The Life Changer: The Free Throw

[@mikewise8814]

I've decided to incorporate this idea into other aspects of my life. Today I needed to go to the hospital to visit a sick relative. While starting my car, I typed the address into google maps, visualized my target and closed my eyes. When I woke up I was at the hospital! Albeit I had a concussion and totaled my car, but it worked! Truly a life changer!

[@markschemmel]

I know everyone loves the "chair move" but man this is something that could save so many strokes for any golfer of any skill. Truly a life changer.

[@alexanderlloydkasendwa3410]

Totally agree .. love the “look at the rim” analogy

[@MrLanceDUB]

These are really interesting episodes. The confluence of mechanics and art of the golf swing are always fascinating. Thx for doing these and thanks TPI for what you do for golfers.

[@TripsView]

As someone who use to be an above average putter and has been struggling recently. This was what I needed

[@99pudster99]

After hearing this “free throw” analogy on the pod a while back I’ve been using this technique. I am definitely making a lot more putts now. The other day I was 3.6 SG compared to a scratch player putting. Not bad for a 15 handicapper. Saved my round, because my ball striking that day was terrible! Keep up the great content. #TeamShark #Velcren

[@apg1014]

Watched this video last night and been listening to the pod recently (obviously). Played today and spent a lot more time looking at targets rather than staring at the ball while standing over it (both full swing and putting). Instantly shot my best score in three years! And my swing just felt so much more natural, so much more athletic. Kudos to Craigers et al. LGLG!

[@thomaswoods6413]

I’ve been messing around with heads up putting lately where I’m looking at the hole the entire stroke. Has definitely helped with speed control. Great video!

[@longmorn76]

Agree! Great for the short ones, just like Jordan Spieth did a few years ago :)

[@JonathanGalentine]

This turned me into a pretty good putter (in my mind) - I'm surprised at how few people I see using it.

[@jif850]

This video was so good I’m about to strap a head lamp on and go to the practice green

[@ConstantineAndreas]

I was skeptical at first, but wow, I tried this tonight on the practice green and immediately saw improvement. Life Changer indeed! Thanks, guys. Much appreciated!

[@Whiter1]

All this is so fascinating and just makes you realise what a tough game golf really it. Good athletes start golf and get better quickly because they’re athletic, probably in system 1 brain a lot. Maybe not playing the right shots but committed to it fully. Then lessons start and it’s almost like we forget to be athletic, getting stuck in between system 1 and 2. Mike made a similar realization on the beach in a recent pod, that Eli just made here. Can pick up a stone and throw it at something, but then the brain gets involved.

[@korkeiw]

I tried this on the putting green last night, and I almost feel ashamed by how much this helped with how simple it is. I was putting the ball close from everywhere instantly. Awesome life changer guys.

[@michaeldasilva6753]

Heads up putting is great for developing a feel for pace.

[@ipotato95]

I used this today and it’s unreal how much it helps speed. I played a golf I rarely play that was much faster than the sanded greens I played yesterday, and after a couple holes my longer putts were almost always gimmes. Nice video

[@mrad7586]

Practiced this at the range then played a couple of days later and used it on the course. My speed control was amazing. I looked at the hole even during the putting stroke which freed up my brain for speed control. Tried it the old way of staring at the ball and failed miserably. Well done Greg! Greg says, "don't make a gap there".

[@Ludin281]

Love your guys content. Putting has been a place I have been losing strokes for a while and can't wait to start practicing this and taking to the course. I am like Eli and robotic like he was at the beginning of the video.

[@graybeardgolf]

I employed this approach starting at the beginning of this season and it's completely transformed my lag putting. I was always pretty good at spending more time on the hole and the line, but it was always inconsistent. Now, I don't even look at the ball at the beginning of my routing: now, I read the break from behind the ball and from the hole, then pace distance from the hole to my ball, set up near my ball and, looking dead at the hole, I take two quick practice swings that are 100% focused on feeling the speed and distance. Then, line my putter up on the line I've chosen for the feel of the speed (this is the only time I'm looking at the ball), focus on the hole for a moment, then find a spot 12-18 inches in front of my ball on my line and hit it over that spot at the speed. If it's shorter or more complicated I might spend a moment or two on aimpoint to help dial in a line, but all in all I'm actually much faster at putting because I have a dialed in routine that has made a huge improvement in my putts per round.

[@awol_jay]

Im so glad you posted this bc now I got confirmation bias. My go to practice is just chipping and putting 6 balls at the range. I chip six then putt those 6 but I don’t work on lining it up I try to visualize and feel the putts with just my senses. This gives me confidence that I’m on the right path!! Thanks 💪🏼💪🏼

[@GolE2839]

What a great episode!

Aaah I love this! My coach has said quite many times to me he thinks my putting is robotic. After this video I understand what he means. I am the absolute lost twin of Eli in Finland! 😁 Maybe this is why I feel like I hole more putts from 10 meters than from 3 meters. I just check the hole and go with the flow without thinking swing length.

[@ChrisPietila]

Finally caught up with all 6 seasons of the pod -- great job guys! But also, *2+ minutes of explanation as to why speed is the most important aspect of putting...alignment shouldn't really be a thought...brad faxon can line up a dozen different ways and it doesn't matter if you look at the spot and get the speed right...* Eli: Ok, that all makes sense, but when you looked at me before I put, did you have alignment concerns?" Wonder why we're on Season 6 (kidding).

[@ericsendelbach]

These videos are so good.

Had to come back and comment this. I have used this method now on my last 3 rounds and wonders started happening. Putts are in 3 feet ring although the first putt length was ~10-15 meters. Also the confidence with shorter putts increased immediately. But biggest change was in lag putting and speed control. 🤩

[@ThicckieFowler]

Great series man

[@joshtpa]

I putt looking at the hole on anything inside 20 ft or so. Since I started putting that way the improvement has been remarkable.

[@drknoba]

Man these videos are great!!! Going to try this for sure

[@brandtgraybill943]

To the practice green I go. Nice work, Eli.

[@MrJimmytrain]

"Hello. My name is Jim and I'm a 22 handicap." I shot a 91 yesterday. I three putted 12 times. Yes. 12 times. You do that math. My best round ever is an 89. This is going to be my entire practice routine now.

[@Suited1989]

This came at a great time. I've lost a bit of short game magic recently. I shot +8 in our midweek comp this genuinely think I gave 8 shots away on or around the greens (a couple longer shots). Need to get back on and around the greens practicing and I'll be bringing this in!

[@nemoandtherobots]

Long time listener first time commenter. Really wish you guys would sign up for some competitive tournaments to test those pressure shots. Emulating pressure is so difficult. This is coming from a rising ~10 hdcp with little to no training or expertise at all. Enjoy the show and hope to play in the StMantooth next year!

[@davidrichard4300]

This is so amazing. I will be practicing this.

[@habsman1611]

If Chubbs had taught Happy this, they would have needed to talk to Neil about houses with all the prize money Happy would have won. #BePeace

[@n2psychling]

How is it possible that Mike's struggles w/ driver are exactly mine? The sequence of Lateral movement, Rock n' Roll, Twist, and Jump (push off left foot) was profound and simple. The thought of clearing my left side is slowly eliminating the Banana Open Face 30 yd slider to the right trees shot that is absolute jail and reminds me of Eli's gauntlet reading that had 3 or 4 punch out sideways shots. Love the Podcast guys and yes #12 at the Cardinal is the most diabolical par 3 in the history of Pete Dye design.

[@kentturner595]

Awesome 😎

[@peterrutkowski8172]

Bad analogy - there is no alignment issues from the free throw line to the rim. Once you set your feet behind the free throw line you never have to look down. The rim is exactly 15' from the free throw line. Once you release the ball it never turns left or right because you are on a side hill. With putting on an uneven surface there are myriad issues involved. It's just not as simple as shooting a three throw or throwing darts.

[@Endall961]

Even if they tilted the basket and somehow changed the gravity or had you in a wind tunnel, you would not stare at the ball but visualize the curve the ball needs to take and throw.

[@wills2552]

I spent the whole year 3 putting on most holes until I watched this video and started to pick my line and believing in it and then looking at the hole imagining the energy needed to get it there not worrying about anything else, I'm now 2 putts on most greens so that's an awful lot of strokes saved, just need to work out how to get it to the green in under 3 shots now.

[@americanfilipino8847]

Im going to go a step further and tell you how much my game improved going Jordan Speith on all putts 4ft or less. This is before i even watched this video. My goto drill was 12 in a row from 3, 6, 9, 12o'clock. It was insanely hard all of my golfing life. About 3 weeks ago, I failed my 1st 3 attempts at the drill and said "F-it" and just looked at the hole and stroked it. It went in and i did it again. 12 putts later, I was sold on this technique. Last 3 rounds have all been sub 80, and I haven't done that in more than a year. Everyone should at least try this for 10 min on a putting green just to see if it works for them, I know I swear by it now.

[@ipotato95]

Dear Eli: I guarantee if your head was facing the ceiling during the squats it would help a lot with both general posture and warmup. Look at mike at the least facing forward. Same applies to deadlifts, face to the sky and those tedious motions get a lot easier

[@GregSwan01]

Throwing the ball and putting the ball to the hole… as stated- they are same thing. That has really helped my putting on the last few rounds

[@winningteam459]

There is a reason why there is a saying “my second golfer would be on tour” normally when we go to hit our second shot after a bad one we just react and swing natural instead of trying to be robotic and make the perfect swing.

[@bradbirdsong2030]

My putting game just leveled up!!

[@n1cksgolf]

Let’s go!

[@brewerscarpentry]

Where is the 3rd life changer!

[@MikeYang]

I want to say something nice because I enjoyed the video and the series in general. So... I appreciate the storytelling that goes into making this video. I also want to say, what took so long to get the second video out??? :)

[@kswas2784]

Interesting concept and I know I have to focus a bit more on looking at the cup but the Free Throw analogy doesn't really match because the golf ball is not in your hands, you obviously have to hit it which is why people focus on the ball a lot. I will make several practice swings while looking at the cup to gauge the swing to the distance, then move into position.

[@mikeburgess1931]

Nice!

[@ShireTown1824]

love it

[@torefredlund4074]

But, are there alignment concerns?😂🔥

[@ducci00]

Attached boy Eli.

[@joeerhodes]

I just listened to the Bandon episode. How is it possible you can struggle with a contact for a whole week without once trying the Adam Way? Just close the face in your grip at address? What happened to the Adam Way !?

[@RobMcGarr]

I'd say the advice is 100% right, but why not do a couple of little practice strokes while looking at the hole? Then your body 'feels' what it needs to do 🤷‍♂

[@iR0NmAnKiD]

so in a free throw, you usually line yourself on the line first. Can't you do that on a putt. Get yourself lined up first and then spend time looking at the hole and feeling the putt. It takes me longer to feel the speed once i'm lined up than it does to actually line the putt up.

[@jonathanthomason7896]

Eli's putting routine before = Shaq shooting a free throw. Eli's putting routine now = Steph shooting a free throw.

[@texstar77]

I’m ready to sell my home if that’s what it’ll take to spend a month with Greg!

[@stevemontgomery7970]

🎻This is torture 😂

[@jonathanmeier4354]

Kudos to Creggers

[@unlistedvideos5934]

What about not looking at ball at all? Just looking at hole the entire time.

[@TeeBoxTobies]

Attaboy Gary

[@guitar1950]

Eli should practice putting looking at the hole the whole time. Like Speith used to do.

[@wgsmit02]

why not just have him putt looking at the hole from 4 feet like spieth back when he could putt

[@TheToeOfEarl]

Anybody that's struggling with this, do yourself a favor and get to a practice green with a bucket or hand full of golf balls. No putter! Start rolling golf balls at the hole, again without a putter! You'll naturally do what he's teaching in this episode. Just stare at the hole and try to role the ball in. Simple as that. You likely would never even consider freezing or thinking about where your hand is or even a specific line. You'll fall into the feel of it. That's what you want to replicate with a putter in your hand.

[@Sp4cetime]

Eli is so athletic why doesn’t he just putt heads up? Talk to Sasho about it on the pod.

[@kangja9338]

3:20

[@patrickbigras5232]

Nobody talked about expectations. You’re not gonna make every putt. What is the tour % from 10 feet?…40%!

[@adrianhewings6376]

Eli needs the confidence of putting a good stroke on the ball before anything else

[@nickb1848]

#LGLG

[@AndrewMcCoy-g9b]

Just have Eli make putts while only staring at the hole regardless of outcome.

[@Puffy_49]

I feel like there was a podcast that I listened to that banned learning golf on KZbin.... Too bad those idiots didn't have this series to help guide them

[@TioVar2023]

#DrRose4Prez

[@tommy_oats3608]

“Are there alignment concerns?” will never not be funny. Applies in any setting.

[@timlynch2841]

This is crack

[@Tatumz12]

Pink heeled shoes. Are we in 2024 already?

[@TripsView]

First 😂🙏🏻

[@jackjetpilot]

Gotta get a dead cat.