Jo Ah-yeon's 'Home Training'... "The Reason for Biting a Pen"

Putting Know-How "Head Axis Fixation and Putting and Swing Skill Improvement 'Triple Benefit' Effect"

Jo Ah-yeon recommended, "If you hold a pen in your mouth while stroking, your putting will improve." Photo by Volvik

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae] "Use a ballpoint pen."

This is the home training secret of Jo Ah-yeon (20, Volvik), the 'KLPGA Tour Rookie of the Year.' Last year, she won two KLPGA Tour events and entered the 'Top 10' thirteen times, leading her to win the Rookie of the Year title. She showed outstanding performance, ranking 5th in prize money (751.97 million KRW), 4th in average score (70.66 strokes), and 6th in points for the Player of the Year award (461 points). Amid the suspension of the tour due to the spread of COVID-19, she shared her putting know-how to improve skills at home.

There is a saying, "Drive shots are a show, putting is money." Jo Ah-yeon analyzed, "Both professional and amateur golfers often miss short putts that must be made during a round," adding, "This increases the score on that hole and disrupts the rhythm of shots on the next hole." She emphasized, "You must not forget that a drive shot over 200 yards counts as one stroke, and a putt from just 1 meter away also counts as one stroke."

When training at home, she places a mat on the floor and holds a ballpoint pen in her mouth. This has a 'triple effect' of fixing the head axis and improving putting and swing abilities. She explained, "The most important factor in a putting stroke is minimizing the left-right movement of the head axis," adding, "If the head axis shakes, the body's balance collapses, and the stroke becomes inconsistent." Holding a ballpoint pen in the mouth helps stabilize the head axis during the putting stroke.

Jo Ah-yeon said, "I focus on keeping my head still so the ballpoint pen does not move left or right," and added, "Through this practice, the head axis naturally stabilizes, reducing unnecessary body movements." She noted, "When overall balance is achieved, a more solid stroke can be made." This practice not only helps keep the eyes on the ball until the end but also eliminates the habit of lifting the head. She emphasized, "It is an easy exercise to do on a wooden floor," and added, "Paying attention to the stroke line and tempo makes it even more effective."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.