Johnny Miller shares his secrets to making more shots

Golf instruction is always evolving, but the best tips stand the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Lifetime Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice that teachers and players have shared in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today, Johnny Miller shares a smart tip from our September 1975 issue. For unlimited access to GOLF Magazine’s complete digital archive, join Inside GOLF tODAY; you’ll enjoy $140 worth of value for just $39.99 per year.

Johnny Miller is best known for three things: being an elite ball hitter, for Oakmont 63, and for legendary broadcasting career. Shooting the ball may have been Miller’s calling card during his playing career, but he also made his fair share of shots. You don’t win many major championships without a few great days of performance.

We’ve got you covered Keys hitting Miller’s ball in Eternal Tips before, so today we’re diving into the archives to check out his tips for setting up. In 1975, Miller shared some of his greens secrets GOLF magazine, and you can read all about them below.

Johnny Miller is setting the keys

Everything I do in my putting method is for one goal: To make solid contact between the ball and the putting face. Whenever you hit the ball hard, you can count on it to stay in line. Putts hit on the heel or toe are the ones that miss. To develop a strong stroke, you must first develop a strong stroke.

If you had a four-foot putt, would you try to push the putter’s head down a line to the hole or would you drive your hands to the hole? If you answered, shooting head, you are likely a sloppy shooter because you use your wrist a lot. Whenever you push the putter’s head down the line, the right hand plays a dominant role. When you bring both hands to the hole, both hands play an equal role. Let’s talk about the hands first, which I think are the key to stability.

Very few golfers get their hands to the hole. They become obsessed with the shooter’s blade. They focus on pushing the shooter’s head along a line, closing it, opening it or keeping it square; the shooting head becomes the focal point of most players’ attention. Unfortunately, attention is lost, because if there is any error, it will be on the other side of the pusher, in the hands. The mover, being an extension of your hands, can only do what your hands allow.

After lining up the rubber blade, I forget about everything. My hands, like the face of the shooter, are squared in the hole in what I call a palm-to-palm grip. So you get it right, place your hands on either side of the grip, palms facing, and make sure the shooter is square to your target line. Now place your hands on the handle so that your thumbs go straight through the middle. This immediately places both of your palms dead “square” on the face of the paw.

As for the actual grip, I recommend a reverse overlay. In my case, I overlap my left index finger below the first three fingers of my right hand. The only reason it’s not all four fingers is because I have a slight separation between my index finger and the other finger on my right hand. I have found this grip to be the most successful because I put all the fingers of my right hand on the club. And most of the sensitivity is in the right hand.

Most of the grip pressure should be applied to the left hand, and the right hand simply rests on the club. You should especially feel the back three fingers of your left hand firmly gripped. This will create an even balance between the two hands and prevent the left hand from becoming broken or locked. Beware, however, of gripping too tightly with both hands, a very common fault, as this limits the overall stroke.

The posture you adopt should be as natural as possible. Whenever you tuck your elbows away from your body, like the wings of a chicken, you are impeding the movement of your arms and shoulders; the blow cannot be fluid. I advocate that the elbows have a comfortable distance from the body where they can work freely.

Let’s now look at some other important basics that lead to hard hitting. Then we’ll talk a little bit about stroke.

If you study Jack Nicklaus when he hits, you’ll notice that: 1. He stays a little open. 2. He plays the ball from his left heel. 3. His eyes are on the ball. These factors, I think, account for Jack’s continued hitting.

I also recommend staying a little open. This gives you a better perspective from the ball to the hole; you can measure the distance better. With the ball in front you can keep a clearer view of the line along which you want the ball to travel. And finally, positioning your eyes over the ball allows you to directly view the target line of the shot.

I personally do not believe that either hand plays a dominant role in hitting. Both play an equal role. As a result of the one-piece kick, the shoulders will rotate slightly, but not consciously. As I said earlier in the article, the less wrist movement the better. Next, you want to develop a positive feel for driving your hands into the hole. Remember: If your hands go through the hole, so will the shooter’s head.

In general, try to keep your stroke as smooth as possible. To help, I recommend a mental pacing trick that I’ve found very helpful. This is a simple One-Two count that keeps my mind on the shot and the destructive thoughts that can creep in and ruin my chances of making the putt. The entire reverse is a count of One, and the kick and pass is a count of Two. The count is based on the speed of the shot as I see it in my mind. First determine your natural rhythm, apply the count to it and follow that rhythm during the stroke. This will give you a nice smooth action rather than a jerky, hesitant stroke. When I’m stressed, my caddy, Andy Martinez, always reminds me to count.

I’ve never been much of a local player. In other words, I don’t pick a spot between the ball and the hole to line up. Spotting can reduce concentration because you have to keep checking to make sure you’re lined up with the right spot. And if you misplace it, you can waste a lot of mental effort trying to move it. Instead, I visualize the line from the ball to the hole, place my blade roughly left or right of the hole, then just run my hands down the line. This method is much simpler and keeps your mind free to focus on the distance.

While we’re on the subject of visualization; you have to see the successful outcome of every putt thrown against you, in your mind, no matter how long the putt may be. If you program a positive thought, you will get a positive result. Actually “see” the ball drop into the hole!

If you watch any top professional, you will notice that he has a certain pattern of handling the ball. The model is similar to the car. I have my model too. First I look at the putt from behind and do all my visualization. Then I go up to the ball. First I place my feet together, then I extend my right leg out so my stance is about shoulder width apart. I glance at the hole, then look back at the machine to check my alignment. (Andy Martinez also kneels directly behind me and tells me when I’ve lined it up.) Then a second look at the cup, to get a sense of the distance, and the moment I look back at the ball, I draw the putter. back. Two looks – that’s the most I’ve ever gotten.

What purpose does the system serve? Whenever you are systematic, you are positive; your mind is on shooting and not on other things. Program positive actions into your mind and, again, the results will be positive.

Paul Runyan, one of the greatest putters of all time, spent several hours a day on the driving green listening to the sound the ball made from the putter’s head. He programmed his mind to absorb the feeling of hard contact – so it became a habit. When applying the thoughts I’ve described to your swing, I also suggest that you try to hit the ball every time. However, in doing so, make sure your attention is on your hands and not on the shooter’s head.