A letter from a reader…

Below is an email I received from a reader of my newsletter. You can read my response below. Thought you might find it interesting.

Email subject: Doubts

Cameron,

Having watched over the past 24 hours, the Buick International and the Qatar Masters, there are doubts that your method is really the answer. Tiger Woods showed again why he is number 1 with a putting display in the 3^rd round (and previous rounds) that was truly superb. Aaron’s play from tee to green was excellent and he gave himself numerous chances within 20 feet but in almost all cases failed to convert. In the Qatar Masters, I watched an unforgettable duel between Scott and Stenson where Scott hit 18 greens in regulation and achieved 11 one putts. He was almost matched by Stenson’s play. Whilst Scott is a good putter he is not a great putter but his display in the final round was remarkable. I would say that all the key players, in both these tournaments, do not apply your method and all would have as part of their routine a couple of practice putts before making their putt. Everything you read says that putting is individual and the recent viewing of golf tournaments only reinforces this fact. I’m not convinced that Aaron would be as good as he is without his excellent long and short iron play rather than his putting.

My response:

Thanks for your email.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make but I’ll do my best to respond to your email.

My first question is have you read all of my material? If there’s one thing that I hit home is that you must be individual…Play Golf Your Way is the name of my best selling book! I also recommend a holistic approach. I don’t believe in quick fixes or a ONE method or trick to solve your problems. If you want to be the best player you can be you must have a sound putting game (short game) and long game. It’s for this reason that I’ve studied the golf swing scientifically. I then give golfers a method of applying that information so they can take it to the golf course. It’s a complete learning system.

I have just moved house and don’t have Foxtel so I haven’t viewed the latest golf coverage but will make these points/comments;

TW is unbelievable…nothing new there. He is perhaps the most automatic sportsman on the planet. Although Federer is not all bad.

AB has become one of the best putters ever, not because of those misses this week, but because he’ll keep doing the same thing week after week. Next week, or sometime soon, he’ll make more than his fair share and win or be in contention. Also, his ball striking has improved and has allowed him to take advantage of his awesome putting game. A few years ago his ball striking was so bad that he nearly walked away from the game.

I agree that AS is not a great putter. I would contend that this week he got lucky and had a good week. This is part of the game, just like having the odd poor round is. But unless he has managed to change his attitude with putting, some point this year he’ll revert back to what has been normal for him…average.

I believe practice putts are unnecessary for the most part, but I don’t discount them entirely. TW has used a practice putt since he has been playing golf…it is part of his routine. Same with AB and HS…they use a practice stroke as part of their routine but I don’t think it really makes that big a difference. You don’t see tennis players practice their serve, and for the most part most other sports don’t require a rehearsal prior to execution.

I would make the point that those golfers performed exactly how I recommend…they played automatically and kept doing it while in contention. This is the part that makes the difference. TW is the best at it. He never changes his approach and is able to contend most weeks. Playing on auto pilot is the only way to perform to your peak, especially under pressure. If you don’t learn how to do it you’ll never play your best golf.

And finally, I’m not sure you understand what I do in its entirety, but I have helped and received hundreds of testimonials from golfers all around the world. By encouraging golfers to forget about swing mechanics and worrying about other things, I get them to play to their best by helping them find their natural swing…I then show them how to take that swing to the golf course. Just recently I helped a golfer from Melbourne realise his dream of playing a St. Andrews. His handicap was stuck on 25 (for three years) two lessons later he has lowered it to 21. He can now book his game at the Old Course which has a handicap limit of 22.

Thanks again for your email, I enjoy getting all sorts of feedback.

Good golfing,

Cameron Strachan