TECPUTT at GOLFTEC a winner for your putting game!

There’s nothing like smashing that 300-yard drive down the middle of the fairway.

But there’s also nothing more frustrating following that drive with a bogey – or worse – because your short game stinks.

“Drive for show – putt for dough,” is an old and certainly overused cliché, but it’s also true. Your short game – especially your ability to stay away from three-putts can make or break your round.

I have always considered myself an above average putter, but in this humbling game we call golf, there is always room for improvement. That’s why when I had a chance to take a TECPUTT lesson at the GOLFTEC center in Pleasanton, I jumped at the chance.

My coach for the day was Wade Beucler IV. In the span of about 30 seconds, we agreed on the importance of putting and how its neglected by many golfers.

“I don’t think people practice it enough,” said Beucler. “If you focus on your short game, you can drop six shots off your game.”

Beucler is one of the Certified Personal Coaches, a group of instructors that go through an extensive and intensive course to earn their certification. The center offers some of the latest technology to help the golfer, but the goal is simple and straightforward.

“Our mail objective is for people to play better golf,” said Beucler.

The staff at GOLFTEC will work on any facet of your game, but for this visit it was all about putting and the company’s new enhanced putting lessons powered by TECPUTT.

The putting lessons use special sensors that pair with an analysis app to provide real-time motion analytics, 2D & 3D synchronized graphical playback, and video capture.

The lessons focus on creating a consistently repeatable putting stroke through analysis of target line as well as face and loft angles. All lessons are recorded and automatically uploaded to the cloud where students can review and compare performance.

It’s amazing technology and allows for the player to better understand the coach.

The lesson is broken down into a series of different drills allowing your coach to build an assessment of your putting stroke.

We started with basic eight-foot putts so Beucler had a chance to get familiar with my putting stroke. He added a sensor to my putter, helping me with alignment. The Biomech Golf sensor allows your coach to see what your stroke is doing.

Linked with a tablet, the data can be transferred to a big screen television for better viewing. I found the technology very cool and it did give me a better idea of my putting stroke.

Next up was an assessment of my directional abilities. This was a unique drill where you try to roll the ball along a four-foot ruler. It was kind of like a 120-yard shot over water. Take the water away and you hit the green the majority of the time. Put the water out there and the shot gets much tougher. No ruler and it’s easy to roll it straight for four feet -put the ruler there and initially it’s tougher to roll it straight!

Next up was a speed control drill. The idea, as always, is to make the putt. Here, additionally you don’t want to leave it short, but if you miss, you don’t want to go any further than 18-inches past the hole.

We also worked on an alignment drill where I didn’t hit the putt, but rather worked on my consistency of approach and address of the putt.

All together it gives your coach a great base to formulate a lesson approach.

The ability to see the information immediately on the big screen made it much easier to understand what Beucler was trying to explain.

“Our visual aids are key,” said Beucler. “You’re not trying to feel what we are doing – you can see it.”

For more information check out www.golftec.com.