Latest news with #putting
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
The Englishman who turned around Scheffler's putting fortunes
When world number one Scottie Scheffler reached out to one of golf's most sought-after putting coaches in September 2023, he could not have imagined the transformation it would bring to his American was already a major champion and had won twice that season but he was in a fug. The statistics proved he was the best from tee to green. They also proved he was among the worst with a putter in Tour players hole 90% of putts from four feet. At that time, Scheffler was making 80%. The best player in the world was ranked outside the top 150 in putting and fending off the same questions every in Phil Kenyon, coach to the best in the 12 months, Scheffler had risen into the top 15 putters and completed a remarkable season, winning seven PGA Tour events, including a second Masters, and an Olympic gold medal at the Paris he arrives at this week's Open Championship on the back of a run of three victories in his past 10 events - including winning his third major at the US PGA Championship - and finishing in the top 10 in the other seven to reaffirm his position as the world's dominant player."That was a particular high for Scottie after some lows and a lot of discussion about his putting," Kenyon told BBC Sport of the American's major victory at Augusta National in April 2024."And for him to putt so well fairly early on in my role working with him, that was a highlight for me."So what did Kenyon tweak? He helped with green reading, to give Scheffler more confidence in his own ability. He helped change his it was a switch from his trusted blade to a mallet putter "to help him with lining up putts" that really sparked a change in another poor performance on the greens in February 2024, long-time friend and mentor Brad Payne - speaking in a PGA Tour documentary of that season - recounted a conversation they had in Scheffler's Dallas home: "I said 'buddy, how are you doing?' and he said, 'I don't think I'm doing well'."That was after the Genesis Invitational, where Scheffler finished joint 10th. The mallet putter made its debut in his next event and Scheffler won four of his following five tournaments, including the Masters by four strokes. Who is Phil Kenyon? Kenyon, who hails from the seaside town of Southport, on England's 'golf coast', grew up surrounded by the game. His dad was friends with 'Britain's putting doctor' Harold Swash, who worked with European Tour legends Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood among many others."He would pay me to help him out, carrying his gear around, and was a huge inspiration," said Kenyon, who was was a decent amateur and turned professional after studying a sports science quickly realised he "didn't have the game" to make a living as a pro so, with Swash as a mentor, started coaching."Harold was slowing down at that time so it gave me an opportunity to get stuck in," he added."I've been at it 25 years. You just work on your craft day-to-day and it organically develops. I never envisaged travelling the world though, following players to tournaments."And while he is quick to deflect the praise, Kenyon's achievements are impossible to triumph at May's US PGA Championship meant the Englishman completed the career 'Golden Slam' of coaching players to all four major titles and Olympic Henrik Stenson and Francesco Molinari picked up Claret Jugs while under his tutelage; Matt Fitzpatrick and Gary Woodland won the US Open; Justin Rose won gold at the Rio 2016 Games; Scheffler picked up a second Green Jacket and Olympic title in their first year working also has Tommy Fleetwood and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley among his client list. 'McIlroy helped make me a better coach' Kenyon also still coaches from his studio in Formby on Merseyside and is equally as comfortable teaching a pro or an amateur."Different players provide different challenges," he said."I can get stuck into the weeds with the best of them if that's the route you want to go down but it's about trying to work out the right balance for each player."There is a terrific video from 2021 of Kenyon and Rose going through some technical are mic'd up so you can hear Rose asking for reassurance and guidance as Kenyon buzzes round the green, offering words of encouragement while simultaneously checking putter head alignment and confirming slope angles with a spirit is more into the stats. "In comparison to those two, Scheffler plays a lot more 'feel' and is a simpler golfer," said Kenyon. "He's less technical, less stats orientated, but equally, if not more, competitive."All the best players I've worked with are questioning and probing - you're working together to find the right solutions for them."Kenyon also spent some time coaching Rory McIlroy, with the pair hooking up post-2016 Olympics. "I felt like I did a decent job of improving him technically over that period of time but he felt the need to find other things," said Kenyon of their time together."In hindsight, some things I would have done differently. But I'm glad I didn't. You learn from it and I became a better coach because of it. "There are things that I learned through that experience with Rory that have helped me with Scottie." How to adapt to putting at The Open The professional circuit has arrived in the UK for two weeks of the links golf Kenyon was brought up on at Hillside Golf Club in on the coastal courses that host the annual Scottish Open and Open Championship are vastly different to those players encounter on the PGA Tour and it's all about adapting the three key areas of line, speed and green week's Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club near Edinburgh will have been a "great opportunity to prep" for this week's Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland."The big thing is getting the speeds," said Kenyon, who will be prowling the practice putting green "keeping on top of the maintenance" of his job at tournaments is more like "supervised practice" and "cheerleading" rather than getting into technical work."Links greens are slower than in the US and they can have more subtle slopes," he explained."And then you've got the wind. Wind will be a big factor. It influences the break a lot and when you've got these subtleties of break and wind it makes it a very different challenge in your read. "It's like in tennis - you've had clay court season and then you get on to grass - part of your preparation is adapting to the surfaces you're putting on."A lot of adaption occurs subconsciously and I'm there to provide feedback, making sure they are comfortable with what they are doing." What's the secret to putting like a pro? "You've got three skills to master. Starting the ball on the right line. Controlling the speed. Reading the green," said Kenyon."And there are a variety of techniques you can use within each skill. With all of them it's about trying to find the right technique for you, what matches you as a person, your personality."You can't just master two out of the three, though. All three skills need to be working in harmony for putts to of the techniques Kenyon coaches for green reading, for example, is AimPoint, which has been around for a couple of decades but has recently increased in popularity and is used by players such as former world number one Adam Scott, Rose and is being seen as a way of speeding up the putting process. In basic terms, players use their feet to feel and grade the severity of slope from one to three. They then hold up the corresponding number of fingers out in front of them towards the hole to line up the putt, using the outside edge of the fingers as the aim point."It's a valid method that is growing in appeal, but there are other ways to read greens," said Kenyon, who points to the internet as a huge source of information."It's not always good but people will come across things that will make them think more and that 'oh, I should try that this weekend'."And when you are next out and trying new putting techniques, perhaps frustrated at missing that eight-footer to 'win The Open', remind yourself that PGA Tour players fail to hole from that distance 50% of the time.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
This Cheat Code Will Lead to Better Green-Reading in No Time
This Cheat Code Will Lead to Better Green-Reading in No Time originally appeared on Athlon Sports. I've gotten tons of golf lessons from some of the best golf instructors in the country over the past few years, but one thing that I continue to ignore (I know, shame on me!) is learning how to read a green the right way. Advertisement While my tee shots have improved and I'm hitting more fairways than ever, and my ball-striking with my irons is superb, it all gets wasted when I'm putting — because I seem to misread everything. But the Rainmakers Golf Club spent some time picking the brain of Scott Curry, one of the best putting teachers on the planet, who shares some tips on how to read a green like a pro — which should lead to less strokes and lower scores in no time. How to Read a Green Like a Pro If you really want to improve your golf scores, it all starts with the short game. I know, trying to bomb your drives with increased club head speed is more fun, but when you can limit putts per round, you're going to shave strokes faster. Advertisement While putting speed is crucial, understanding how to read a green is just as important, since, you know, you need to make sure the thing actually funnels towards the hole. In the video above, golf coach Scott Curry says one easy trick can help you identify how a ball will break on even the trickiest green. 'Don't just focus on your ball and your line,' Curry shares. He then demonstrates what he means by this. 'If I don't know what my putt is doing, a quick way to figure it out is to take a couple steps over to the right and say that this is definitively going to break left,' he adds. Now walk the few steps back to your ball and use that information to your advantage. Advertisement '[By using this trick], it's going to help my eyes see that right-to-left break,' Curry says. 'So now I know the putt is going to go a little left, I'm going to take my time to line this up, set up to it, and hit a confident putt.' So if you really want to impress your playing partners during your next golf round, don't try to flex your muscle with the driver, just use Curry's easy trick in order to read greens — leading to less putts and lower scores. Related: How to Increase Club Head Speed With Your Driver Related: Ask a Golf Caddie: What's the Most Common Mistake Rec Players Make? Related: Pro Golfer Emilio Gonzalez Shares the Do's & Don'ts of a Perfect Pre-Shot Routine in Golf This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
McIlroy happy despite Scottish Open near miss
Some fell short. Others ran long. But none of Rory McIlroy's putts dropped on the back nine of this year's Scottish Northern Irishman needed birdies to regain the title he won in 2023 but ultimately could only scrawl a run of tidy pars on his card over the closing 10 holes at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. It prevented the 36-year-old from denying world number 158 Chris Gotterup a hugely-unexpected win. But, far from being rueful, McIlroy was upbeat as he packs up his things and heads home to the Antrim coast for this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush."No frustration; it's been a great week," he said of four rounds that concluded with him 13-under par after 19 birdies across the week."I'm really happy with where my game is; the way I played over the weekend; the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight. Missing the trophy, that's about it." McIlroy shared the lead with Gotterup going into Sunday's final round and led after the American dropped a shot on the on three set him back, before three birdies in five holes leading up to the ninth reignited his charge and returned him to the in unerringly similar scenes to his final round at the 2022 Open at St Andrews - when his inability to hole putts on the back nine prevented him beating Cam Smith - McIlroy's putter was cold and Gotterup edged to victory. "It was pretty windy and was hard to get the ball super close, but I gave myself plenty of chances coming down the stretch," the Northern Irishman said."I feel like the greens got a little bumpy. I had some good putts that just didn't go in, whether they were mis-reads or poor speed."But I feel like I've gotten out of this week what I wanted. I'm looking forward to getting to Portrush tonight and getting out on to the golf course early tomorrow."
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Why The Best Still Need A Coach: What Business Leaders Can Learn From Scottie Scheffler
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 14: Scottie Scheffler of the United States works with putting coach ... More Phil Kenyon in the practice area prior to the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 14, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by) Even the best in the world need coaching. To some, that might seem counterintuitive. After all, when you're on top—when you're winning championships, closing deals, or setting the pace for your industry—why bring someone else in? But that's exactly what the world's best do. They never stop learning, never stop improving—and they're humble enough to know they can't do it alone. Just ask Scottie Scheffler. Coming off a blistering run in 2022 and 2023—crowned the world's No. 1 golfer, earning PGA Tour Player of the Year, and capturing six titles including the Masters and the Players Championship—Scheffler could've easily settled into comfort. He was, by every metric, dominant. But Scheffler saw a gap in his game: putting. And instead of ignoring it or trying to brute-force his way through it, he brought in help. Not just anyone—Phil Kenyon, widely recognized as one of the sharpest putting minds in the sport. That decision didn't just fine-tune Scheffler's performance. It transformed it. 'I was arguably working too hard on my putting,' Scheffler admitted. 'Putting too much pressure on myself to be perfect… and that made me more excited to fix it.' That's what elite performers do. They turn frustration into fuel. Less than two years later, golf insiders are saying Scheffler is now one of the best putters on tour. Certainly, his résumé since partnering with Kenyon tells the story: 10 more wins, including another Masters, another Players Championship, the Tour Championship, the PGA Championship, and a gold medal in the Paris Olympics. That's what happens when you combine world-class talent with world-class coaching. 'Scottie has a natural intuition,' Kenyon said. 'We just helped him access it more effectively.' Scheffler didn't lose his edge—he sharpened it by inviting in a coach who could help him grow in an area he knew needed improvement. He didn't bring in a new coach because he was failing. Scheffler turned to Kenyon because he wasn't satisfied with being great when he could be greater. Viktor Hovland has also benefited from having a new coach. After becoming the first Norwegian player to win on the PGA Tour and capturing the FedEx Cup in 2023, Hovland seemed poised to break into the top echelon of golfers. But a winless 2024 season forced a moment of clarity and he brought in a new swing coach. PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Viktor Hovland of Norway reacts on the 14th hole during the ... More third round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass on March 16, 2024 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) 'I've been seeing better results in practice,' Hovland said in March. 'That's promising, because if I can't hit the shots in practice, there's no point in playing tournaments.' Later that month, Hovland overcame a three stoke deficit in the final holes of the Valspar Championship to beat Justin Thomas. It was a return to form for Hovland, and his first win in over a year. That's the power of coaching—especially when the pressure is mounting and expectations are high. The business world often celebrates individual genius, lone-wolf innovation, and self-made grit. But the best leaders know better. Coaching isn't about weakness. It's about refinement. It's about amplifying strengths. Mark Moses, the founder of CEO Coaching International, recently offered some insights into how to get results from coaching, including making sure everyone buys into it. 'Agreement is optional, commitment is not,' Moses said. 'Ultimately, we all have to be committed to it in order to achieve the outcome.' The smartest companies are already moving away from traditional performance improvement plans and toward embedded coaching cultures. CEO Coaching International has more than 1,200 clients in 75 countries across the globe. Why? Because they've learned what Scottie Scheffler has: even your A-players have room to grow—and the best of your best want to grow. NASSAU, BAHAMAS - NOVEMBER 29: Scottie Scheffler of The United States lines up a putt watched by ... More putting coach Phil Kenyon during the pro-am as a preview for the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on November 29, 2023 in Nassau, . (Photo by) Here's the truth every leader should carry with them: If your best people aren't being coached, they're either plateauing or preparing to leave. Just like on the golf course, it's not about correcting flaws—it's about helping greatness evolve. Scheffler didn't reinvent himself. He refined what was already extraordinary. He leaned into his humility, putting ego aside and bringing in someone who could make him sharper. That's a leadership blueprint and not just a sports story. The world's best are always learning. Are you?
Forbes
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
'From Claw To Conventional: A Look Into Professional Golf's Most Popular Putting Grips'
Arnold Palmer once said, 'Swing your swing,' encouraging golfers to find what works best for their game. Putting is no different. In fact, most of the strokes in an 18-hole round come from the putter, making it essential to find a grip that feels comfortable and effective. One of the unique aspects of golf is that there's no single way to grip a putter — a fact we see on display at every professional men's and women's tournament on TV. So let's analyze the top 20 OWGR (official world golf rankings) golfers in the world, and see what the majority of them are using for a Armlock Grip - 1 player (5%) The armlock method is a relatively recent putting technique, gaining popularity over the last decade. One common flaw in many golfers' putting strokes is overusing the hands and wrists. When the hands take over, the putter face and attack angle can shift dramatically during the stroke, making it difficult to return the face to square at impact. The armlock method counters this by using a much longer putter—typically 40 to 42 inches—that rests along the lead forearm. This setup allows the larger muscles in the shoulders and torso to control the stroke, reducing wrist action and promoting more consistent contact. In essence, it's designed to eliminate wrist movement altogether. So why hasn't it become the dominant method? The armlock stroke can feel stiff and robotic to some, and many tour players rely heavily on feel and touch in their hands—something the armlock can diminish. Used by - Bryson Dechambeau (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Left Hand Low Grip - 2 Players (10%) Left-hand low, also known as cross-handed, is a putting grip where the left hand is positioned below the right hand (for a right-handed golfer) on the putter. With the left hand leading the stroke, this grip helps limit wrist breakdown—promoting a more stable, consistent motion. We recently saw just how effective this method can be under pressure when J.J. Spaun sank a dramatic 64-foot birdie putt to win the U.S. Open using the cross-handed grip. In fact, three of the last six major championships have been won by players using the left-hand low technique—proof of its growing influence at the game's highest level. Used by - Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun (Photo by)The Claw Grip - 4 Players (20%) The claw grip has steadily grown in popularity on tour, with several top players—most notably world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler—adopting the technique. Katie Dawkins, a top-50 PGA Professional coach, explains: 'The claw putter grip puts the shoulders in charge and encourages a hands-free action. This creates a smooth stroke, which is particularly beneficial on fast greens. The grip minimizes right-hand dominance, helping maintain better control of the putter face.' The claw grip has become a go-to option for golfers who struggle with short putts, as it helps reduce hand tension and twitchiness under pressure. However, one challenge with this method can be lag putting, where feel and distance control are crucial. Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson even used a hybrid approach—opting for a conventional grip on longer putts and the claw on shorter ones. Ultimately, comfort and confidence rule in putting, and the claw has delivered results at the highest level: currently, three of the top six players in the Official World Golf Ranking are using it. Used by - Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley, Tommy Fleetwood (Photo by) Conventional Grip - 13 Players (65%) It's no surprise that the conventional grip remains the most popular choice among the world's best players—it closely mirrors the full-swing grip, making it feel natural and familiar. While hand placement can vary slightly from player to player, many top professionals use some variation of this classic style. Most golfers start with the conventional grip simply because it's how they first learn the game. As the saying goes, 'If it's not broke, don't fix it.' For many, the conventional grip is like a comfort blanket—something they either never leave or eventually return to after experimenting with other styles. And there's no questioning its legacy. Some of the greatest putters in golf history—Ben Crenshaw, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Seve Ballesteros, to name just a few—have all used the conventional grip with remarkable success. Used by: Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Hidecki Matsuyama, Robert Macintyre, Maverick McNealy, Ben Griffin, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay . (Photo by)
