Clearly, when it comes to putts from 20 feet or less, we have one goal. Hole it! Make the putt! From 50 feet, getting it close and two putting is fine. Well done. BUT if you are not trying to make every putt inside 25 feet, you will lose to someone who is. The worst Read more…
There are many factors to consider while putting on the greens. Is my putt uphill or downhill? How fast are the greens? How much slope is there? Is the slope to the left or to the right? Is there a double break? Is there wind or grain present that will affect the line and/or the Read more…
When I talk about putting with my students, I like to work on these top three skills: Ability to aim Ability start putt on the intended line Speed control This tip will help you master the top two. Everyone’s sights and visuals are different, so it is important to calibrate each player specifically and find Read more…
In any good putting stroke the hands, wrists and arms form a stable structure that stays intact during the entire motion (Photo 1). The putter head is put into motion by the movement of the shoulders and the structure created at address should remain throughout the stroke…otherwise the structure breaks down and inconsistencies in the Read more…
Every once in a while you get one of those “aha” moments. I had one when I was playing in the PGA Junior Championship at Bellerive Country Club. I had lost the tournament due to my exceptionally poor putting from four feet and in. I vowed I would never allow that to happen again. So Read more…
One of the hardest things for people to understand when faced with big breaking putts is that there are and infinite number of “lines” you can take based on the speed you choose. Sometimes certain putts require a more delicate approach while others necessitate a more direct route to the hole. Regardless of the one Read more…
Lining up a putt is important. When figuring out the break of a putt, most of us stand at a right angle to the line, facing the ball, to determine it. This is not accurate, but side-saddle putting IS accurate. Think about it: When you line up a putt, you stand behind the ball Read more…
I have known The Putt Ruler inventor Bob Walton for over 25 years. We were introduced by our mutual friend Bob Ford, head PGA Professional at Seminole and past head professional at Oakmont. Bob Walton is as passionate a golfer as any living and breathing human being I have ever met on this planet. So Read more…
Every putter manufacturer stresses the importance of FEEL. Words like “soft feel,” “muted feel,” “firm feel,” “softer sound and feel,” “old school feel,” and “gentle feel” are used to describe the feel of the putter’s impact with the golf ball. All golfers know and understand that sensation, both the good and the bad. Impacting the Read more…
Let’s talk about “releasing” the putter head. It’s discussed a lot among golf instructors, letting that head “pass” the hands as it goes through the impact zone, but is that what you really want to do? Putt like Jack Nicklaus, that’s what. Nicklaus, perhaps the greatest golfer, and putter, of all time, looked at and Read more…
