109109the course—much like a jockey does with a
racehorse on the track—sometimes pulling
in the reins and other times letting Chez
run. It’s true that constantly firing at pins
and getting marginal gains in proximity to
the pin will eventually produce a super-low
score, but what about when you miss? We
like the strategy championed by DECADE
golf founder Scott Fawcett: scoring takes
great discipline and patience, not bravado.The Cheat: Do what you can do to hit more
greens in regulation. This will boost your
scoring potential exponentially. The more
greens you hit in regulation, the more birdie
putts you’ll have. So stay disciplined.Chez Cheat No. 4
Give Yourself Options
Chez’s scoring average has improved
since he swapped his 3-iron for a gap wedge
(he’s now a huge four-wedge proponent).
He uses 46-, 50-, 54- and 58-degree wedges,
which allows him to cover a wider spread of
distances at the short end of his bag. It also
provides Chez with more options on par-5
layups and on recovery shots for par.
The Cheat: Adding an additional wedge
automatically gives you 25 percent more
full-swing yardages—and a huge boost in
Le your margin for error.
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Tee Accuracy GIR Scrambling40%80%50%60%70%CHEZ MAGNIFIQUE!
With numbers like these, it’s no wonder
Chez Reavie is back to winning again“AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL”
IS THE KEY TO THIS HIGHLY
ADDICTIVE TRAINING AIDPRESSURE
TRAINING
GADGET RXThere are a lot of effective
training aids that guide your
swing into correct positions. The
PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer
($29.99, proshop.golf.com/training-
aids) isn’t one of those training
aids—and that’s the beauty of
it! The aim of the PuttOUT isn’t
to force your putting stroke into
certain positions, but to provide a
fun and addictive way to practice
your putting more, and to figure
out the best way to move your
flatstick by yourself along the way.
How to use it? Simple: Putt
your ball into the tiny hole cut
into the middle of the PuttOUT’s
ramp. The only way the ball will
stay there is if you hit the putt
with the perfect amount of speed
and in the correct direction. If you
don’t, the slope of the ramp will
propel your ball back at you. Try
again! Be warned: It’s not easy,
and that’s the point. Hitting putts
with the perfect pace and direc-
tion isn’t easy either, but because
you’re practicing hitting the per-
fect putt and settling for nothing
less, your average putt improves
along the way. As the old saying
goes, “Aim small, miss small.” The
PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer
is a fun, not-too-technical way to
real game improvement.Chez Cheat No. 5
Manage Your Misses
The key to posting good scores is avoid-
ing bogeys. There are some golden rules for
this, and the first is to accept the fact that
bad shots happen. Eventually, you’ll have
to rely on your ability to scramble, so when-
ever possible, make sure that you’re chip-
ping and pitching uphill from the fat side of
the green. If you’re oblivious to bad-miss
areas when mapping out your approach-
shot strategy, you’re toast. If you’re in trouble
off the tee, don’t always try to advance the
ball as close to the green as possible. Some-
times laying back to a fuller shot will allow
you to attack a pin with a wedge—rather
than having to attempt a short difficult
pitch to a tucked pin—and save par.
The Cheat: Bogey avoidance is about
managing your misses and leaving yourself
easier up-and-down chances. You can learn
from Chez’s 61.94 scrambling rate by picking
conservative targets and trying to leave
yourself uphill chips.Chez Cheat No. 6
Putting Strokes Mirror Full Swings
There are an infinite number of ways to
putt, but I strongly believe that your putting
stroke should mirror your full swing. Your
stroke will hold up better under pressure this
way, and this in turn will do wonders for both
your scores and your nervous system.
When Chez practices, he works hard to
embrace a flowing, arcing stroke (instead of a
more structured, straight-back-and-through
stroke). His primary goal is to start putts on
the correct line.
The Cheat: In your practice and when
you’re out there rolling the rock for real, use
start line and speed to grade the quality of
your stroke, rather than trying to rely on what
it looks and feels like. Nothing else matters.
Part two: Get fit for a putter that suits your
stroke type and aim bias. It’s true: You can
buy better results. Do whatever it takes to get
the ball in the hole—just like Chez!MARK BLACKBURN
IS A GOLF MAGAZINE
TOP 100 TEACHER BASED
AT GREYSTONE C.C.
IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
FOLLOW HIM
@BLACKBURNGOLF