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Hey Geoff,

I've had a lot of early success with your method, thank you.

Everything works well for me except the wall concept. I don't like imagining a wall behind the putt because it's like I am worrying about missing it and that's never a good frame of mind for me in putting.

Instead I just feel rhythm for the speed and the best arc to give the best chance to sink the putt and that is working well for me along with the rest of it.

I am interested to hear what you think of this and whether I took up the concept incorrectly. Thanks in advance.

After only four rounds this year, I have found the concept of 'defining the space', as Geoff explains in his video, the best putting advise ever. Between 4-6 three putts a round has been my normal for past few years. Four years ago I hit 15 greens and three putted 4 of the first 5 greens. Only birdie was 3 feet.

Since defining the space and trusting 'my rhythm', approach putting has been much improved. The more consistently I get it to the hole, and within the defined space, the more putts I'll hole, and I am.

Understanding 'holing speed', as Geoff explains in the video, is also a big help. Had to laugh to myself, in a recent scramble when partners talked about taking out the break and bombing the ball into the hole. Understanding the physics and trusting the subconscious takes out worry/stress.
Now if I could only find the fall line, quicker.

darryl tateishi wrote:


Well, maybe I am defining the space in just finding the correct speed via my rhythm. My speed is pretty good, I rarely three putt now. Actually the only three putt I had in my last round was on 18 when I said I'd try to use the wall concept again on a short one and yanked it because I wasn't comfortable with the concept!

Everything else Geoff lays out I have taken too like a duck to water and am delighted with it, just don't like or haven't understood this one.

Have to admit that defining the space on putts under 6 feet, has given me the yips a couple of times; but I think that comes from learning to trust my rhythm?

Hey Hoganfan, as you try to decipher any of Geoff's stuff remember an overall general thought of "what works and why with the instincts". In nature any animal will never instinctually go past a given target. Example; go past a cliff and die and don't ever pass on your less than brilliant genes to the next generation. Reach out for the door handle and go past it and OUCH that was a mistake. Very early in Geoff's warm up he will always putt long putts to the fringe from many different positions using the fringe to warm up the "staying alive" instincts of "going right up to and never past". The fringe is a visible physical wall and that view of something physical helps; always has, always will. To visualize a small one brick high wall laid down PERFECTLY on the back side of the fall line is a great help to remind the instincts of the exact place to "cozy up to but not go past" the fall line. If you bust through the fall line early you will always miss high.

As I understand this principle it’s just “part” of your pre shot and not a chief principal,
Once you have decided on your line and have picked your “spot” start point you then while looking at the hole, you see the “space” then find your rhythm for that given putt. Step in, lock/activate your left hip and stroke/deliver the ball. Then pick it out of the cup.
It does sound a bit long winded when I try to put it in words, but I can assure you this works for me, bearing in mind this is “my” interpretation of Geoff’s work.
I consider myself as a reasonable putter, I use to be happy with 30/31 putts. I’m now aiming for 28 to 30.

Chris Graham wrote:


Yea, I just need to connect it with the best area to come at the hole depending on the arc of the putt and feel the speed for that space as it would roll to a stop if there was no hole there.

I've been close to putting awfully well but I was still leaving some good long putts short when they had a chance and things like that.

However, I am delighted with the progress anyway, I just don't miss from 5 feet in anymore and get great speed on my long putts. In other words I don't three putt.

This rhythm thing has also really helped my chipping, especially the chip and run.

That’s great to hear, I’m with you on the 5ft putts it’s a fine feeling to have, and I’m just trying to extend that to 8ft.
I just played in a 36 hole minor tournament and one of my playing partners said that I looked like I was going to hole everything I looked at. Getting that type of comment of your peers confirms to me that finding Geoff has changed my game a 1000 fold.
I’m going to look at my chipping technique and if it works like you say that’s possibly another shot a round I could save.
Cheers Chris

Chris Graham wrote:


I know man, I'm renowned at my club as a poor putter but I played with new players the last day and they were commenting on my solidity with the short stick and good looking stroke!

The great thing is I haven't even worked at it other than just learning his method and off I went. I could get my setup better as I've a tendency to put the ball too forward and to be a bit open. And I would get better at using the method and also just get better at reading and judgement with practise as well.

I'd consider myself a good putter now. I strike them well with a nice roll, don't do anything daft, hole out well, plus hole a few nice ones per round.

My aim now is to essentially widen my solid range from 5 to 8 feet and hole more from 12 to 20 feet.

Some of my chip and runs have uncanny speed control as well where the ball just cosies up to the hole, despite my lack of practise. This rhythm thing definitely taps into our natural instinct for finding distance and speed. More practise and my short game could be really top notch from a poor standard before!

Ok, so we have patted ourselves on the back and were walking tall. Small words of warning there is going to be a time or period those things go a tad off the boil, this is when we need to be strong and revisit Geoff video’s etc. I mention this because in the mid 90’s I was gold on the green until I thought I need to hole more 20 footers and go very technical and “correct” went from very good to c@#% in a season so let’s let this grow naturally and enjoy the journey.

Going to practise my chip a run distance control tomorrow, really looking forward to it.
Cheers Chris

Chris Graham wrote:


Sure, at some point a bad habit may creep in and we will need to review the material.

I haven't total understanding of it yet either which is why I still need to go over it a few times again anyway.

But what I will say is I won't be leaving this behind because I know it is the truth about putting. I want to improve at this method and anything else I might add won't change anything of what geoff is saying.

I have one or two ideas that may add to this or do nothing at all, just mainly mental things and tracking with your eyes mentioned in the banana putting course. I don't think you can add to this technically in terms of putting technique or reading greens.

I’ve played and practised a few times since my last post. Your right using this “back stop” technique is a fantastic addition to my chip & run, along with focusing on the landing spot I’m really pleased.

-1 under today with 28 putts, was never really in trouble, didn’t hole any chips but had 4 tap in’s.

We need to spread the word about Geoff, this site, his site, Ebooks and youtube stuff it’s worth every penny.

I agree. Mangum's stuff is brilliant.

I am in consensus with the thought about creating a negative thought in the putt.
On Mangum's website, he talks about staring at the hole for at least 4 seconds to lock the spatial relationship of the hole (distance wise) into your rhythm.

I personally do this while just naturally allowing my stroke to get bigger during practice swings (back and through). Man, it's amazing how well it works. Find the high side, give yourself permission to make a smooth stroke, and GO. It really works. Letting go and trusting your brain is the most foreign thing to a golfer, but Mangum is spot on.