Observations from Ken Climo/ Barry Schultz 5/5/2011 putting clinic
Just some quick points from yesterday's putting clinic that I want to go over here that could help us all develop as we continue to work on our games. A special thank you goes out to Cloud9 disc golf for hosting this clinic for us all completely free of charge!!! You guys are the best!
1.) Being Athletic
Being in an athletic position at all times, especially during the release of your putt was covered. On hills this will often force us to go to a straddle stance. KC said that on any type of hill, you want to get both your feet as close to being level as possible.
2.) Repetition
The most obvious one, but I'll go over it anyway because of its importance. If you want to improve, you need to work at it. Contrary to what some others may tell you; KC and Barry say that you should be putting 30 minutes a day if you want to improve. I wish you all could have been there to see this. Barry started talking and asked Ken to putt until he was told to stop. KC was 25' out and had 5 putters in hand. In the matter of just a few minutes, I watched him make 90+ out of 100 putts from 25'! It was a calm day, but he is in such good shape, he didn't get tired or winded in the slightest. Go try putting 100 times from 25' and tell me if you can get close to those numbers…I know I can't. Amazing!
3.) Slow to Fast
This one was really cool and new to me. KC talked about our tempo of putting. He said that most guys are real slow and calm as they take their practice pumps, then they go real fast when they actually putt. Don't do this! Instead maintain the same rhythm on your warm ups as you do with your actual putting motion. The key point that jumped out at me was on the actual putt. He said as you swing the arm back that you are drawing the line of the putt. He said that if you want to draw anything well, that you do not go fast…aka… slow down on the backstroke of your putt (swinging it in to your body before you explode out athletically and release the disc).
4.) Targeting
This one I've heard many times before. Do not stare at the basket as a whole, instead pick a link, or a chip of paint on the pole and aim at it. Aim big, miss big…. Aim small, miss small. FYI Climo primarily aims at the pole, Barry picks links. Good stuff.
5.) Trick Shots
This is what Barry said about all the weird trick shots. Turbo putts, low to high lob putts, sidearm putts, etc. He said to spend time working on all this stuff as we are able. You never know when you will be in a situation where that weird trick shot will save you the 1 stroke that wins you the tournament.
They spent an hour and a half with us and when they finished up the clinic they even spent 1 on 1 time with those of us that had questions. I was this close to getting a formal interview with KC but considering he has just spent a good 10 MINUTES WORKING JUST ME on using my hips properly to generate power, I didn't want to monopolize the guy any more. I told him how I had been stuck at a 950 rating but am still trying to break through. I told him how frustrated I was getting at watching everyone bomb past me on the teebox, but how my short game always kept me in it He worked with just me, correcting, making suggestions and gave me some easy things to work on in the field. I'm pretty sure Michael Jordan isn't ever going to teach me how to shoot free throws, much less do it with a smile on his face for free. The champ took time for me! Freaking awesome…
Thank you so much to Barry Schultz and Ken Climo! You guys love the game and are just some awesome regular people to be around. And thanks again to Cloud9 for making yesterday's clinic happen.
Just some quick points from yesterday's putting clinic that I want to go over here that could help us all develop as we continue to work on our games. A special thank you goes out to Cloud9 disc golf for hosting this clinic for us all completely free of charge!!! You guys are the best!
1.) Being Athletic
Being in an athletic position at all times, especially during the release of your putt was covered. On hills this will often force us to go to a straddle stance. KC said that on any type of hill, you want to get both your feet as close to being level as possible.
2.) Repetition
The most obvious one, but I'll go over it anyway because of its importance. If you want to improve, you need to work at it. Contrary to what some others may tell you; KC and Barry say that you should be putting 30 minutes a day if you want to improve. I wish you all could have been there to see this. Barry started talking and asked Ken to putt until he was told to stop. KC was 25' out and had 5 putters in hand. In the matter of just a few minutes, I watched him make 90+ out of 100 putts from 25'! It was a calm day, but he is in such good shape, he didn't get tired or winded in the slightest. Go try putting 100 times from 25' and tell me if you can get close to those numbers…I know I can't. Amazing!
3.) Slow to Fast
This one was really cool and new to me. KC talked about our tempo of putting. He said that most guys are real slow and calm as they take their practice pumps, then they go real fast when they actually putt. Don't do this! Instead maintain the same rhythm on your warm ups as you do with your actual putting motion. The key point that jumped out at me was on the actual putt. He said as you swing the arm back that you are drawing the line of the putt. He said that if you want to draw anything well, that you do not go fast…aka… slow down on the backstroke of your putt (swinging it in to your body before you explode out athletically and release the disc).
4.) Targeting
This one I've heard many times before. Do not stare at the basket as a whole, instead pick a link, or a chip of paint on the pole and aim at it. Aim big, miss big…. Aim small, miss small. FYI Climo primarily aims at the pole, Barry picks links. Good stuff.
5.) Trick Shots
This is what Barry said about all the weird trick shots. Turbo putts, low to high lob putts, sidearm putts, etc. He said to spend time working on all this stuff as we are able. You never know when you will be in a situation where that weird trick shot will save you the 1 stroke that wins you the tournament.
They spent an hour and a half with us and when they finished up the clinic they even spent 1 on 1 time with those of us that had questions. I was this close to getting a formal interview with KC but considering he has just spent a good 10 MINUTES WORKING JUST ME on using my hips properly to generate power, I didn't want to monopolize the guy any more. I told him how I had been stuck at a 950 rating but am still trying to break through. I told him how frustrated I was getting at watching everyone bomb past me on the teebox, but how my short game always kept me in it He worked with just me, correcting, making suggestions and gave me some easy things to work on in the field. I'm pretty sure Michael Jordan isn't ever going to teach me how to shoot free throws, much less do it with a smile on his face for free. The champ took time for me! Freaking awesome…
Thank you so much to Barry Schultz and Ken Climo! You guys love the game and are just some awesome regular people to be around. And thanks again to Cloud9 for making yesterday's clinic happen.
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