This week we have a really cool playing lesson with Dr Luke Benoit at the #1 course in MN Interlachen CC.
​
One concept I think it really interesting I want to break down below. But make sure to watch the whole thing!

​

In this issue:

• The dream house rule for swing changes
• The putting research that even the researchers thought would fail
• 24% closer from long range with 45 minutes of practice
• A new favorite course I didn't know existed

SPONSORED CONTENT How good are your wedges? Distance control with your wedges is everything. But most of us don't practice them well. The Stack wedge practice is perfect. Affordable launch monitor that's accurate and easy to keep in your bag. Their summer seasonal circuit is open now. I just went through my first attempt and ummmm..... Lets see if you can beat me (I bet you can). 👉 Get started with Stack Wedging​

Luke says "no swing thoughts"

Luke's analogy for working on technique and playing golf should create freedom.

It's the idea of the dream house. The one you're building and what you have today.

• You don't move in before the roof's on...
• Same with a swing change. Build it in practice. Don't play it until it's at least as good as your old pattern.
• Luke's point is that if you take the new swing to the course while you're building it, you'll shoot 100 and decide your coach is an idiot.
• Give it three months instead and build your golf swing at home.
• Play golf with your old swing before you move into your "dream house"

​

​Follow along with Dr Luke Benoit here​

​
👀The Research on Heads Up Putting

Luke brought up Dr Bob Christina in this week's video so I went and read all the actual research on heads up putting.

Some good research that's really actionable.

They thought the original study wasn't going to work before they did it.

• They tested 40 experienced golfers back in 2002.
• Gave them 45 minutes of practice looking at the hole, then measured everything.
• Lag putts from 28 to 38 feet finished significantly closer to the hole.(24 percent closer)
• They also noticed the golfers kept their heads steadier and stopped decelerating into the ball.

​NY TIMES article from 2010 going through it all. ​

​
Dr Sasho MacKenzie backed it up twice with additional studies.

• ​2011: 31 golfers, four weeks of practice, 1,240 strokes tracked on a TOMI. Practicing heads up cut putter speed variability.
• And the strike didn't fall apart. No real change in face angle, path, or where they hit it on the face.
  • You would assume that the you would lose the ability to strike the ball well but he didn't see that.
• ​2017: 28 golfers, mid handicaps, 144 breaking putts each over three days. 6, 10 and 14 footers on a green.
• Heads up made 40%. Normal made 37%.
• Misses were tighter too. 5.2 cm from the hole vs 6.1 cm. That result was actually stronger statistically than the make rate.
• Worth knowing: the make rate difference really came from the 10 footers. 39% vs 34%. The 6s and 14s weren't significant on their own.

➡️ This article on the PGA summarizes it all really well. ​

Some interesting thoughts on this:

• The theory is about how your sense of how far away the hole is starts fading the second you look down at the ball. Keep your eyes on the target and it stays live.
• Same reason you look at the rim and not the ball in your hands when shooting a basketball.

---

This week's travels:

I think I've played one my new favorite courses this week.

Tetherow Golf Club in Bend Oregon.

Unbelievable piece of property with mountains all around, crazy design that makes you think on every shot, wildly visually deceiving, and super fun.

About a year ago I got a message from someone starting a new youtube channel, Scotty Thomas Golf. He's coming from the FIRE world, wrote a book, made a documentary, and now he's getting into Youtube golf. Great guy and excited to see what he builds.

He's based out of Tetherow and brought me out for a new series he's working on.

We had some incredible weather. Great match. And played a bunch of golf.

Rode around on Finn bikes. Makes golf so much better than a cart.

Even ran into a friend, Sam Hahn (LAB golf)! Got 15 holes in before the sun set. The man can make putts. Shocking. 😁

What a good week.
​
-Cordie

📚 If you haven't grabbed The Scoring Edge yet... it's 119 pages of drills, strategies, and frameworks from 12 coaches including Scott Fawcett, Mark Blackburn, and Ralph Bauer. Everything we've learned from filming with these guys, in one book. Grab it on Amazon.​
​
🎥 Follow on Youtube to catch the latest videos.
​

---

Disclosure: Some things in this newsletter may be a sponsored post, or Golfwell may be getting a small commission if you sign up / fill out their form, or Golfwell might own a percentage of the business. In particular, but not always, those sponsored, commissioned, or owned posts, or they might have an * in the subject headline.

905 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, MN 55906
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​