CHECK OUT THESE HOT TIPS THAT WILL ADD TO YOUR L2 LATERAL LINE  TECHNIQUE

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                 -----DEVELOP A PRE-STROKE RITUAL AND THEN----

                                           TRUST IT   

 Without a well thought out pre-stroke ritual that covers green reading, distance assessment, alignment, and repeatable mechanics, you will never be a good putter no matter what style or club you use. However, simply going through a little ritual without trusting the outcome is even more hopeless.

  Our subconscious mind wants to second guess everything prior to the stroke. The more time you give it, the more it will. So whatever you decide is your best preparation prior to the putt, stick with the decision.... and putt. The odds are it will be the best putt you can give it . If it fails, at least you can re-evaluate what went wrong knowing the facts. Was my alignment wrong? my green reading,  mechanics or a combination? When you allow your subconscious mind to "tinker" with your stroke after you have made your pre-stroke decisions, you can jeopardize any one of these factors or a combination without really knowing which to blame, the conscious preparation, or the subconscious correction.  You can usually tell when it was a subconscious mistake though, because you would have felt a need to give it a liitle more pull to the left or push to the right. You may feel your backstroke shorten up or perhaps sense your stroking hand "pushing the club head through the ball", [ you know, hitting ], to create some last minute power . Your little muscles and their "need to control" will kick into gear. I am sure you planned none of this during your pre-stroke ritual, so why would you attempt it during the actual stroke? Because you gave yourself too much time prior to the putt to second guess yourself.  This is how you lose the muscle memory of the preview stroke, and  how you allow doubt to creep into your process.

    If in fact you don't feel the correct size of the stroke when you are ready to putt, or you begin to question your read or alignment, then step away and do it again. Don't try to make corrections " on the fly" with your subconscious.

 A good pre-stroke ritual I recommend to get you started until you become comfortable enough with the LATERAL LINE system and the L2 putter to create your own, is as follows;

 1. Make an overall green assesment looking at the contours, and conditions.

  2. When you have developed a plan and picture of the putt in front of you, position yourself behind the ball, facing the hole with your body and club in the general direction that you will be putting,   facing down the AIM LINE .

  3. Assess the DISTANCE needed to reach the cup using your binocular vision and depth perception as you begin a continuous pendulum tempo stroke. Feel the size of the backstroke and follow-through and sense the weight of the L2 and feel a free swinging shoulder motion that is in tune with the pendulum tempo, [about 58 beats per minute].  This is also a time to relax and soften the "bend and extend" of your stroking elbow while the L2 rests in the "U" of  your stroking hand as it goes along for the ride of the motion and your anchor hand keeps the L2 secure and stable.

  As you consider green conditions, [uphill or downhill, fast greens or slow], you will begin to see the AIM LINE  and the  distance  merge into the actual TRACK LINE to the cup. 

TUNE INTO THIS EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT IS THE HEART OF THE LATERAL LINE SYSTEM. 

   4. Now you are ready to place the L2 down behind the ball, being sure you are pointing it down the AIM LINE, [now the TRACK LINE], you have chosen. Tilting the L2 back toward you after you set it down, displays the front edge of the parallel alignment marks close to the face, for better ball framing. Once you have the line, place the shaft virtical and position the L2 flat on the ground  keep your eye on the head as you continue your setup so it does not move! Be deliberate about this because without the exact face alignment with the TRACK LINE, everything up to this point will have been wasted, and everything after will not work.

  5. Now things will move along. You will want to finish the rest of this next process with a better pace, [BUT DON'T RUSH YOURSELF].

 While you continuously look at the head,Step up next to the L2 and be sure you have your feet, hips, and shoulders pointing in the same direction as the club face and that the L2 head is about 1 to 1 1/4 club head widths away from your inside foot, [ right foot for right handers], and  that the L2 head remains flat on the ground, with your toes parallel to the face. Give attention to your address position and be as exact as you can, especially being aware of the direction your stroking shoulder is pointing...down the line.

 YOUR ENTIRE BODY ALIGNMENT IS DONE USING ONLY THE L2 HEAD. THERE IS NO NEED TO LOOK UP AT THE HOLE AGAIN UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO PUTT. DOING SO CAN CAUSE YOUR ALIGNMENT TO BE SECOND GUESSED AND THE L2 HEAD TO POSSIBLY BE MOVED.

  6. When your alignment is assured,  give the L2 a couple of light taps on the ground, making sure you do not change the face direction as you do.  This little tap allows you to feel the weight of the club for a better takeaway and also insures that when you apply ANCHOR HAND pressure to lift up the L2 for the stroke, that your hand will be in a neutral position and not turn or twist the head. This is also the time you will feel  putter pressure against the thumb of your stroking hand as the lifting of the club will require it to maintain the lie angle.

  7. from this eye position of looking down at the ball and L2 head, follow the track line to the cup, and make your stroke. Your final look at the cup should be a soft overall view of the entire putting picture. Don't get "tunnel visioned" on the hole.

    You will want to  feel the stroke tempo and visualize the L2 face going square back and square forward as you did in your preview. DON'T START SECOND GUESSING YOUR LINE, OR MAKING ANY LAST SECOND GREEN OBSERVATIONS THAT COULD EFFECT YOUR STROKE SIZE . Just say to yourself . ..    "STROKE SIZE... SQUARE BACK AND                  SQUARE FORWARD"  

                                     AND GO WITH IT!

                                          WARNING

 Your binocular vision is only for distance assessment as you make your stroke. do not look at a specific point to aim at. Doing so will cause you to steer the club and control the motion which will disrupt your mechanics and distort all of your preparation.

  Doing this ritual in front of a full length mirror while your metronome ticks out 58 beats per minute, will put it all together.

  The prestroke ritual is the ACTION you take for a successful outcome. A subconscious, last minute doubt and the adjustment that results from it, is a REACTION to what you hope will happen because you are not trusting your preparation.

                Now your subconscious can spend its time visualizing the successful outcome of the putt, and leave the rest to your pre-stroke ritual and the resulting feel, touch, direction, alignment, and the sound mechanics of the Lateral Line system...... and your new best friend, the L2 Putter. 

  THE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO FOUND IN PART 2, WILL FURTHER ADD TO THIS HOT TIP AND GIVE YOU A VISUAL REFERENCE OF THIS PRE-STROKE RITUAL.  

                          The following "HOT TIP" comes to us from  

                            Phil Scott, PGA Professional

           and course designer from Australia                                                    

   For "facing the hole" putting (hence a generalization of that methodology]    there are basically two styles or processes :                                                                                                              

-

         THINK CLUB ENERGY INSTEAD OF BALL SPEED 

   We hear the term ball speed or pace to discribe the distance a ball rolls on the green, but are we actually controling the speed, or should we be thinking about the distance the ball rolls?

  The best way to see the difference is with a steep downhill or uphill putt.  With a downhill putt, even if we create a slight impact on the ball, it rolls fast down the hill and may even increase speed as it goes. On uphill rolls, the ball will decrease in speed as it moves up the hill and reaches the cup area.  Did we do that or was it gravity and the green condition?

  When making any putt, there is an optimum DISTANCE  that needs to be covered. It has been shown that a ball rolled with enough energy to go 12 to 18 inches past a cup before stopping, stands the best chance of holding the line and still have the capability of falling into the cup from the lip. [ I think 12-18 inches covers the optimum distance range and is a range easier to see.]   The speed in which the ball rolls, in order to cover this specific distance, is pre-determined by the green conditions and the required energy needed to putt the ball to a distance that would have it come to rest 12-18 inches past the cup if you miss.

. To think otherwise would be putting the cart before the horse.

  It is far better to judge the distance to the hole, while taking into consideration the green conditions, and then determine the amount of ENERGY  you will need to generate with your stroke size, in order to make the putt. When you think ENERGY you will feel stroke size and how your gravity fed motion will transfer this energy to the ball to move it the distance the putt requires. Once again, remember that the speed the ball travels after this takes place is not important as long as the energy you transfered to the ball, gets it to the cup, or 12-18 inches past, if you miss. That energy comes from stroke size and a steady tempo.

  A good putting stroke happens when the ball "get in the way" of the club during the stroke. But when you think BALL SPEED, you can easily get pulled into hitting the ball, and controlling the club which is unreliable .

         So think ENERGY TRANSFER to sink your next putt.

        RELEASE THE L2 FOR A FULL FOLLOW-THROUGH

  We have discussed the importance of backstroke awareness for determining distance control, but of equal importance is releasing the L2 through the ball to complete the stroke. It is easy to get pulled into the habit of "short stroking" through the ball in an effort to second guess your backstroke size. This "holding back" tactic takes away any chance of learning how to feel the proper distance motion of the stroke.

  So trust your binocular distance choice and allow the L2 to do the rest.

                                THE L2 WEIGHT CHALLENGE 

  The most common "first use challenge" that a new L2 owner seems to face deals with the weight of the L2. With a club weight of over 2 lbs. the L2 is probably the heaviest putter most golfers have tried. But in what reguard is the L2 "heavy"?  I have taught children as young as 8 years old how to use the L2 who are using the same head and grip, with a club shortened for their size[ my 9 and 12 year old grandsons are shown in my Part 1 video]. They swing it with a full smooth tempo that allows them to make putts of different lengths with amazing consistency and never comment on the club weight. So it isn't because the club is too heavy for a shoulder motion which they willingly use. Then what is it that  makes the L2 become too heavy for an adult? To answer this question, we need to take a look at what we have been doing with our light conventional clubs and our traditional stroke up to this point. 

  We use our fingers,hands, and wrists to do most of our daily work. They move things, hit things, unscrew things and grab things all day long.  It is very natural to apply these body parts for use in both precision and power practices. We most certainly make use of them when we take a full swing with our other clubs .When we are standing in a traditional putting position,[ the same general address position as in the full swing,] fingers,hands,and wrists, along with forearms and body turn, are easy to unintentionally apply to the putting stroke. While they are very effective from tee to green, when it comes to putting, they are not a good choice.  The reason why is because they are not dependable when the pressure is on. During our practice putting, these body parts can be quite stable and consistent. But elevate our heart rate and pump in some adrenaline out on the course, and they become different then they were on the practice green, [ the source of the yips, and everyone who has putted with a light putter has yipped!].  Knowing this, most golfers spend a great deal of their putting time,[or at least they should] , working on a stroke that keeps the adrenaline muscles out of their motion.  Unfortunately, the little control muscles can be successful at getting the ball into the cup on occasion. They feel very natural and easy to apply, so they can be hard to get rid of.  But natural is not necessarily better,  Simpler is not necessarily easier, and "feeling good", does not always mean "being good".

  So to ask the same question as earlier, when is it that the L2 becomes too heavy?  It becomes too heavy when we subconciously or inadvertantly try to use fingers, hands, or wrists to move the L2. When a pressure putt is attempted, this is a time when we want ultimate control of the club in order to get the ball into the cup. What muscles would you expect to kick into gear for such a motion...fingers, hands and wrists. We may be using some or all of these muscles on the practice green, but in a low adrenaline situation, they will tend to "behave themselves".  Unlike lightweight clubs that will allow these natural, but undependable muscles and joints to sneak into the stroke, the L2 will not allow these body parts into the swing without feeling too big and heavy.

  By generating a constent tempo thanks to the L2s head weight,  thick heavy grip, and a free swinging shoulder motion , a guided backstroke and follow-through that only a heavy, well balanced club can produce can create a pressure proof motion. The weight allows us to tap into the steady state of gravity, which does not need  the little control muscles we may want to favor but can't trust when the pressure is on. 

  So when you are working with the L2 and the Lateral Line system  and you think the club feels "too heavy", think about exactly WHY it feels too heavy, and you may just discover that the shoulder stroke and pendulum motion you thought you had has been contaminated by the little muscles you aren't supposed to be using.  Relax and Tap into the slow, smooth, always dependable motion of your gravity fed pendulum stroke. The end result of this system is a simpler way to putt when it really counts..... when the pressure is on.                   

              START WORKING WITH YOUR L2 INDOORS FIRST

  After you receive your new L2 putter, take some time to learn the mechanics of the system in front of a full length mirror before you venture out onto the green. The distraction of the ball and cup and the "need to succeed", takes you away from your first objective which should be to learn the mechanics of the stroke. Working in front of a mirror will give you time to "Police" yourself as you get aquanted with and gain confidence in the system. Begin by Checking on your alignment  while facing the mirror to see that your feet,hips, and shoulders are square, while the L2 face does the same.  Start a continuous stroking motion while you check your anchor arm for stability as your anchor hand rotates and supports the club weight.  Make a full pendulum motion of your stroking shoulder with your backstrokes as long as the forward strokes. Your stroking arm should have a relaxed flex at the elbow that bends on the backstroke and and extends on the follow-through. This "piston action" aids in freeing your stroking shoulder to supply the motion. Your stroking hand should not be holding onto the grip, but only guiding the motion with your stroking thumb supporting the shafts lie angle, and our fingers off the grip or slightly touching. Using This" image analysis", is also a great way to become comfortable looking up while you stroke rather than down at the club.  The big face of the L2 should stay square as it moves through the air in a smooth, effortless motion.  This is the time to get a feel for the rhythm and the tempo of the pendulum stroke. A metronome, [a tempo tool found at most music stores], set to 58 beats per minute will give you the correct pace while you work to vary the size of the stroke while keeing to the beat of the metronome. The tempo of 58 beats is the rhythm that the L2 pendulum machine, [seen in our videos] swings. The pendulum machine was the inspiration for the Lateral Line stroke and is the motion to emulate. Remember that the weight of the L2 gives you the ability to tap into gravity which is a great zero reference point to keep you constant and take away the yips. 

  As you become more comfortable, you can begin to do more  work on the green in order to gauge your progress. But keep giving more time to your indoor work then the outdoor until you learn to trust the system. The L2 putter will do a lot to keep you square and smooth, so do more to guide it and less to control it. When you Spend your early work looking at your reflexion more then the hole, you will settle into a method of putting that will lower your score and give you years of enjoyment. Being in to big of a hurry to test out the Lateral Line system in playing conditions can lead to early frustration, and create some bad habits. Be sure to reference the material on the website as you practice and stay the course, you will enjoy the results. 

             THE LATERAL LINE SYSTEM WILL EXPOSE

                          GREEN READING ERRORS

             It has been shown that the average golfer under-reads breaks on a green.  In  DAVID PELZ PUTTING BIBLE  , Dave exposes an aspect to green reading that is not only eye opening, but helps to explain some of the early challenges you may experience with your new L2.  In his book, Dave states how "when testing 1500 golfers including 50 PGA tour professionals,not one of these players was reading as much break as actually existed on any of their putts."   But what is interesting about Dave's study is that after under-reading the break, they would line themselves up on a track that allowed for more break then they saw .  Then, during the stroke, their subconscious mind would further compensate by adding even more break to the putt, creating a ball roll that was reasonably close to the actual break but usually below the hole.  To depend on extra alignment and stroke compensations that a golfer is not even aware of, is not the way to be a consisent putter.  To better explain, a putt with a 9" break is seen by most golfers as only 3". When the golfer then lines up, his alignment sets him up for a 6" break. But not to be outdone, the subconscious further compensates by adding another few inches. This "unaware" putting system is not only undependable, but certainly is not Simple!  However, being that it is so well ingrained in a golfers putting method, it is also not something that is easily changed.

  Applying these "unaware compensations"  to the Lateral Line system, is not easily done. What you see is what you get with the L2, and if what you see is subconsciously not what you want, you will be attempting to push or pull your shots with a club and style that will fight you all the way, while your new, more  accurate alignment method of squaring you to the clubhead, will place you exactly down the same aim line you saw when you stood behind the ball....you know, the under-read line . This all but eliminates any subconscious alignment adjustment.  The head weight, flat bottom, and large grip combined with the pendulum shoulder motion of the stroke, will not be easily manipulated resulting in a poor putt and a "bad feeling" during the stroke. The bad feeling is the result of the clash between what you think you see and what actually is there.

  The answer is to pay attention to your initial read and be sure to give yourself more break then you think. Then when you make your stroke, keep it "square back and square forward" and keep the subconscious out of your mechanics. 

   As Dave Pelz says,"By under-reading putts, you are requiring your subconscious to compensate by a different amount on every putt. That means your body must make a different stroke on every putt on every green. And there is no way you [or any golfer] can learn to properly execute a different stroke with different compensations on every putt nearly as well as you can learn to groove and repeat one stroke [one with absolutely no compensations] for all of those putts. Remember? Simpler is better. And simpler tends to be the stroke with the fewest compensations." 

  With the L2 putter and the Lateral Line stroke, the need to control is not necessary. Keep it simple and if you miss a putt, be sure you are not letting your old control habits sneak into the stroke, give your breaks more read then you think, and the L2 will do the rest.

 To "TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT" is not just for some of your putting, but for all of it.

 [the statistcs and comments taken from Mr. Pelz book, although general as to the nature of putting, do not imply any indorsment for the L2 putter or the Lateral Line system but are simply supporting the notion of a pendulum stroke.]   

                              THE REAL "DIFFERENCE" BETWEEN

                            HITTING AND STROKING A PUTT 

                        To best demonstrate the reason why conventional putts  are unintentionally "hit", even though it is generally excepted that a stroking motion is superior, I have incorporated some statistics and comments taken from what I think is one of the most comprehensive books on Putting, written by Putt guru Dave Pelz. In his book intitled DAVID PELZ PUTTING BIBLE  ,  Mr. Pelz conducted a test using the putting strokes of 150 amateurs by measuring the lengths of their strokes when they putted various distances.   The averaged results showed that while the lengths of their backstrokes  varied only 6 ", the lengths of the putts produced varied from 6ft. to 30ft.! This means that their backswing only varied 6" while producing putt lengths ranging from 6ft. to 30ft.- a varience of only 6" for 24ft., or 1/4" per foot. To transfer that much energy with such a small amount of backstroke change means that the golfer needs to supply the extra energy with muscle strength and or body movement.   Given such a small range of motion, the hands,  wrists, and fingers must be used. This also means that this small degree of backstroke change needs to be mentally calculated since the distance required for the given putt is being "remembered" while looking at the ball.  These adrenaline effected muscles now become the source of control.   Any desire to restrict these little muscles from becoming too involved with the stroke can mean the need for body turn or forearm rotation to supply the extra energy,  which will lead to a distorted direction.  This need for directional control causes us to limit club movement, which means a shortened backstroke.   The relitively light putter heads used for the conventional stroke, demand attention in order to keep the face square down the aim line while we make contact with the small sweetspot for optimum putter performance.  No wonder the backstroke is small!.  It's like patting your head while you rub your stomach but at variable speeds!

 Mr. Pelz then goes on to say, " The alternitive to "hitting" your putts is to "stroke" them.   And the ultimate stroke is the pendulum stroke, which requires "dead hands" to make it a pure pendulum." 

 The Lateral Line stroke and the L2 putter combine to create the purest pendulum stroke on the market by allowing a full range of backstroke motion to meet the requirements of any length putt while maintaining a steady tempo and stabilized head for a true "dead hands" stroke.  The 3" sweet spot frees us up to look at our distance to determine stroke length without fear of missing the aim line or the sweet spot of the club, no matter how big the backswing.

   Referencing the pure pendulum dead hands stroke, Dave also states, " when you first try it you will also feel insecure, as if you can't get the ball to the hole, so you'll probably leave every putt short."   He goes on to say that "the pendulum stroke is the weakest, least powerful swing in golf."

  In the case of the Lateral line stroke, you will also feel very insecure taking a big backstroke while looking at the hole and not the ball. There is also a feeling of a lack of control.  Mr. Pelz states,"Of course no golfer ever has total control of the ball:  you can only start a putt on the proper line at the proper speed. Thinking you can do anything else classifies you as a dreamer.  Trying to control your putts may make you feel good in the short run, but ultimately it degrades your putting."

So remember, the backstroke determines the length and speed of your putt so  do this with a "Dead Hands" motion and trust the L2 to do the rest.

    [the statistcs and comments taken from Mr. Pelz book, although general as to the nature of putting, do not imply any indorsment for the L2 putter or the Lateral Line system but are simply supporting the notion of a pendulum stroke.]   

                                         WORK YOUR EYES LIKE A PILOT

    Binocular vision is what allows us to judge distance. Without it , depth perception is difficult. A Pilots distance measuring ability is what enables him or her to land a Plane successfully. But looking at a specific spot on the runway is not the way to land. As a plane approaches the threshhold of the runway, concentrating too long and hard at one point on the ground or in the distance, can produce a tunnel vision effect that can turn into a stare. A stare is more like taking a snapshot then viewing a dynamic movement. Instead, we try to have "busy eyes", or eyes that are constantly gathering data to better aid in our assesment of the landing. We look at the threshhold of the runway, then out to the other end of the runway, then back in close, then a glance at the instruments then back out at the threshold and so on. Our final look as we touch down,  is a view of the other end of the runway that takes in the whole landing invironment. 

 Putting can use this same method. After finishing our pre-putt ritual and when your alignment is complete, try using these "busy eyes" to access the distance to be covered. Take a look at the ball and putter head, then follow the track line along the green and to the cup. Then back to the ball, then back to the cup again. When you are ready for the stroke, look at the cup but try to include as much of the green invironment as you can while you do so. This really activates your depth perception which inhances your touch. By not staring at the cup, you will transfer your distance measuring ability to determine the backstroke size necessary for the distance at hand. This method enhances situational awarness which incorporates the senses you are using for the putt. Busy eyes will also keep you from changing your distance look to an AIMING look.

                                         A WORD OF CAUTION

  We know that choosing your trackline is determined from behind the ball. Once this is done and you step up next to tha ball, your only directional thought should be a square back and square forward motion. It is easy to turn your distance eyes into aiming eyes which will further decay your accuracy.

 As a pilot of 34 years, I can attest to this method. And although you may not be twenty feet above the ground going 200 mph. when you sink your putt, you will be taking advantage of the same sense of distance awarness that will allow you to make a successful  "landing in the cup".             

     THE PENDULUM TEMPO BEGINS IN THE BACKSTROKE

      A consistent smooth, pendulum tempo is the greatest asset of the Lateral Line putting stroke. The same tempo that only varies in length to determine distance gives a golfer a yip-proof motion.  The shoulder motion supplies the energy, and the L2 putter does the rest. Unlike other styles,  the Lateral Line system is all about backstroke.  The conventional, Side Saddle , or Face On motion, uses a shortened backstroke in order to maintain club head control.  Due to the nature of the restricted motion, this does not allow for  enough backstroke freedom to vary  distance.  This restriction means that any stroke energy will need to be made up with muscle, not momentum. This "muscle" stroke not only distorts tempo, but opens the door for the effects of adrenalin, the source of the yips.

  It will require a conscious effort for you to free your backstroke motion in order to create a steady tempo that will accomodate any distance of putt.  The weight,  head balance, and huge sweetspot of the L2 gives you the clubhead stability that other clubs lack. Tapping into this clubhead "freedom", opens up the backstroke motion allowing for the range in stroke to vary putt requirements.

 The design of the L2 Putter gives you the confidence to make a big, full motion  backstroke without concern of losing face direction or missing contact with  the sweet spot. The Lateral Line system produces the mechanics by simulating a Pendulum Machine to produce the same freedom and range of motion. These two elements Together IS the LATERAL LINE SYSTEM , the sweetest stroke in golf .....so take advantage of it!

                              TIME TO PUTT LIKE A "PREDATOR"

  Humans are predators. Like Lions bears, wolves, dogs, or cats, we need our target objective in front of us in order to be succesful. Our bincular vision excells when used for depth perception and distance measuring capabilities. Whether this optical capability is used to stalk, pounce, or putt, it is designed to measure distance to improve our chance for success.

  The head down position used for the conventional style of putting uses our vision more for alignment and precision impact with the ball then it does for distance.   Sure we look at the cup and read the distance prior to the putt, but at the moment of attack, we try to remember our distance instead of look at it.   If this head down "guestimate"  system of hunting was used by other predators,  there wouldn't be any!

  Rather then face our target as predators, we assume this head down position of prey instead.   Prey animals, from rabbits to wildebeests, have their eyes positioned on the sides of their head so they can maintain a head down position, and still use their wonderful peripheral view in order to detect movement for their defenses. 

  So make the cup your prey and use your natural talent to judge distance.  focus on your target and let your natural depth perception capabilities do the rest.  

                                      Be a predator, not the prey. 

                              SHORT STROKE ACCURACY

For putts that require less backstroke and follow-through, roughly 8' or less, try moving your stroking hand closer to your anchor hand. This will mean that your stroking arm, right arm for right-handers, will have more elbow bend then normal, thus taking away some of the influence your stroking hand can have on club direction during the stroke. It will also give more "pendulum" weight to the club allowing it to move more freely.

                      THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRE-STROKE "TAP"

  At the address position just prior to the stroke, it is important to give the L2 putter head a pre-stroke "tap" or two on the ground. This little ritual will establish the finger pressure necessary for lifting the club slightly during the stroke. The tapping also confirms that it is your anchor hand, [left hand for right handed golfers], that is doing the lifting.  This process will keep your right hand from getting too involved with the stroke and thus allow your gravity fed, pendulum tempo to swing the club more freely. Remember that your stroking arms job is to maintain lie angle with inside thumb pressure, and take the club back the distance necessay for the putt , and maintain the tempo you have established in practice. A light grip will also keep you from lifting the club with the stroking hand.

            THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LATERAL LINE STYLE

  The Lateral Line style of putting has been developed for the L2 putter. This style allows for the added weight of the L2 and more closely resembles a pendulum machine then any other "facing the hole" putting motion in use. The SIDE SADDLE AND FACE ON STYLE  do not work well with a heavy putter with a flat bottom like the L2. They depend on being able to tip the putter on the toe in order to get a upright or 90 degree lie angle. This may aid you in a stroke line but it will not help you make sweet spot contact while you look at the cup. Without this ability, why bother facing the hole?

                                DON'T CONTROL THE L2,

                "GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE" INSTEAD

  Conventional putters are controlled due to there light weight and small sweet spots. They promote the use of the small muscles such as our fingers and hands to maintain control through impact.  The heavy head and amazing stability of the L2 works best when you minimize your influence on the L2 as it travels down the line through impact. So stay with the 58 beat pendulum tempo and maintain the lie angle as you ride the L2 up and down the line for best results.

              THINK BACKSTROKE FOR DISTANCE CONTROL

  If you find yourself hitting the ball rather than stroking it, don't slow your club trying to control it, but instead, take a bigger backstroke and "enjoy the ride" on the follow-through. Clubhead speed does need to be increasing on the downswing, but it is done with momentum with a putter, not with a push or pull. With the wieght and balance of the L2 , all you need to do for more distance is give it enough backstroke to gain the extra energy needed for the longer putt.

   So don't bully your new "best friend", let the L2 prove its worth by letting it make putts with you, not for you.

                        DON'T HOLD THE FOLLOW-THROUGH                                                                                                                             Although holding the follow-through is the excepted finish to the golf stroke, be it the full stroke or the putting stroke, it is not desirable to do with the Lateral Line stroke and the L2 Putter. The pendulum motion used in harmony with the heavy L2 putter flows through the ball at impact with the weight and momentum   supplying the distance energy. When you are thinking of holdind the follow-through with this style , and especially with the L2, your right hand will need to be pushing the club through impact in anticipation of stopping and holding the club at the finish. This encourages too much interference and participation by the right hand which will add a variable to impact speed . It is better to let the club flow through the ball, and then return to the ground at your side after reaching the high point of the arch. Remember, the right hands main job is to initiate the backstroke, and then "guide as you go along for the ride". Let the system and the L2 work for you.

                                    PREVIEW STROKE

As you develop your tempo and perhaps as a ritual to use prior to the stroke, a prestroke tempo setup can aid in distance control. A recommended method is to stand behind the ball in a position that is similar to your final address position but behind the actual one. As you look at the distance to cover, the green conditions, and the general line, start a pendulum tempo as you search for  the right size of the stroke, while maintaining and establishing your chosen tempo. When it feels smooth and effortless, then stop the motion and begin your final alignment for the stroke. You won't want to take too long between the preview stroke and the actual one. Just remember the feeling you established for the size of the stroke needed, and remember to think backstroke size, then just let the L2 do its thing while you guide it through and then back to the ground. Now, just stand and watch it fall into the cup!

   BE SURE YOU ARE NOT UNDERREADING YOUR BREAKS

  It is not uncommon to under-read breaks when putting. When the conventional stroke is being used, although you believe you are pointing your putter face up the aim line, because you are 'IMAGINING" the line in your head as you make your stroke, most golfers compensate for what is acually an under read of the break. This means that although you believe you have read the break and are on the correct line, your subconsious minds eye will further compensate to create  what is really the actual aim line for the putt. 

 When using the L2 and the Lateral Line system, This compesation does not occur because the stroke and club will produce exactly what you set up. This can lead to miss putts. The answer, be sure you are giving yourself enough break when you read your putts. If necessary, pick a spot on the track line and see that you roll over it. If you do and the speed is correct it should go in the cup or you misread your break. Remember, your track line is based on green conditions for break and then the speed you need to get to the cup for the distance required. Green speed and distance requirements will always come before your break read. Fast greens mean more break. A ball that rolls on a fast green rolls at a slower ball revolution so gravity has more effect on it. Slow greens mean a faster rolling ball to get the distance, and the faster roll resists gravity which means less break.             

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