Rising LPGA star Francella tries to keep the momentum after her stunning first victory (Part 7, Conclusion)

Continued from blog entry – “Sustaining success (Part 6)”
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Cut out the cut

Patri describes most of his sessions with Francella as “maintenance-related.” Among the tendencies he immediately looks for is a cut-across putting stroke. To counteract the dreaded outside takeaway, Patri employs a variety of drills involving boards, chalk or string (pictured left), all designed to keep Francella’s putter face perpendicular to the target line throughout the stroke.

Francella also gets what she calls “flippy with my stroke – if I miss putts left, that’s a clue.”  She will practice putts using only her right hand and then her left before placing both hands on the club to get the hands working together. The stroke itself changes depending on whether she is inside or outside  20 feet.

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.Golfweek Photos/Jules Alexander.

“Meaghan uses a Bernhard Langer grip (pictured right) inside 20 feet,” Patri says. “We started out using it a few years ago as a drill to stabilize that left wrist and keep from flipping. It worked so well on medium-length putts that
she stuck with it.”

Outside of 20 feet, Francella’s stroke is simply cross-handed.