ブログ再開 No.3 "KIME-UCHI" putting method

ブログ再開　No.３　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　２０１４年９月１８日

　今回投稿を予定していた内容を変更します。テークバックからの切り返しで、僅かな加速を入れてそのなりの強さでボールをヒットするということについて更に詳しく説明をしなければならと強く感じた事件？がありました。

Resuming blog entries - No.3

September 18^th, 2014

I am going to change the subject this time from the content I was going to post after the last entry.

That is because I had experienced an incident(?) recently which made me feel that it is extremely necessary to explain it first about my unique stroke with the “slight but definite acceleration” going forward after the certain length of takeback.

　改めて私の「決め打ちパット」の特徴を整理します。ゴルフが始まってから今まで、トッププロから一般アマチュアゴルファーまで誰一人疑うことなくやっているテークバックの大きさとボールヒットの強弱という、たった二つの要素の絶妙な組合せがパッティングの中身です。

I would rephrase about the methodology of my “KIME-UCHI” putting method (a.k.a. “Digital Putting Strokes (DPS)” for your better understanding.

The normal way of putting is all about the combination of two elements, which are the length of your takeback and the strength of your impact when you hit the ball. That is what every golfer from the golf pros, top armatures to average armatures is doing since long time ago.

　従来のパッティングと「決め打ちパット」との最大の相違点は、ボールヒットする際に強弱をつけずに、切り返しの際に加える僅かな加速のままにボールヒットすることにあります。

　そして、この切り返しの際に加える僅かな加速は、テークバックの大きさに関わらずいつも同じにすることです。これが、テークバックの大きさがボールの転がる距離に素直に反映されるのです。

The biggest difference between my “KIME-UCHI” putting method and the general putting method is in my “slight but definite acceleration” stroke. I am not going to apply any “strength” on my stroke when I hit the ball. 

And that “slight but definite acceleration” going forward after the certain length of takeback should stay exactly the same every single time you putt, regardless of the length of your takeback. It is the key to reflect the length of your takeback to the distance the ball is going to roll on the green.

　秒速10センチ以下のテークバックの速さは、切り返しポイントを特定するにはどうしても必要な要素であることは既に説明したとおりです。

I have already explained about the importance and necessity of the very slow speed of the “slower-than-10cm/sec takeback” stroke to command the length of your takeback precisely in the previous entries.

　その事件?は8月下旬のゴルフコンペで起こりました。

The incident(?) had happened at the tournament I played at the end of August.

　年3回やっている高校時代の部活仲間のコンペなんです。4月にご一緒した女性ゴルファー　Yさんのパッティングが、例えば、２ｍのパットを３ｍオーバーさせてしまうのです。ランチタイムにどうやって距離感を出しているのかを聞いてみました。果たして距離感がかなり曖昧だということが分かりました。

It was at the private tournament we are playing three times a year with my high-school hood friends.

There was a lady golfer Yoko, whom I played with at the previous tournament in April, was struggling with her putting stroke not having a feel for the distance control. For instance, she putted 2m (7-footer) putting distance too strong and went further to leave 3m (10-footer) putt to return. 

I asked her how she figures the feel for the distance of her putting stroke.

Apparently she was vague about her idea on the putting distance.

　そこで、「決め打ちパット」の概略をお伝えしました。興味を持ってくれたのでしょう、幹事のAくんから「Yさんが私と同じ組にしてくれるようリクエストがあります」という連絡ありました。

Then I mentioned her about my “KIME-UCHI” putting method briefly.

I believe she was interested in the idea ...since Takeshi who is in charge and arranging this tournament told me that “Yoko has requested to play in the same 4-some with you.”

　折角の機会だから、Yさんにこのブログを読んで予習をしてもらうことにしました。コンペ当日、練習グリーンで予習の成果を確認して、更に18ホール実践してもらうという、私としても始めての経験となります。

I thought it was a very good opportunity for us to have some case study, so I requested her to read this blog and learn about “KIME-UCHI” putting method in advance for the tournament in August.

On the day of the tournament, we would practice and rehearse the method together on the practice green, and then try it out on the 18 greens during the actual tournament.   

It was going to be the first experience for me to see how well it works to the person who did not know about my method at all.

　しかし、Yさんと親しげに練習グリーンでパッティングをするとなれば、良からぬ想像をされても迷惑・・、4月に同組でやはり私のパッティングに興味を持ってくれた　Sくんにもブログを読んで予習をしてもらうことにした。

I didn’t want to be misunderstood if I was in some affaires with Yoko doing something on the practice green before the tournament..., so I asked my friend Sei, who was interested in my putting as well in the previous tournament in April to read my blog in advance and rehearse it together.

　コンペの前日、Sくんからメールが入った。

A day before the tournament, Sei sent me an email.

切り返しの際に加える僅かな加速というイメージがいまいちピンと来ません

“I cannot really get a feel or image for the “slight but definite acceleration” stroke.”

小さな子どもをブランコにのせ、後ろから前に僅かに押してやる・・・では伝わらないか！？

Imagine a small kid on the swing, and you’ll push him gently from his back. ...might not be enough for him to get the feel?!

熟考の末閃いた。朝、Sくんに伝えた。ほら、竹箒や座敷箒を使う時を想像してみてよ。右足の前から加速を入れてそのままゴミを集めたりするよね！

I thought it over and over and had come up with an idea. I told “Why don’t you think about using a bloom? You would accelerate it from right to left in front of your right foot and gather the trash, wouldn’t you?!” to Sei in the morning.

箒の柄が短くても同じ動作をします。　Sくん、納得してくれました。

Most of putters are shorter than the bloom, but the motion should stay the same. ...at least very similar.  Sei has gotten the idea now.

　Sくんは同組ではありませんでしたが、共通した間違った動きをしました。それは、５ｍくらいまでの距離は、切り返しの僅かな加速のまま打てるのですが、それより長い距離を打つときに、ボールヒットで強く打ってしまいます。それと、同じ切り返しが出来ません。テークバックの大きさによって微妙に切り返しの加速が変わるで、当然ショートしたりオーバーしたりしていました。

Sei did not play in the same 4-some with me but he had the same mistakes as Yoko did during the round. He was able to stroke with the “slight but definite acceleration” if the distance was within 5m (16.6 feet), but when the distance got longer, he hit the ball harder and was not able to repeat the stroke with “slight but definite acceleration”.

Both of them had “different” accelerations (instead of “definite” acceleration) depending on the distances they faced for their putting, and had inconsistent results hitting too much or too short.

　18ホール終わってみて、Yさんは前半3パット2回、4パット1回、後半は3パット2回でした。効果？もちろんあったと思います。

After finishing 18 holes, Yoko had two 3-putts and one 4-putts in the front 9 and two 3-putts in the back 9 as a result for the day.

Did it help?  - Sure it did.  It was a bid of improvement for her.

是非、いつも同じ僅かな加速のある切り返しを身に付けてください。ボールから35センチほどのテークバックで７～８ｍ転がる切り返しを覚えてください。次回は靴幅2足分、１足分ではどうなるか？12歩以上、20歩のトップ位置は？併せて、狙った方向へ打ち出す効果のある練習方法をお伝えします。　　　ノリさんでした。

Please try and get a feel for the same stroke with the “slight but definite acceleration” going forward after the certain length of takeback every single time you putt.

Please repeat the putting strokes to roll 7-8m (23-27 feet) by taking back the putter head about 35cm (about 1.1 feet).         

On the next entry,

I would talk about other gaps between my feet stance, such as 1 shoe or 2 shoes gap. What is going to happen?

How big the takeback is for the distance of 12-20 steps (32-53 feet) putts? 

In addition, I would also talk about a very effective practice to stroke your ball at the direction right on the target.

By Nori-san