Older vs. Younger Putters - Who's better? + How Bobby Jones Disovered Augusta's Famous Architect

TIPS & DRILLS
Can practicing with a tennis ball really improve your putting?
Golf Content Creator Katie Clarke may be onto something

littlebirdygolf

View more on Instagram

To Recap…

Admittedly, if we saw someone on the putting green using a tennis ball, we might jump to some conclusions about their game as well as their overall level of sanity. But at second glance, it actually makes a lot of sense. Katie Clarke has some great points as to why it works:

-REASON 1: Hole Perception - After hitting 5-10 putts with tennis ball, the hole will look a LOT BIGGER when you switch back to a normal golf ball.
-REASON 2: Tempo! If your tempo is too quick or too jerky / uneven, the tennis ball will bounce, offering you immediate feedback that you need to slow down.
-REASON 3: Contact & Distance Control - if you do not hit the ball squarely in the middle of the clubface, your distance is going to be severely off-target. Due to its lack of forgiveness, practicing with a tennis ball will help ensure that you’re making rock solid contact, getting the ball to roll end over end immediately after impact. 🎾  

COURSES
Alister MacKenzie’s Favorite Layout
The reason he was chosen to bring Augusta to life

Pasatiempo Golf Course
Santa Cruz, CA

Alister MacKenzie (the famous architect behind Augusta National and Cypress Point) claimed that Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz, CA was his best layout. He loved the course so much that he made his home just off the 6th fairway during his final years. And he has Marion Hollins to thank- MacKenzie was hired by Hollins (one of the first ever female golf course developers) to architect both Pasatiempo and Cypress Point. When Bobby Jones was prepping for the 1929 US Amateur at Pebble Beach, he played both Cypress Point and Pasatiempo, and he was so impressed that he commissioned MacKenzie to come to Augusta, GA to design the future home of the Masters.

As a Top 100 US Public Course and a Top 3 Accessible Course in California according to Golf Digest, Pasatiempo even found it’s way into classic golf video games like PGA Championship Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour. But word of caution- this course is HARD. Some of the greens are as challenging as any you’ll come across. But if you’re making the pilgrimage to Pebble or Cypress, Pasatiempo needs to be on your list.

Rates: $385 to walk and $425 to ride

Check out this flyover from @golf_com

golf_com

View more on Instagram

STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: Putting - Older vs. Younger Players
presented by…

The Stat: Golfers in older age tiers (40+) have noticeably better putting stats than younger players, especially players between ages 20-39. Both the number of 3-putts per round and total putts per round are substantially higher for players between 20-39 years old.

The Takeaway: Experience matters. Not only do older players have more rounds under their belt (on average), they also tend to have more disposable income and more free time available. Comparing a 65-year-old retiree who plays 3x per week to a 35-year-old parent of 2 young children who is lucky to get out once a month is apple and oranges, and the data bears that out.

TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a 2014 PGA Championship Flag from Valhalla signed by Rory McIlroy 
(1 winner chosen on 5/31/24 across all May trivia entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)

LIKE THIS EDITION?
Forward it to a friend! —> —>