Phil Mickelson's Pause at Back in Putting Stroke

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ChrisinNC

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Is Phil stealing an idea that many top pool players have known and practiced for a long time - a prounounced pause at the back of the putting stroke / pool stroke, which he incorporated in to his actual stroke during a competitive round at the Memorial this past week?

Two completely different sports, but the idea of the back stroke, forward stroke and follow through in the process of hitting / stroking a stationary ball is common between the two. Just interesting why no top pro golfers have ever experimented around with this concept until now, at least that we know about?
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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ChrisinNC said:
Is Phil stealing an idea that many top pool players have known and practiced for a long time - a prounounced pause at the back of the putting stroke / pool stroke, which he incorporated in to his actual stroke during a competitive round at the Memorial this past week?

Two completely different sports, but the idea of the back stroke, forward stroke and follow through hitting a stationary ball is common between the two. Just interesting why no top pro golfers have ever experimented around with this concept until now, at least that we know about?
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Wait until Bryson DeChambeau hears about this. He'll be all over it! :D
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
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ChrisinNC said:
Is Phil stealing an idea that many top pool players have known and practiced for a long time - a prounounced pause at the back of the putting stroke / pool stroke, which he incorporated in to his actual stroke during a competitive round at the Memorial this past week?

Two completely different sports, but the idea of the back stroke, forward stroke and follow through in the process of hitting / stroking a stationary ball is common between the two. Just interesting why no top pro golfers have ever experimented around with this concept until now, at least that we know about?
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Go to the 5min25sec mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYJzuuwhGtM Never seen any top golfers with a real big pause when putting. There is a little bit when club changes direction but not a forced long pause. Mickleson and Crenshaw have a lot in common in their putting. Why he is trying this long pause tells me he is lost and searching for something.
 
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lfigueroa

lfigueroa

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ChrisinNC said:
Is Phil stealing an idea that many top pool players have known and practiced for a long time - a prounounced pause at the back of the putting stroke / pool stroke, which he incorporated in to his actual stroke during a competitive round at the Memorial this past week?

Two completely different sports, but the idea of the back stroke, forward stroke and follow through in the process of hitting / stroking a stationary ball is common between the two. Just interesting why no top pro golfers have ever experimented around with this concept until now, at least that we know about?
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I believe golfers and pool players have much in common when it come to mechanics.

And by that I mean they will tinker and experiment with all kinds of ca-ca looking for something that will make them more accurate and consistent.

Lou Figueroa
 
Sealegs50

Sealegs50

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I have been teaching my wife to pause at the top of her backswing for every golf shot. Without it, she is moving her body too much and mishitting the ball. With the pause, her head and body are in the right position and she is striking the ball much better.
 
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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
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Sealegs50 said:
I have been teaching my wife to pause at the top of her backswing for every golf shot. Without it, she is moving her body too much any mishitting the ball. With the pause, her head and body are in the right position and she is striking the ball much better.
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It’s very hard for the body to come to a stop and remain perfectly still in that contorted torqued position at the top of a golf backswing. However, no reason it can’t be done at the completion of the backswing in a putting stroke, just as in a pool stroke.
 
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deanoc

AzB Silver Member
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i always paused at the top of my golf swing

i don't remember starting it,i was about 13 years old

i got it from my uncle,i was not even aware i did it until people mentioned it

i was a mid 70 player,never very good
 
Sealegs50

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
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ChrisinNC said:
It’s very hard for the body to come to a stop and remain perfectly still in that contorted torqued position at the top of a golf backswing. However, no reason it can’t be done at the completion of the backswing in a putting stroke, just as in a pool stroke.
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I do it, too. The hardest part is breaking the habit of not pausing. Much like pool.
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
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deanoc said:
i always paused at the top of my golf swing

i don't remember starting it,i was about 13 years old

i got it from my uncle,i was not even aware i did it until people mentioned it

i was a mid 70 player,never very good
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Mid 70 golfer - not very good? Maybe compared to pros, but still better than at least 98% of all amateur golfers.
 
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johnnysd

AzB Silver Member
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I believe that many of the fundamentals of a putting stroke and a pool stroke are similar. I thought it was interesting that the golf analysts were close to flat ridiculing Mickelson with a pause when that is a foundation principle of SPF as an example. I am not a proponent of an active pause in pool, and the fact that almost no golfer has ever done it in putting sort of backs that feeling. There is certainly a change of direction in both strokes and that can be way too abrupt (mine in pool certainly is so thinking of a pause can help me) but I do not think an active pause is a prerequisite for good pool.
 
trob

trob

AzB Silver Member
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ChrisinNC said:
Is Phil stealing an idea that many top pool players have known and practiced for a long time - a prounounced pause at the back of the putting stroke / pool stroke, which he incorporated in to his actual stroke during a competitive round at the Memorial this past week?

Two completely different sports, but the idea of the back stroke, forward stroke and follow through in the process of hitting / stroking a stationary ball is common between the two. Just interesting why no top pro golfers have ever experimented around with this concept until now, at least that we know about?
Click to expand...

They may be 2 different sports but coming from someone who loves to play both... they have a lot in common. It’s not a bad Idea honestly. I added the pause to my back stroke 2 years a go. It really helps you bare down on your spot and I’m glad I did.
 
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