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Luke Donald's "Hammer & Nail" Putting Drill + The World's Only Natural Island Green
Wild Golf
February 27, 2024
Happy Wednesday! So who watched the smoothest new swing in golf win in Mexico over the weekend? Talk about tempo town. If you haven’t seen it, check out Jake Knapp’s swing in this video. And at 40-1 odds, he surely made some betters happy on Sunday.
In today’s newsletter…
✅ TIPS & DRILLS: Luke Donald demonstrates his “Hammer & Nail” putting drill to help you make perfectly solid ball contact every time.
✅ COURSES: The “Tail of the Whale” is the world’s only natural island green, and it’s a perfectly picturesque golf hole. If you ever get a chance to play it, be sure to leave some time for photos.
✅ STATISTICS: Just how good are PGA Tour Pros on the greens? Check out our chart that compares their 1-putt % vs. 3-putt % at different putting distances.
✅ TRIVIA: Staying on the topic of putting, our trivia question asks just how long any man has ever gone without a 3-putt on the PGA Tour, all for one last chance to win a Limited Edition Tyson Lamb Cactus Divot Repair Tool
(1 of only 300 tools ever made)
Let’s go!
TIPS & DRILLS
Luke Donald’s “Hammer & Nail” Putting Drill
One of the best putters ever shares a tip you may not have heard
To Recap…
To control your speed, the best tool you can have in your putting toolbag is solid ball contact. Practice this drill:
-STEP 1: Find a spot on the putting green that allows you to practice a putt from a reasonable distance, maybe ~20 feet to start.
-STEP 2: Insert 2 tees in the ground about 2” apart (just wider than the golf ball but NOT wider than your putter face). Then center your ball between the tees but set back about 1” behind them.
-STEP 3: Work on taking the club back a reasonable distance but striking the ball with rock solid contact and an abbreviated follow through, aiming to consistently leave yourself within gimme range.
Similar to a “hammer hitting a nail,” as Luke says, you wouldn’t continue the hammer through the wall after striking the nail. Rather you would give the nail a “solid pop.” Try to ingrain that thought into your brain as you step up to your putts.
COURSES
“Tail of the Whale” - The World’s Only Natural Island Hole
Punta Mita Golf Club - Pacifico Course
Punta Mita, Mexico
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Punta Mita Golf Club’s Pacifico Course is most known for it’s incredible 194 yard par 3 optional 3rd hole, referred to as the “Tail of the Whale." When the tide is in, the hole often gets replaced with a traditional landlocked par 3, but if the tide is out, you can drive to the hole in a golf cart on a hidden bridge nearly covered by water - watch THIS VIDEO to see just how crazy it is. Amphibious vehicle transport is also sometimes offered during high tide when safe. The only question that remains- where is the drop zone?
Rates: ~$300 greens fees if staying at the Punta Mita Resort
Check out this hole rundown from @coursesyouneedtoplay
STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: PGA Tour Pros 1-putt + 3-putt % by Length of Putt
presented by…
The Stat: PGA Tour Pros make a 5 footer 77% of the time, an 8 footer 50% of the time, a 10 footer 40% of the time, a 15 footer 23% of the time, and a 30 footer just 7% of the time.
The Takeaway: That average tour pro actually doesn’t make all that many putts from outside 20 feet, but they also rarely ever 3-putt from inside 40 feet. Consistency is everything in golf.
TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a Limited Edition Tyson Lamb Cactus Divot Repair Tool! 1 of only 300 ever made!
(1 winner chosen on 2/29/24 across all February trivia correct entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)
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What's the longest streak ever on the PGA Tour of most consecutive holes without a 3-putt? |
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