91 replies to this topic

[BradFaxon]

zgarbo12, on 27 February 2012 - 01:34 PM, said:

Hey Brad,

What is the best piece of putting advice that you have ever received and what is the number 1 putting tip that you give out to players?

Thanks for chatting!

Zach

Zach, Ben Crenshaw told me that he says its OK if your head and knees move when you putt!  I always thought that was a great tip and I have never worried about being totally still and that single tip has really relaxed me over the ball.  The best single tip I can give is to putt like it doesn't matter or you don't care or like you were in a scramble and making it was all that mattered so you didn't have to worry about the next one!

[Connell22]

Hey Brad, can you believe it's not butter? Thanks

[ram01002]

Same question I have asked the other pros - - what is the one thing you have learned on tour that you wish you would have known when you started your career?

Thanks!

[QMany]

What is your pre-putt routine?

What are some of your favorite putting drills?

[Golfwarrior]

Hey Brad, who do you think is the best putter on the PGA tour right now?

[dsparob]

This is awesome that you are on here, I have been a big fan for a long time!!!

I love that you seem to keep it simple with regards to your thought process, your mindest on the course is sure one that I have tried to model my own after.  I try not to get too mechanical, though it's tough when things are going wrong

You said you love to spend time on the putting green, what is your favourite game or drill that you could just go for hours at?

Thanks again for being here, and to WRX for hosting this!

[BradFaxon]

cocolamb22, on 27 February 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

Hi Mr. Faxon:

I am currently a college player who, ever since I moved out of home and to my new place, have struggled greatly to find my game again. Any advice? Also, I am a right handed player/left eye dominant, is there and specifics I should be looking into when choosing a putter? Currently game a newport 2.

Thanks in advance!

Well, tough to answer some of these but I don't know if there is a theory behind eye dominance and the type of putter you should use.  There are all kinds of players with opposite hand to eye dominance that have used all sorts of putters.  I would say use the one you like the look of the most and the Newport ll is pretty good place to start.
As for finding your game in college, figure out what is different, ie type of grasses, schedule, practice time, coaching philosophies and go back to what things made you play better at home.  This may take some time and thought but learning to play well on the road is a huge part of being a great player on TOur

[mk920]

Hi Brad,

Thanks or taking the time to answer some of our questions. Here is a Tiger question for ya. You have seen Tiger at his best when he drained everything in sight. What do you see in his stroke now that is different than when he was at his best? What would you do to fix him?

[bu11dog]

Thanks for answering my other question and putting me with such good company!  

One more question.  What's Billy Andrade really like?

[BradFaxon]

Golfwarrior, on 27 February 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Hey Brad, who do you think is the best putter on the PGA tour right now?

Again, really hard to say at one moment in time, but Luke Donald appears to me to have made so many putts in the last year and is world number 1. Steve Stricker is a favorite of mine as well.  When you watch a match like Mahan vs Rory yesterday they both were pretty good with the blade and oh yeah, Mark Wilson is no slouch either!

[dmpond]

Brad...Furman alum here and still amazed that you shot course record 62 (28/34) while there as a student....go paladins!

What has been the biggest putt that you have ever holed?  How do you keep your stroke rock solid while nervous?

Edited by dmpond, 27 February 2012 - 01:48 PM.

[stuart.f.cohen]

Brad, thank you for doing this.  How do you feel about face balanced vs plumbers neck putter and necks with even more toe hang.  How is the best way to get fitted?  Do you think the line on the ball is helpful or makes you more mechanical?

[eagle1997]

Greetings Brad!  I had the pleasure of meeting you at the 2012 PGA Show  at the Zero Restriction booth and you gave me and my 2 friends signed  hats and told a great story involving you and arnold palmer.  big laughs  all around.  congrats on your recent senior tour success!

i am considering switching over to the stack and tilt and have started  to incorporate basic elements into my current swing.  how difficult did  you find the transition from your "old" swing?  how long and how much  practice did you put in until the moves felt natural and less  mechanical?  Appreciate any response.  

Good luck in all your future tournaments, I will be rooting for you!   Thanks for doing this live chat on golfwrx.  We all really appreciate  it.

[Golfwarrior]

BradFaxon, on 27 February 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

Golfwarrior, on 27 February 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Hey Brad, who do you think is the best putter on the PGA tour right now?

Again, really hard to say at one moment in time, but Luke Donald appears to me to have made so many putts in the last year and is world number 1. Steve Stricker is a favorite of mine as well.  When you watch a match like Mahan vs Rory yesterday they both were pretty good with the blade and oh yeah, Mark Wilson is no slouch either!

Thanks Brad, best to you!

[BradFaxon]

QMany, on 27 February 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

What is your pre-putt routine?

What are some of your favorite putting drills?

QMany

BTW, nice picture of your swing if that is you!
I have a routine where I like to line the PRO V1 line on my starting line, look down the line and see the ball like an action track going into the hole, I usually make one practice stroke by the ball similar to the stroke I will use and then put the putter behind the ball and look twice and go!  No wasting time.

Love to practice lots of shorter putts with lots of break to get my creative side of the brain working!

[stryper]

BradFaxon, on 27 February 2012 - 01:39 PM, said:

Zach, Ben Crenshaw told me that he says its OK if your head and knees move when you putt!  I always thought that was a great tip and I have never worried about being totally still and that single tip has really relaxed me over the ball.  The best single tip I can give is to putt like it doesn't matter or you don't care or like you were in a scramble and making it was all that mattered so you didn't have to worry about the next one!

Love that approach...it's amazing how easy it is to putt when you've mentally given up on a hole and you really don't care. Just curious about whether you use an alignment line on the ball, or do you go strictly by feel/imagination to get it rolling in the right direction?

Also, as everyone before em said, thanks for this great opportunity

[BradFaxon]

dmpond, on 27 February 2012 - 01:47 PM, said:

Brad...Furman alum here and still amazed that you shot course record 62 (28/34) while there as a student....go paladins!

What has been the biggest putt that you have ever holed?  How do you keep your stroke rock solid while nervous?

GO FU!

Hard to pick one putt but I would have to say at Riviera in the 95 PGA on Sunday I made a 12 footer on 18 to shoot 63 and make the Ryder Cup team.  That was big as was a 6 footer on the 18th hole at Valderama to beat Faldo and Westwood while they were 1 and 2 on European team

When I am nervous, which is a lot, I remember that I have putted many times successfully and made putts.  Actually cherishing the nerves is better than fighting them, it means you still care!

[SeekonkHolen1]

Brad,

I would like to have had prepared a great question for you regarding your career. However, I would prefer to Thank You for the work that you do supporting the Game itself! I am a former Rhode Islander (still live close by in Seekonk MA now)and your continued efforts with the CVS Charity Classic are appreciated!

[BradFaxon]

stuart.f.cohen, on 27 February 2012 - 01:47 PM, said:

Brad, thank you for doing this.  How do you feel about face balanced vs plumbers neck putter and necks with even more toe hang.  How is the best way to get fitted?  Do you think the line on the ball is helpful or makes you more mechanical?

Experts will make a case for using a particular type of putter or neck depending on the type of stroke you have butt I would say you have to you use what you like.  As obvious or as simple as that sounds, you need to like what you look at!  Kind of like your girlfriend or wife or piece of art, that is priority one, then it has to feel right and then you have to make some putts but I would never tell anyone to use only one type of putter.
I have used the line for years and lots of people say it helps and some say it makes them mechanical.  I have gotten pretty good at learning how to aim the line (PRO V1) down my target line

[SwingLikeElk]

Hi Brad,

I'm sure you've helped so many guys through the years. Who originally taught YOU some of the things you've used through your career? Father, teachers, etc.?

[cocolamb22]

BradFaxon, on 27 February 2012 - 01:44 PM, said:

cocolamb22, on 27 February 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

Hi Mr. Faxon:

I am currently a college player who, ever since I moved out of home and to my new place, have struggled greatly to find my game again. Any advice? Also, I am a right handed player/left eye dominant, is there and specifics I should be looking into when choosing a putter? Currently game a newport 2.

Thanks in advance!

Well, tough to answer some of these but I don't know if there is a theory behind eye dominance and the type of putter you should use.  There are all kinds of players with opposite hand to eye dominance that have used all sorts of putters.  I would say use the one you like the look of the most and the Newport ll is pretty good place to start.
As for finding your game in college, figure out what is different, ie type of grasses, schedule, practice time, coaching philosophies and go back to what things made you play better at home.  This may take some time and thought but learning to play well on the road is a huge part of being a great player on TOur

you're the bomb brad. thanks!

[BradFaxon]

ram01002, on 27 February 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Same question I have asked the other pros - - what is the one thing you have learned on tour that you wish you would have known when you started your career?

Thanks!

That's a good question to end on, I have really appreciated the Chat and there have been some good questions and some tough ones and other i won't touch!  When I first got on TOUR I thought that I needed to be the best driver, longest hitter, best iron player, greatest putter and short game guy all at the same time. Rare is it when one guy has it all working!  I think really that knowing your strengths are important and find a way to highlight them in your game rather than always working on a fault.  
In a perfect world, putting and short game would be the strengths that are most important and they can be improved.  
You don't need to do everything perfect to be a  great player

[BradFaxon]

jbarto22, on 27 February 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

Hows your relationship with Sluman and Dudley Hart? I work at their course in Rochester,NY ,great guys

Also do you think these mallet putters are getting out of hand, and do you believe they provide any added benefit over a tradition blade?

thanks brad!

NEver heard of either one of them!  Actually love both those guys and laugh a lot whenever i see either.  It's hard as a BRuin fan to hang with Dudley during hockey season but his triplets and my daughter are buddies!

[bu11dog]

Thanks again for taking the time with us today!  Much appreciated!

[BradFaxon]

Thanks for the Chat everyone, sorry if I didn't answer your question or didn't answer it well.  that hour went fast. Keep practicing that short game!
Best,

Brad

[LeftyPrice]

Brad,

Thanks for taking the time out of your day to answers these questions, its greatly appreciated! Any advice to keep your game up to par in the off-season? Live in Missouri and it is just now starting to get warm enough to kick off the 2012 season. Besides the gym in the off-season any tips or drills to perform in the house when you do not have the indoor facilities/range at your side?

Thanks again,

Chance

[HipCheck]

BradFaxon, on 27 February 2012 - 02:08 PM, said:

Thanks for the Chat everyone, sorry if I didn't answer your question or didn't answer it well.  that hour went fast. Keep practicing that short game!
Best,

Brad

Great questions everyone. Thanks Brad for joining us at GolfWRX today.  Hopefully we can do this again.  

[LeftyPrice]

Thanks for your time Brad! Some great replies to questions asked by fellow WRXers!!

[smgoldstein]

Thanks Brad for taking the time.

[pga43]

BradFaxon, on 27 February 2012 - 02:08 PM, said:

Thanks for the Chat everyone, sorry if I didn't answer your question or didn't answer it well.  that hour went fast. Keep practicing that short game!
Best,

Brad

Thanks, Brad!  We appreciate the fact that you were able to find some time in what is a very busy schedule to do the chat.  Play well this year.

See you at RICC for the CVS.

Greg