It is amazing what you will discover when you wake up at 4 am thinking about applying TGM principles to putting, yet keeping your mind focused on target. I was thinking about this because in another thread John Riegger had asked about how others applied TGM to their putting and most replies refered to 3-F-5. As important as that is, it isn't and imperative. The FLW is though, and I realized that I achieved that by consciously focusing on it. In other words I introduced tension and mental clutter into my putting. My putting average is between 31 and 32 strokes, which is OK for a 7.5 hcp, but I do have a lot of "close calls" from between 6 and 10 feet, a range I encounter 5 to 8 times in a round (great approaches and lousy chips). Maybe I make one or two of those, but what if I could make 4 to 7 instead? That would instantly shave 3 to 5 strokes in one round. I'd go from barely breaking 80 to shooting around 75, and maybe even lower as a result of boosted confidence.
So, to me the trick was how to apply the FLW without introducing tension in my putting stroke. If I can accomplish this, then the mind need not be concerned about technique at all. It can be totally in the present foused entirely on enjoying the process of making a putt and not worrying about how to make it. This is what I did, laying in bed. I put my left arm in "putting position" realixing it completely but with a FLW. The take your right index finger and poke gently on different points in your palm under your pinkie, ring finger or index finger and thumb. Notice how you instantly achieve Lef Wrist Break Down (LWBD). Now trace your right index finger down along your left middle finger into the palm about a third of an inch, you will first feel a little bump followed by a valley connected to a line running parrallel with your life line. Now poke that point. Notice how there is no LWBD? Instead you get a sensation up along your outer side of the under arm and on the inside just below the elbow. That place you poked is known as the capitate joint and by asserting a little pressure on it you greatly enhance your ability to maintain the FLW throughout the putting stroke.
Alas, you need to make sure that the center of your left hand grip is placed in the capitate joint.
The next step is to find the pressure points for a RWH. Basically do the same thing but this time poke with your left finger around the base joints of your right hand. When you do this you'll notice that even when you poke below the right middle finger the right wrist will hinge. In other words, in your right hand grip you want to avoid having any pressure on the capitate joint.
Build your grip around these principles and you will be able to apply TGM to your putting, without having to consciously focusing your mind on it. I can't wait to try it out later today.
Right Wrist Hinge, but I suppose the correct term should be RWB, Right Wrist Bend, it is based on 4-1 and 4-2. I'm combining this with Power Accumulator #1 (6-B-1-0) for some amazing directional control. I'l be the first to admit that distance control is still lacking, but that is mainly because this feels very strange compared to my earlier, and more "orthodox" putting stroke. With shorter putts (10 feet and in) where distance control is less important I'm nailing them like an 8-year old. Absolutely no fear.
This has been going so good that I'm attempting something similar with my chipping.
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