Game Improvement with the NTPGA
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Rock Star Lag Putting
By Lance Patterson, Special to Lone Star Golf
Becoming a rock star at lag putting is easy once you know the right way to practice this skill.
Skill development is the key to becoming a great golfer, and this particular skill might be one of the most overlooked parts of the game. I’m not sure the last time I had a student walk in and say, “Hey Coach, let’s go work on my lag putting.” That just doesn’t happen, but it should!
In my academies, it’s one of the first skills we teach, because I know it’s a great way to lower your score. It also greatly reduces those dreaded three-putts.
There are two important keys to lag putting. Let’s talk about the first one: rhythm. Rhythm is defined as a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. In your putting, you should have the same rhythm on every stroke, no matter the length of the putt.
How do we develop this repeatable rhythm? The answer is the phrase, “One thousand, one.” Say it out loud: “One thousand, one.” Pretty simple, right?
The “one thousand” part represents the backswing of the putt, and “one” represents impact. The cadence of the “one thousand, one” is the same for a 3-footer as it is for a 30-footer. The distance doesn’t change your cadence. The length of the swing will adjust based on the distance you’re hitting the putt, but not your rhythm.
Here’s a great drill to sync up your rhythm. Get four golf balls and two tees. Put a tee in the ground 3 feet away from you and another one 30 feet away from you. From your starting spot, hit a ball at the 3-foot tee saying out loud, “One thousand, one,” and then immediately hit another ball to the 30-foot tee saying out loud, “One thousand, one.”
The cadence with which you said “One thousand, one” should be exactly the same for both putts. When you hit three out of four balls within 3 feet of the 30-foot tee, you have completed this drill.
The second key to lag putting is creating a mental picture of your target. Your brain needs to be able to self-select the length of swing to be able to hit a putt the proper distance. If I’m throwing a ball to someone, my brain, because I’m looking at my target, immediately selects the proper amount of energy to use to throw the ball to the other person.
In golf, we aren’t looking at our target when we make the actual stroke, so we have to give our brain a target image in order to allow it to self-select. I like to take a few practice swings looking at my target and allow my brain to feel what it needs to do. While I’m doing this, I’ll intensely focus on the cup to create a strong mental picture of the hole.
When I look back at the ball, in my minds-eye, I keep that picture of the hole as my visual and then hit my putt. Your brain can hold on to a feel for about nine seconds, so after my practice swings, I get into my putt and take two quick looks, therefore reinforcing my mental picture and then make my stroke.
Here’s a drill to help your brain self-select better. Stand in the middle of a practice green and hit a ball to the fringe, trying to get the ball as close to the fringe as possible without going over.
Once you have a good feel for this, do it with your eyes closed. Create a strong mental picture, close your eyes and hit the putt. Before you open your eyes, tell yourself whether the putt is short, long or perfect and check out your results. This drill forces your brain to really work hard to create a strong mental picture, which is what we want.
Now get out there and dominate the greens and watch those scores drop.
Lance Patterson is the PGA Director of Golf at the Dallas Athletic Club, site of this summer’s 110th Texas Amateur Championship. Lance has been awarded numerous NTPGA Section Awards, including the 2007 NTPGA Horton Smith Award, the 2008 NTPGA Teacher of the Year Award and the 2012 NTPGA Merchandiser of the Year Award. He has taught players on every tour in the world and enjoys working with all levels of golfers. 
Member Club Spotlight
Northgate Country Club
The country clubs of yesteryear were, for the most part, very starchy places. Reams of written rules and regulations, plus dozens of secretive, unwritten policies. Dark, wood-paneled rooms and hallways with dim, recessed lighting. Staid members having hushed conversations over double martinis. Visitors might rightly feel that if anyone so much as chuckled they would be quickly escorted from the premises.
That was then. The Northgate Country Club model is now. In the ever-evolving private club scene, the old school, stodgy approach is becoming as outdated as persimmon-wood drivers.
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The leaders at Northgate, located in north Houston, know the long-term success of their club rests on their ability to build strong member relationships. The best way to do that, they reasoned, was to make sure everyone – and that means everyone – was having fun.
With wide-ranging amenities and an attentive staff, Northgate is a welcoming place where the convivial membership can let the good times roll. In addition to the state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis facility and swimming complex, the club has introduced many innovative events designed to engage all age groups. Some of those include Theme Bingo Nights, Friday Night Live, Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, Fried Chicken Family Buffet and Kids Night that features fun activities ranging from Mad Scientist Night to visits from Olaf, Orbit and the Houston Astros.
As the club’s most popular feature, it was especially important that players had a good time on the golf course, too.
“Having fun playing golf is a key component of getting members and guests to keep coming back,” said Jeremy Ice, Head Golf Professional at Northgate Country Club. “People play sports or do hobbies because it gives them something fun to do. If it is not fun for someone, they will not play.”
Opened in 1984, the 18-hole course at Northgate was designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge. Visually stunning and immaculately conditioned, the beautiful layout delights and challenges players of all ages and skill levels. The club has a very active Men’s, Women’s and Senior Golf Association that conducts competitive tournaments throughout the year. For those not wanting to grind over three-footers, Ice pointed out that as well as everyday recreational golf, there are plenty of social golfing events with relaxing formats like Family Fun Golf, Twilight Golf and Couples Golf.
The club’s “Fast Five” loop is another popular addition that keeps golfers coming back for more. The Fast Five is a short course with multiple sets of tees and both standard and oversized, 8-inch cups on the greens. It’s perfect for beginners, juniors or those who are pressed for time but still want to get in a few holes.
“We created the Fast Five course so everyone has a place where they can feel comfortable and have a good time, particularly those who are just learning the game or those who right now might find the big course too intimidating,” Ice said.
Northgate loves to share in the good times, too. The club has been one of the biggest supporters of the TGA’s Fun Golf Initiative, and has hosted several Play Day and Women’s One-Day Series events in the past few years.
“We really enjoy hosting these events,” said Ice. “Getting TGA Members and their friends out to Northgate gives people a chance to enjoy our course while playing in a fun format.”
If you’ve never signed up for a Play Day at Northgate, or are eager to get back for another one, we’ve got good news. The club will host an upcoming TGA Play Day on July 20.
The event is open to all TGA Members and their friends. Tee times start at 1:30 p.m. and the format is individual stroke play with Gross and Net divisions. Entering the competition is optional, for those that would just rather play and not worry about their score. The cost is $70 for TGA Members ($80 for non-members) and includes green fee, cart fee, range balls, food and tee gift.
For more information about the TGA Play Day at Northgate on July 20, click here.
