Unconscious Putting: Dave Stockton's Guide to Unlocking Your Signature Stroke

by Dave Stockton, Matthew Rudy

"The Pro Tours' Hottest Coach" (Golf Digest) reveals the secrets that helped Phil Mickelson win the 2010 Masters and can utterly transform every player's game. When a resurgent Phil Mickelson won the Tour Championship in September 2009, he was quick to credit a series of simple putting lessons from veteran golf champion and instructor Dave Stockton. As a top coach, Stockton has taught a long list of pro players-including Annika Sorenstam, Yani Tseng (winner of four LPGA tournaments), Adam Scott (Texas Open champion), Hunter Mahan (Phoenix Open champion), and Morgan Pressel (World Ladies Championship of Japan winner)-the putting strategies that finessed their game.

Stockton's breakthrough concept is that every player has their own Signature Stroke, which is unconscious. Good putting comes from the mind, Stockton says, not from a series of stiff mechanical positions. With visualization, the right frame of mind, an efficient pre-putt routine, and connection to the individual internal stroke signature, any player can make far more putts. Putting has always been taught as an offshoot to the full swing, when in reality it is far different- almost a different game. Unconscious Putting will help players get out of the rigid, mechanical, overthinking trap.

In Unconscious Putting, Stockton shows how players at every handicap level-from pros to weekend golfers-can putt effortlessly and with confidence by integrating a new mental approach with a few simple physical routines that will keep them locked on target. Readers will also gain invaluable advice on reading greens and equipment. Illustrated throughout and filled with anecdotes about how Stockton's lessons have helped today's leading players, Unconscious Putting is a must-have golf book and a category classic-in-the-making.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

113 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2011

Reviews

[Manuel A Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This dude would be driven to utter madness if he saw my brother’s putts.

I think there’s some useful tips in this book; I’ve already had some success using some of them to help read greens which I’ve struggled with. I kind of feel like this book drags on despite being a short read. There are too many instances of “when I was on the tour, or when I was showing Rory how to putt”. I like/agree with the main theme of his teaching being “don’t overthink it and to take things one step at a time”. Definitely useful advice for putting and for life in general.

[Jacob VanTol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helped give me some clues how to fix my putting game mentally.

[Peter Romão · Rating 5 out of 5]

It simply works

The insight of anyone who's been in the thick of it, so to speak, is pretty invaluable. Dave's got the additional talent of transferring the feels and and the mind pictures required in effective putting. The only thing I can say is... It simply works. Don't go out shooting your putt off (pun intended) do every single putt with intent and it all starts to focus into a Stockton putt.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not find this book to be especially helpful. Rather than a "how to," this book is more a description of how Stockton, himself, putts. There are a few practice tips in the book, and they are accompanied by photos but, in general, the book is a little light. It is only 93 pages long, and a lot of those pages contain photos. I would not recommend this book.

[M79vest36 · Rating 5 out of 5]

☺Outstanding Principles



Great read about taking the clutter out of your head to become better at putting. Went out to try these principles on local putting green and I was amazed how I could get within 18 inches and to make more putts. Thankyou Dave

[Brian Gagnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the reinforcement I need

Purposely steering away from too much discussion of mechanics, this takes on the thinking aspect of game: process, line speed and the roll are the main focus throughout.

[Jim Fini · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent read for golfers. Dave Stockton does have some useful tips but his strategy is less equals more. Don’t overthink your putting. Find your line and step up and stroke. Unfortunately the author spends more time than I’d like on stories of his exploits.

[John Matthew IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on how to putt. Find what works for you and do it. This is not about telling you what to do. It is not about lots of science but how to use your intuition.

p. 11: I believe putting is a simple act. You see the line the ball should take to the hole, lock in on that line, and let the stroke go while the line is fresh in your mind. But for a lot of players, it isn't that simple.

p. 17: I want to emphasize again that rolling the ball at the right speed is more important than choosing the right line. My dad taught me never to leave a putt short, but never roll it more than a foot and a half past the hole.

Photos: p. 18: Read: Start with a crouch behind the ball and move to low side of the break.

Photos: p. 19 & 25: Stroke: a) Make a small practice swing with your open right hand
b) Place right foot focused on path
c) Set left foot slightly open
d) Place putter in front of ball
e) Pick a spot in front of the ball
f) Move putter behind the ball and roll ball over the spot

Photos: p. 26) Your stance is up to you!

Photos p. 32) a) Make a forward press
b) Move the back of the left hand toward the target
c) Keep the putter head low to the ground

Photo p. 33) Don't hit at the ball or quickly look up to see where the ball goes
p. 36: I want you to get into the mind-set of rolling your ball, not hitting it.

Photo p. 38: The Grip

Photo p. 39: More photos of The Grip
p. 41: Don't put index finger down the shaft.

p. 44: The Claw

Photo p. 47) Drop a ball from your dominate eye and it should land on the ball on the ground.

Photo p. 48) Forward press

Colour Photos between p. 48 & p. 49) Putting success is determined by how well you sort out the speed and break of your putt and translate the read into the roll of the ball. It's about using your head and then getting out of your own way emotionally.

Hands should be balanced on handle with the left hand facing the target and the right hand facing away from the target.

A consistent routine is a key element to unconscious putting.

Drill: Pick your line and roll the ball directly over a tee just in front of the ball

Drill: Put your right hand on top of your left shoulder and make one-handed swings with the left hand.

Drill: Put a tee where you want to ball to go into the hole and hit the tee.

p. 52: See the line, make your forward press, and swing the back of the left hand down the target line. Give your feel a chance to emerge.

p. 65: Pressure comes from not having a game plan and a routine.

p. 78: You should never practice with more than two balls at a time, and you need to change up the length and break of putts you're practicing after every sequence of two putts.

p. 78: See the line, roll the ball, and end up no more than 16 inches past the hole.

p. 83: I don't think you need to go out and buy a trunk full of training aids to putt well

p. 83: Dad's Grip Drill

Photo p. 85: Roll ball over a tee in the ground 2" in front of the ball
p. 86: Cross The Tee
p. 86: Narrowing Your Focus, Expanding The Hole
p. 88: Left-Hand Dominance

http://www.stocktongolf.com/

[John Zych · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening

Getting back to basics and getting out of your own way makes perfect sense. Bteaking it down to the simplest of thoughts (and expectations) is the ideal way to face the intricacies of putting

[Samantha Greaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a technical manual

This book is for golfers who stand for ages over their putts ruminating on all of the things they are supposed to d to make a good putting stroke. It encourages the golfer to use the accumulated experience they have and just let it go.

[Sarah Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow

Loved the simplicity. Anyone with any golfing doubt should read this. An excellent shift in mindset. First round after reading, no 3 putts. I haven’t done that in 20 years of golf.

[Travis Meldahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Putting, putting, putting...

[Steve Sughrue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Just what I needed. Very helpful in helping me relax and enjoy putting. I recommend it to anyone who struggles with the mental challenges involved with putting.

[Chris Mielke · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyable concise read

If you agree with Dave Stockton and putting is a different game and one of feel and not all technique this is the book for you.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mechanics, mental side, drills, stories and history

[Bill Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

...good short little read on how to uncomplicate putting...

[George Eshelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

it helped

I found Stockton’s principles easy to understand and implement. It has definitely helped me make more putts and get putts closer

[Tom Goyne · Rating 2 out of 5]

About 20% of the book is very helpful tips. The other 80% is Stockton telling stories about how good he is as a player and a coach.

[Greg Crawford · Rating 2 out of 5]

not worth it

very little meat on the bone here for such a highly recommended book. I wouldn’t bother with this one. Really even lacks much in he way of practice drills.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really agree with Dave Stockton when he urges the readers of his latest book, Unconscious Putting, to stop thinking and start putting. The putting stroke, he says, is small and simple. Its success depends almost entirely on touch and feel. What a breath of fresh air!

Stockton, a major championship winner on the PGA and Champions Tours, was known as one of the best putters of his day. Today, he coaches some of the top players in the game including Yani Tseng, Matt Kuchar, Adam Scott, Morgan Pressel, and Rory McIlroy. Phil Mickelson credits Stockton's lessons on the simple stroke for his wins at the Tour Championship in 2009 and at the Masters in 2010.

I wonder, though, if he could have helped Lenny, the golfer in my story "Screaming Blue Yips" from Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic horrific scientifically impossible and morally reprehensible golf. Lenny's problem, you see, was a little blue gnome who showed up one day and insisted on reading putts for him. Talk about too many swing thoughts!

At any rate, the key to good putting, according to Stockton, is to make it an unconscious act, just like signing your name. Don't think about it--do it! He outlines a few simple physical routines that help you identify the target line, wipe your mind clean of swing thoughts, and roll the ball into the hole. It's a beautiful thing. Here, for example, is what he has to say about the big debate over swing path:

"I used to take the putter back a little outside and loop it around, and now I take it back a little to the inside. Ben Crenshaw brings it back in an arc to the inside. Loren Roberts brings it back straight. We've all made a ton of putts over a lot of years, doing it with different mechanics."

Of course, it wouldn't be an instruction book without some instruction, so Stockton includes some easy-to-understand common sense suggestions about keeping tension out of your grip, consistently keeping the ball centered under your eye line, and stroking with the intention of making solid contact. There are also plenty of clear photos some drills to help you develop confidence. What there isn't is a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo.

Ball--hole. It's simple, really.

[Jerry Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read that golf is as much. as 75% mental. That might be somewhat over stated but certainly that value has to be true as it relates to putting. Stockton says that all golfers have a unique signature when it comes to their golf swing. ..... especially putting. That signature is compared to our own written signature of our name. When we sign our name if we are relaxed and free from tenseness the pen just glides across the line and we usually get a good result. How many times do we come on to the practice green, take a stance, look at the target line, look down at ball ( although Stockton says to look at a spot maybe an inch in front of the ball) then allow the putter head to hit through that forward spot. Many times I've drained those shots .....that is most likely my signature.

[Tim Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unconscious Putting could have been written in 25 pages or less. The insights into setting up and performing the putting stroke are useful and should be able to help anyone to improve their putting routine. If you 19ve been able to catch Dave Stockton on the Golf Channel demonstrating his Unconscious Putting you really don 19t need to red the book unless you want to learn more stories of it 19s success. I do wish that more golfers would follow his advice simply to speed up play.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I finished this book I really liked idea behind his unconscious putting attitude. I do like the no practice stroke technique. I did think I could have learned his teachings in an essay rather than a book. I would rated the book higher if Stockton would have included more drills at the conclusion of the book. Okay read.

[LT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading Unconscious Putting did not help me improve my game (or maybe I just haven't been diligent enough). This book provides very few drills for helping you roll the ball, a concept that Stockton dedicates an entire chapter to in his book.

[Walter Maceachern · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the things he recommends I knew in my teens and lost track of somewhere. See the line and roll it down it! Simple, and it works.

[Wil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably one of the few golf books that doesnt dwell deep into techniques. Totally different book to Dave Pelz's. Enjoyable read.

[Marty Wolk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swore off golf books for a while but I really like this approach to putting. A reminder to have fun and not overthink it. Oh yeah, and focus on the line.

[Cédric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best golf book I've ever read.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to make more putts ‘don’t be mesmerized’ by staring at the ball.

[CherylR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good instruction

This was a very good instructional book by David Stockton. I highly recommend his books. Makes things simple instead of complex.