By Robin All
My first experience with putting was finding an old wooden shafted left handed blade putter in the junk pile at the Charleston Municipal Golf Course.
If I used it right handed, the back of the head had an angle, that created some loft. So, I could hit some long shots to a green and then putt left handed. Maybe after many years of trying hundreds of putters and every method imaginable, I should have stayed left handed.
To put a ball in a hole that is almost three times larger than a ball, seems easy looking to a beginner golfer, but gets harder the longer you play, especially under tournament pressure.
The first thing we learn about is the sweet spot. The balance point where the ball will go straight and cover the distance the length of the stroke intended. A good training drill is to put two tees in the ground about the distance apart, where you can practice swinging the putter head between them allowing a quarter inch clearance on each end. On a carpet or a green, place two balls with the right amount of clearance between.
After you think you have mastered this, place a third ball between the others and see if you can roll it without touching the gate on the way through. Top players like Tiger have been seen using this drill and so should we.
You can contact Robin All, PGA Life Member at 803-238-1655 for more information about golf instruction.