and spin for each shot.
5. Wedge Control with a “Swing Arc” Indicator
Tip: Enhance consistency by practicing with a visual “arc” cue: a small stick, alignment rod, or even a piece of string laid along your swing path.
Drill:
- Lay the cue along your intended swing path, from takeaway through finish.
- Practice making short, controlled swings following the arc, focusing on keeping the club on the same path.
- Begin with wedges of different lengths and faces to see how your swing arc influences shot shape.
Ready to Make a Change?
Full Swing
Grip it and rip it! ... Eagle vision. 🦅
Objective: Develop explosive, efficient swing mechanics that emphasize maximum clubhead speed and power, using targeted drills that foster speed without sacrificing control or timing.
Materials Needed:
- A lightweight training shaft or speed training device (like a weighted or overspeed stick).
- Tracking device (optional but helpful) to measure swing speed.
- A tee or ball to practice on.
- Space of at least 50-100 yards for full swings.
Step-by-Step Breakdown:
1. Establish Your "Speed Zone" Baseline
- Purpose: Know your current maximum swing speed.
- How: Use a launch monitor or speed radar at the start of your session. Hit 10 full swings with your driver, record your top speed, and note your average.
2. Implement Overspeed Training with a Lightweight or Overspeed Stick
- Purpose: Teach your muscles to accelerate faster than normal.
- How:
- Use a lightweight or weighted training shaft (or an overspeed training device).
- Take normal swings focusing on a smooth, controlled motion.
- Then, perform overspeed swings: swing the club as fast as you can, emphasizing quick acceleration through impact.
- Complete 10-15 swings, ensuring you maintain good mechanics.
Tip: Focus on a relaxed, tension-free movement. The goal is to teach your muscles to accelerate naturally when relaxed.
3. The "Swing Arc Speed Focus" Drill
- Purpose: Maximize the length and speed of your swing arc.
- How:
- Use a segmented practice, starting with smaller swings and gradually increasing to full, aggressive swings.
- Imagine swinging through a larger circle, feeling a wide, free-flowing movement.
- Use a mirror or video to check that your swing stays on-plane and your sequencing is fluid.
4. "Power Release Timing" Drill
- Purpose: Optimize your sequencing for maximum speed and explosive release.
- How:
- Take slow-motion swings, focusing on the sequence: hips initiate, then shoulders, then arms, then club.
- Accelerate the cadence of this sequence in a rhythmic, explosive manner.
- Do 10-15 fast, controlled swings emphasizing a powerful release through the ball.
5. Maximum Effort Swing with a "Step Through" Technique
- Purpose: Training your body to generate explosive energy while maintaining control.
- How:
- Use a "step-through" drill:
- Start with your front foot slightly closed, then shift weight to the rear.
- As you swing, aggressively step into the shot with your lead foot, transferring energy into the swing.
- This emphasizes ground-force reaction and full-body power transfer, fundamental for long drive success.
6. Post-Session Speed & Mechanics Reflection
- Purpose: Track your progress and refine your mechanics.
- How:
- Record your swing speeds regularly, compare, and identify which drills produce the most gains.
- Use slow-motion video to analyze swing mechanics—looking for early hip rotation, a wide swing arc, and smooth sequencing.
Additional Tips from a Long Drive Perspective:
- Relaxation is Key: Tension kills speed. Practice relaxing your grip and arms before and during each swing.
- Ground Force: Focus on simulating the ground reaction forces—feel like you’re “throwing” the club head out with your legs and hips, not just swinging with your arms.
- Repetition & Variety: Do multiple sets of speed drills, varying your swings from relaxed to maximum effort to build muscle memory and power endurance.
- Mental Focus: Visualize swinging with the speed and power of a world-long drive athlete. Imagine the club traveling faster than you thought possible.